No Regard For Truth or Integrity

[rontun]

Why is it that the public hears so little about the real John McCain?

No Regard For Truth Or Integrity

Last week John McCain ventured into Rochester, N.H. for a Town Hall Meeting and before a crowd estimated at 700 people managed to embarrass himself, his party, and his country by accusing his opponent of being a traitor while pretending that his own unremarkable record qualifies him to serve as the Commander-in-Chief of our military and as the Chief Executive Officer of our government.

Senator McCain has earned the respect of a grateful nation for his having endured 5 ½ years of imprisonment and torture in a Vietnamese prison camp. Aside from that, however, he’s done little to deserve the esteem being heaped upon him by a compliant press, although one cannot fail to appreciate how he’s managed to parlay that life-changing experience into a life-long career on the public payroll.

Not quite as flattering is that his military career included the loss of five naval aircraft – one in combat, three during training exercises, and one in an explosion on the deck of the USS Forrestal; or his having graduated 894th out of 899 mates in his 1958 class at the Naval Academy. Nor especially distinguishable was his retirement at the rank of captain after having served over 25 years in the U.S. Navy, a departure prompted by his dim future prospects for promotion.

Although McCain is among the wealthiest members serving in the U.S. Senate, his accumulation of a vast fortune hasn’t been through the dint of hard work, nor derived from the wise investment of his $58,000+ in annual military disability payments and $161,700 annual salary as a U.S. Senator. Rather, he married a wealthy heiress after dumping his first wife, a one-time beauty queen whose physical allure had waned as a consequence of physical injuries sustained in an automobile crash. continue reading

We all know the media is doing a poor job of informing the public about John McCain and his unfitness to serve as commander-in-chief. Do I believe the pundits are all Republicans? No, but they remind me of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Emperor's New Clothes" in which it takes a child to awaken the obsequious adults to the reality that the Emperor has no clothes. "But he has nothing on!" observes the child, fearing neither reprisal nor reprobation.

Might I suggest instead that the media is home to far too many sycophants who have lost sight of their purpose. My own experience has been that reporters are not at fault. The culprits are their employers, who use their outlets to curry favor with politicians in much the same way as corporations do through lobbyists. Add to that the so-called "opinion shapers" - the columnists and television commentators whose access to people in power is the only currency they feel they have. Naturally, they're hesitant to risk any of that currency.

It is incumbent upon each of us to become media outlets. We must take the initiative to disseminate accurate information utilizing all of the means at our disposal. The above excerpted column was published by my local, daily newspaper - albeit reluctantly, given that they were heartily criticized in the column for their coverage.

I'll continue to write substantive pieces for publication in my local newspapers. As a former newspaper editor, I encourage you to do the same. Local editors are much more apt to publish something from a local reader than from someone outside their coverage area. Typically, editors shape the tone of their opinion pages by publishing syndicated material that delivers a desired message. But they always welcome input from their readers, who ultimately are their bread and butter.

So, when a campaign encourages you to write a letter, don't discount its value. If published it will be read by a large segment of the newspaper's readers. If it's thoughtful, accurate, and respectful, it will have much more influence on your neighbors than any paid advertisement. You can make a difference.

[NJmaverick]

1. what do you expect from the double talk express

[liberal N proud]

2. John McCain the former POW candidate

I wouldn't be surprised to see them run an ad with that.

They think it is their answer to the "race card" you can't question his POW'ness.

[yardwork]

3. McCain was NOT tortured. According to his own definition of torture, he didn't experience it.

Everything that happened to McCain as a POW is considered acceptable interrogation techniques by Bush and a majority of Congress, including McCain, who voted in support of the new guidelines. So the media needs to stop saying that McCain was tortured.