The truth about McCain?

Wes Clark nails it...

“The truth is that, in national security terms, he’s largely untested and untried.”

Thank you, General.

One of the frustrations of this campaign has been the willingness of too many on our side to concede that John McCain has, primarily because of his personal history, some special understanding of national security and military issues. In fact, his military career was remarkable primarily for a lack of success or distinction.

A legacy admit to the Naval Academy, he finished near the last of his class. His time as a Naval aviator ended in catastrophic failure. Most of his remaining career was spent as a Navy lobbyist with their Senate Liaison Office (explaining, perhaps, his apparent affinity for the Gucci Gulch crowd to this day), trading his on his post-imprisonment celebrity in political circles for friendly budget consideration from some who would soon enough be his colleagues.

Nothing about that career suggests special insight into broader issues of military readiness or geo-political conflict. He has never held a combat command, or planned a battle, or coordinated forces. There is nothing in his dated military experience that is any more relevant to serving as the commander in chief of a super power in the 21st century than there is in, say, mine, or millions of other ex-soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have served honorably, sometimes courageously.

McCain? Untested and untried. That's the truth.