Forgive me if this has been already posted. How true is this article? If true, it's disturbing. Opinions anyone? From www.newsmax.com

A "Fringe Veteran" Vindicated John LeBoutillier Friday February 25-Monday February 28, 2000

"Senator McCain has abandoned the veterans. He came home from Vietnam and forgot us.

No other statement or quotation has caused such controversy in the 2000 presidential campaign. And no other single event was more mis-reported and mis-analyzed than Army Veteran Thomas Burchs analysis of McCains record at a George W. Bush rally in South Carolina on Feb. 3. And in the aftermath of the South Carolina GOP Primary, no other incident better illustrates the mainstream media's pack mentality that has boosted McCains candidacy.

Reeling from his 19-point defeat in New Hampshire two days earlier, Bush had surrounded himself with soldiers and veterans at an outdoor rally in Columbia, South Carolina. Among those speaking on his behalf were Congressional Medal of Honor winners and a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Thomas Moorer. But it was retired Army Green Beret Burchs clear and concise attack on McCains political record that drew instant national attention.

By now it is well known that John McCain rose to fame almost solely because of his five and one-half years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. This part of his life, more than his 17-year congressional record, distinguished him from all the other presidential candidates. Yet he and his defenders in the Senate and in the national news media knee-jerked themselves into convulsions over Burchs remarks, with McCain labeling Burch, in the February 15 debate, "a spokesman for a fringe veterans group.

The media has marched in lock-step with these "McCain talking points: NBCs Tim Russert two weeks in a row on his "Meet the Press" program has referred to Mr. Burch as a "fringe veteran." Newsweeks Jonathan Alter wrote in last weeks issue of Burch as a "fringe veteran. CNNs Steve Roberts decried Burchs attacks on McCain as "the rantings of a fringe veteran. The Wall Street Journal,s AL Hunt lambasted Burch as a "fringe veteran on CNNs Capitol Gang adding, "it is just crazy to attack McCain on veterans issues.

How can it be that all these supposedly "independent news organizations use the exact same language to describe a man none of them had probably ever even heard of before the South Carolina press conference?

In fact, Major Burchs organization, the National Vietnam & Gulf War Veterans Coalition, is hardly a "fringe outfit. Founded in 1983 as the National Vietnam Veterans Coalition expressly to force the federal government to address the Agent Orange fiasco, the Coalition took the lead in writing the legislation and garnering House and Senate co-sponsors. The Coalition was the only non-chartered veterans organization permitted to testify before the United States House of Representatives.

As Burch says, "Our Coalition was then and is now cutting edge. We want results for our veterans now - while theyre alive. We dont want or need more phony studies and delays.

Tom Burch is a former Green Beret and a member of the Judge Advocate Corps, who served in Vietnam and received the Bronze Star in 1968. He is a past department commander of the Washington D.C. Veterans of Foreign Wars. The VFW, along with the American Legion, is considered the most "mainstream veterans group.

Senator McCain and his supporters do not want to address the specific charges made by Burch: that as a representative and a senator, McCain was not cooperative on a range of issues important to veterans:

1) According to Burch, beginning in 1984 when the coalition sought co-sponsors for the Agent Orange bill, John McCain refused to sign on. When Burch and his men asked other members of the House to co-sponsor, these congressmen would invariably ask, "Has John McCain signed on to this bill? When told that McCain had not it was believed, as often happens on the Hill in matters like this, that McCain was against the bill.

It was only after more than two hundred congress members expressed their support for the bill and final passage was assured that McCain finally agreed to come on board. But McCains foot-dragging and initial reluctance made the coalitions work much more difficult and delayed the veterans' final victory.

2) In 1988 the coalition led the charge for "Judicial Review, a new system whereby veterans rejected for benefits by the Veterans Administration would have the same right to appeal as Social Security recipients have. Again, the coalition members working the halls of Congress asking for co-sponsors to the bill found McCain in opposition.

