My dad was in Vietnam.

[MinneapolisMatt]

*deep breath*

I'm 32.

Growing up, my dad would "leave" for weeks at a time, doing "stuff" for the Navy. We'd get postcards from such harmless addresses as San Diego, Boston, Miami, and Honolulu. He did this until 1992.

Yet, only until recently, did he mention what he "did"...and by mention, it wasn't that he "only went abroad to fix stuff".

But that's it. So, if Agent Mike is reading, my dad never said what he did. But he did allude to the fact that it was secretive, and involved submarines, Vietnam, and the Cold War.

To me, that is a maverick, a hero. He's my hero.

Maybe I am biased, but my dad would NEVER, EVER, discuss his military service in public (or private), let alone use it to advance ANYTHING in his career...although I'm sure he could have. His only goal was to serve his country, to provide for his family, and to get home in one piece.

My dad and my uncle are (retired...so were?) higher ups in the military, and guess what? They all HATE McCain. All of them. They HATE HIM, because they know his "treasonous" behavior in Vietnam (as they refer to it), and they know the strings that were pulled for him because of his name. Plus he is such an asshole, there is little goodwill felt for him. They know the truth about "his record".

So don't be so sure the military vote is going to swing McCain's way, ESPECIALLY amongst the boomers...in the military. There are so many people pissed off at him, he may be in for a rude surprise.

PS: This is purely anecdotal, but nonetheless, worth saying.

[Kitty Herder]

1. My dad seldom talked about it, either.

As a matter of fact, I didn't even find out that my dad was a Vietnam vet until I was about thirteen.
That's why McCain's constant bragging about his POW experience is so offensive to me. The way he uses it for political gain seems disrespectful.

[Waiting For Everyman]

2. You're right.

My husband was much the same ("was" b/c he died in '07). Also Viet Nam, also did secretive stuff, and felt the same way about broadcasting it. I watched all of the POW hearings with him on C-SPAN, and he was none too happy about McCain's obstruction regarding the POWs, and his treatment of the families.

From my observation, it's mostly the military "lightweights" or those higher-ups who have something to hide themselves, who are for McCain.

Thanks for sharing your post, Matt.

[old mark]

3. McCain gave the enemy a lot of information in

exchange for putting him in a hospital.Among other things,he told them the routs flown by our planes on missions from the south, and this enabled them to increase anti-aircraft defences along key spots in the route. His information led to a dramatic increase in the number os US aircraft shot down.

McCain is a traitor, not a hero.

He has tried to have the records of all this buried and has not been successful.

He is not fit to be a Senator, much less President.

mark