McGovern: War heroism doesn't make a president

[Zenlitened]

Source: Boston Globe

WASHINGTON - He was a pilot in World War II, bombing targets in Europe to stop Hitler. But former senator and 1972 Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern says that didn't qualify him to run the country - and the same goes for GOP presumptive nominee John McCain.

"I don't have any regrets about that," the antiwar Democratic stalwart said in a brief interview yesterday on Capitol Hill. "While bombing is a terrible thing, we smashed Hitler's oil refineries all over Europe."

"But I don't recall ever saying that experience as a bomber pilot equipped me to be very strong on how to run a war, how to command the armed forces," said McGovern, who will turn 86 on July 18.

(snip)

"I think General Clark was misunderstood," McGovern said yesterday evening as he visited the House chamber where he once served. "He wasn't belittling (McCain) at all."

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/07/09/mcgovern_war_heroism_doesnt_make_a_president/

[pattmarty]

1. A truly very great American!!!! Until the election of 2004.........

.......when I began voting regularly, he was the last person I voted for.

[blayne]

2. Yeah for McGovern,

and yeah for General Clark!

I hope that one comment didn't take him out of the veep race.

[Demit]

3. This is good. Maybe more people will come out in support of Clark's judgment.

Instead of running around apologizing when the shrieking harpies pull their faux tantrums. If there's a drip-drip of this evwery week or so, that might make voters stop and think about exactly what Clark was referring to, and now McGovern reiterating.

[bpj62]

4. McGovern

People forget that George Mcgovern flew B-24 for the 15th Air force out of Italy during World War II. They tend to only remember him as the Antiwar candidate in 1972. The late Historian Stephen Ambrose wrote a book called "The Wild Blue" which is primarily about George McGovern and his experiences in WWII. My best friends late father was a navigator in the 15th and several of the passages in the book deal with missions that he took part in. People like McGovern are the true American hero's and everyday we lose more and more of them. The book is a great read. It was also Ambrose last book.

[Kolesar]

7. Nice summary

I was vaguely aware of McGovern's service.

Out of 300,000 deaths of Americans in uniform during WW2, 30,000 of them were men in the Eighth Air Force whose job was to bomb the Axis Powers. We are forever in their debt.

[Virginia Dare]

5. True, Poppy was a "war hero" (pilot)..

and he sucked as President.

[mainer]

6. Yeah, remember how Ulysses Grant was a great president?!!

That worked out really well.