The senator from Arizona never signed on.

3) In 1991 when new evidence of living American servicemen missing in Vietnam surfaced, the coalition  in conjunction with those "mainstream veterans organizations, the VFW and American Legion  led the charge for a Senate Select Committee to investigate whether or not any American POWs were left behind in Southeast Asia and whether some might still be alive. All these veterans groups wanted a senate panel instead of an executive branch panel because no one believed the executive branch could be trusted to investigate itself.

Senator McCain initially opposed the Senate committee. Later, when the Senate ultimately created the panel, McCain was appointed a member.

4) As a member of the Senate POW Committee, McCain "distinguished himself by repeatedly insulting wives, mothers and children of POWs and MIAs and accusing many veterans groups fighting for the POW cause of "making a living off this issue. He made similar charges in the South Carolina primary when the National Right to Life Committee endorsed Bush: "It is a shame when they take a cause and turn it into a business."

5) Tom Burchs District of Columbia law partner is Adrian Cronauer, made famous by Robin Williams portrayal in the movie "Good Morning Vietnam. When the presidential campaign was heating up last month, Cronauer asked for a meeting with McCain to discuss veterans' issues. The answer came back from McCains office: "The Senator says he will not meet with you.

6) And when word leaked out that Tom Burch and the coalition were going to endorse George W. Bush, McCain campaign operative and fellow former POW, Orson Swindle, called Burch and said, "We will destroy you.

The mainstream media rallied to McCains defense after Tom Burch charged that "John McCain abandoned the veterans. Conventional wisdom was that such an attack was political suicide for the Bush campaign in veteran-rich South Carolina.

But the veterans knew better. In fact, exit polling shows that Bush and McCain were separated by only one percentage point among veterans; McCain won 48% to Bushs 47%. Clearly Major Burchs charges struck home. As one former Republican congressman who served in the House with John McCain and is neutral in this years campaign said the day after South Carolina, "Maybe the media doesnt know it, but most veterans know that McCains political record on these issues is a disgrace. Thank God, Tom Burch had the guts to say it.

It is one thing for John McCain to label an opponent a "fringe veteran," it is quite another for the news media to become his erstwhile spokesmen.

-- haha (haha@haha.com), February 29, 2000

Answers

Al Bush and George Gore supporters running rampent over the internet spreading lies about an American Hero.

-- Chemtrail Pilot (work@FEMA.TPTB), February 29, 2000.

Oh really?

Which of the above points is a lie? And where is your proof? Your cluelessness is confirmed. I hope other McCain supporters are more intelligent than you are.

-- haha (haha@haha.com), February 29, 2000.

Stupid MccAin't supporter:

How do you know who I support (or don't support?) You don't do you. Dumb MccAin't supporter. LOL

-- haha (haha@haha.com), February 29, 2000.

its just more bullsh@t to discredit some one who wants to save this country from the chinease. gore & bush love china more than america. bush is a CRACKHEAD and gore is a green wacko. if bush wins the nomination, the republican party is done for.

-- sure (yeah@right.com), February 29, 2000.

John McCain is a leading advocate for active-duty military personnel, reservists, national guardsmen, Veterans and military retirees. He believes that military service is the most honorable endeavor an American may undertake, and that our nation has a solemn commitment to the care and well being of all veterans.

Defending Veterans' Funding from Pork-Barrel Raids

Fought the 1998 effort to transfer $17 billion in critical Veterans funding to pay for highway pork projects.

Sponsored legislation to restore the $17 billion to the VA, which was blocked in the Senate.

Worked to repeal the provision in the 1998 Transportation bill that denied compensation to Veterans for tobacco-related illnesses.

Sponsored an amendment to the 1998 Tobacco bill providing $3 billion for the treatment and care of Veterans suffering from tobacco-related illnesses.

Protecting Earned Benefits for All Who Served

Led the fight in 1999 to add $1.8 billion above the President's request to fund Veterans' programs and services.

