Sunday, August 10, 2008
The American corporate-owned media loves a war hero. Especially, when he is running for president.
Case in point, the presumptive Republican nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain. The American corporate-owned media collectively made a decision to give the 71 year old Republican a “pass” each time he makes a gaffe, which happens to be just about every day. It’s as if we’re witnessing Reagan 2.0 but, without the black shoe polish covering his hair.
John McCain’s CV is peppered with examples of heroism and acts of bravery. But one story the American corporate-owned media refuses to report is how John McCain betrayed the simple, Vietnamese peasant who saved his life.
On October 26, 1967, Mai Van On ran from the safety of a bomb shelter at the height of an air raid and swam out into the lake where Lieutenant Commander McCain was drowning, tangled in his parachute cord after ejecting when his Skyhawk bomber was hit by a missile. In an extraordinary act of compassion at a time when Vietnamese citizens were being killed by US aerial bombardments, he pulled a barely conscious McCain to the lake surface and, with the help of a neighbour, dragged him towards the shore. A furious mob at the water’s edge began to beat and stab the captured pilot, Mr On drove them back.
Nearly three decades later, a Vietnamese government commission confirmed Mr. On was indeed the rescuer and in a 1996 meeting in Hanoi, McCain embraced and thanked Mr On and presented him with a Senate memento.
From that brief encounter to his death at the age of 88 two years ago, Mr. On never heard from the senator again. Three years later, McCain published an autobiography that makes no mention of his apparent debt to Mr. On that fateful day.
It is a snub Mr. On took to his death. His widow, Bui Thi Lien, 71, said: “In his last years, my husband was very sad sometimes. He would say, ‘Mr McCain has forgotten me.'”
From the Left 
I’ve heard veterans say McCain’s autobiography reads more like a work of fiction.
Had been truthful and credited Mai Van On with saving him, then in McCain’s mind, he was smart enough to know he couldn’t market himself as a hero to voters.
It’s clear to me that McCain had a plan and that plan included politics and marrying money.
McCain’s POW history was a very long time ago. I wonder how long the media and the American people are expected to kiss his ass? I don’t recall a lot of fuss being made by John F. Kennedy and his handlers over his military record. It was stated and we moved on, but with McCain, he seems to be running as the military candidate. Enough already!
When the PT-109 was hit, John Kennedy, despite having a severly injured back, was thrown into the water and managed to swim to a near-by island towing a wounded man with him. Kennedy did the rescuing while McCain was rescued. McCain had to shape and doctor his war record to make it more compelling. Two radically different war records.
I knew veterans groups haven’t warmed to John McCain despite being a former POW but I assumed it had more to do with his Senate voting record which isn’t particularly pro-veteran.
So let me see…McCain has cheated on his wife, betrayed the man who saved his life, fought against a King holiday, treated his college years as a joke, and Lord knows what else. Yet he wants to paint Barack as the risky candidate. maybe he has a point; Barack might be a risk, but McCain is a definite disaster.
Old McBush can’t be faulted for his memory lapses in his autobiography.
After all, he’s old and how can anyone expect him to correctly recall how he was rescued and by whom?
Important event like the one described here just fades into oblivion like the birthdays and names of grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.
No wonder McBush was pissed at the Ice Queen when she recently adopted the little foreign child while abroad. He was afraid he couldn’t remember the kid’s name.
vicodaniel1987@yahoo.com
It’s not surprising. Our society is so quick to make people barely deserving of the title heroes. Take someone that was in the service and involved in a some incident, blow it out of proportion and we now have a “military hero.”
Just so that we don’t forget, didn’t Kerry do something similar with his service in Vietnam? This happens across the board. Considering that McCain struggles to seem as magnetic as Obama, it’s not surprising the McCain hasn’t set the record straight. To do so, would take away any possible advantage that he might barely have over Obama.
Jose A. Rodriguez
adlv2006.wordpress.com
That’s gratitude for you.
Typical. The sourcing for this revelation is a UK newspaper — not an American newspaper. The MSM in this country function like a cabal whose job is to protect the legend of McCain’s military saga and not explore the truth. No wonder Americans are like lost lambs before the slaughter.
John McCain, a war hero?
He’s an sad, tired, broken man who suffers from memory lapses, PTSD and suicidal thoughts.
McCain has never been asked by the media and I am sure Sen. Obama won’t ask him either, to prove to the American people that the 5 1/2 years he spent at the mercy of communist North Vietnamese interrogators, did not leave him with mental health issues that could hinder him unbalanced and if the White House phone rings at 3AM, he won’t react by pushing the nuclear button.
Is John McCain taking any kind of pain or mood medications? He’s frail and obviously moves with a degree of difficulty and stiffness. Plus, he’s uncharacteristically calm these days. Eerily so, to many of us who are familiar with the Arizona senator. Don’t the American people have a right to know if a presidential candidate is medicated?
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) doesn’t disappear or resolve over time. In fact, it often gets worse and can lead to psychotic episodes. This is a very serious condition and I think renders John McCain ill-equipped to serve as president.
And what about McCain’s suicidal tendencies?
McCain just creeps me out. He’s like a robot some lab run by conservatives invented to market to the masses. Like Real Doll but, for politics.
McGramps…really a hero -eh….what a way to act…no gratitude ..no grace…and yet Ypsilanti above also brought up alot of really good issues…about his mental health…interesting…but I am thinking it is a manners thing..a respect thing..to slight someone that changes your life- saves your life- that is well, not an accident that the rescue is not mentioned in the book….I wonder if the MSM or the public has ever asked him about this on the trail….
McCain is a loathsome guy. Abandoned a disabled wife after returning home from Viet Nam, took up with a wealthy heiress while still married, hold racist, homophobic and sexist views — he’s got it all and it helps to make him perfect for the GOP but totally wrong for America. He simply can’t be allowed to win in November.
McCain is a classic narcissist. His self-absorption prevented him from acknowledging the role Mr. Mai Van On played in his rescue and survival.
With McCain, you’re dealing with the type of ego that could make him take credit for the expertise of a surgeon who brought him back from the grim reaper.
Healthy narcissism is fine but in McCain’s case, his narcissism has taken the form of a man who is excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power and prestige. In many ways, he’s the archetype of the politician.
Christopher – This is O/T but did you hear Issac Hayes died?
I’m floored. I tell ya’ I just adored the man’s musical chops and spent more than a few nights flat on my back with Issac’s music on the box and a fine brother on top of me. I’m feelin’ old suddenly.
mccain is a big fat douchebag phony with smelly yellow rotten teeth