The Democrats are having a tough time figuring out how to attack John McCain. He’s not a doctrinaire Republican, he has bucked his party on numerous occasions and he has a limited affinity for George W. Bush and his policies. Since the Democrats would prefer to be running against the incumbent president, the stark differences between McCain and Bush have sowed some confusion. This confusion is leading to moments of remarkable foolishness.
As Jim Geraghty points out, this Gillespie guy’s comments come hard on the heels of similarly ludicrous efforts by McCain’s senate colleagues Jay Rockefeller and Tom Harkin to disparage his military service. Still, Gillespie’s comments take the prize for sheer stupidity. Forget examples of McCain’s alleged self-promotion. I want to hear details of the silver spoon the privileged son of an Admiral was given at the Hanoi Hilton. Finally, what has happened to the political party of “Reporting for Duty?” Remember the outrage they felt over George W. Bush’s failure to serve in Vietnam? Only four short years ago, these people revered military service. Apparently military service by a Republican, even while it may do something to remove the stain of the chicken-hawk, remains inherently ignoble.