Worked to improve Veterans' access to better job opportunities, expand Veterans' hiring preference rights, and improve Veterans' ability to appeal unfavorable hiring decisions through passage of the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act in 1997.

Passed 1997 law providing survivor benefits to the "Forgotten Widows" of retired service members who died before enactment of the Survivor Benefit Plan.

Authored 1992 legislation providing benefits (including retirement pay, separation pay, GI Bill education benefits, and life insurance) to National Guardsmen and Reservists deactivated due to post-Cold War force reductions, as well as similar 1990 legislation targeting active duty personnel subject to involuntary separation from military service.

Fighting for Veterans' Health Benefits

Committed to fulfilling our moral obligation to provide the health care services promised to all Veterans who have served their country.

Sponsored 1998 legislation to provide coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) to military retirees over age 65.

Authored a measure allowing the Medicare system to reimburse the Department of Defense for military retiree health care, reducing costs and providing a more generous benefit.

Fulfilling Our National Commitment

Co-sponsored legislation, approved by the Senate, to test an initiative directing Medicare to reimburse the VA for Medicare- eligible Veterans' health care costs, thus providing them with continuity of care.

Sponsored 1996 legislation requiring the VA to reform its system of funding to more effectively meet the needs of Veterans.

Co-sponsored the 1991 Women Veterans' Health Equity Act to expand VA care for Women Veterans.

Sponsored 1988 legislation to expand access to VA health care for Veterans living in remote rural areas, including Indian reservations.

Providing Gulf War Vets with the Support and Care They Deserve

Authored the 1997 law granting Reservists and National Guardsmen afflicted with Gulf War Syndrome free medical and dental care.

Fought to pass the Persian Gulf War Veterans Act of 1997 to help DOD establish a service connection for Veterans suffering from Gulf War illnesses.

Formed a home state Gulf War Syndrome support group in 1994 to help counsel Gulf War Vets and educate the public about their illnesses.

Co-chaired a special task force in 1991 charged with developing a benefits package for Gulf War Veterans and their families. The task force's proposals were included in a $1 billion benefits package subsequently signed into law.

Always in Guard for America's Military and Veterans

Pushing for enactment of a law for military retirees to reinstate the full 50% active duty salary retirement plan and make automatic the yearly cost of living increase.

Working to improve education benefits for Veterans, allowing more to realize the dream of a college education, or transfer that benefit to their family.

Reaching out to homeless Veterans, who number between 275,000 and 500,000 and constitute a third of all homeless Americans by sponsoring legislation to ensure they receive the benefits to which they are entitled as former service members.

Working to help reverse a discriminatory law that prevents disabled military retirees from receiving Veterans disability pay and military retirement pay at the same time.

Authored legislation in 1999 to help 10,000 military families get off food stamps.

-- Vern (bacon17@ibm.net), February 29, 2000.

Sure:

Another dumb post from a MccAin't-loving, brain-dead zombie. At least Vern says something remotely based upon facts. I don't give a crap about Shrub, so feel free to indulge your limited thinking skills in a tirade against Shrub.

Thanks Vern. I'll look it over.

-- haha (haha@haha.com), February 29, 2000.

One of the wonderful things about this forum is that it's open. We all get to speak.

I start to get interested when too many rants appear. Remember our little episodes when the Forum was under a "discrete" attack from pollies and trolls?

Well, I have a sneaking suspicion certain elements have "discovered" that this is a very potent vehicle for manipulation. I think I'll start a separate disk for radical political commentary, radical in the sense of somewhat inflammatory.

This forum has always demanded some form of substantiation. It then analyses, draws varying conclusions and sometimes returns to the issue to refine the process. Lets honor the example of the Founding Fathers and continue to do so. In the meantime, I see another research paper coming out of these threads.

-- mike in houston (mmorris67@hotmail.com), February 29, 2000.