"Senator John Sidney McCain, III is a remarkable man who has made enormous personal achievements. And he is a man that I am proud to call a fellow POW who "Returned With Honor." That's our POW motto. But since many of you keep asking what I think of him, I've decided to write it out. In short, I think John Sidney McCain, III is a good man, but not someone I will vote for in the upcoming election to be our President of the United States."
- Dr. Philip Butler
Dr. Butler roomed across the hall from John McCain III at the Naval Academy and has been an acquaintance of his for many years. Butler has myriad stories to tell about his midshipman days with McCain, who he describes as "a wild man...intent on breaking every USNA regulation in our four-inch thick USNA Regulations book." Perhaps it is common for naval academy students to spend the majority of their first year on restriction, but out of a graduating class of 800, McCain was fifth from the bottom.
Both men were VietNam POW's, Butler for eight years, McCain for five and a half. When asked if he was a POW with McCain, Butler replies, "No - John McCain was a POW with me." Butler was subjected to torture for four and a half years, McCain for two. Many of the 600-some POW's in VietNam died, and many of them received awards. Decorations included 8 Medals of Honor, 42 Service Crosses, 490 Silver Stars, 958 Bronze Stars and 1,249 Purple Hearts. In Butler's own words,
"John certainly performed courageously and well. But it must be remembered that he was one hero among many - not uniquely so as his campaigns would have people believe. Succeeding as a POW is a group sport, not an individual one...We all supported and encouraged each other to survive and succeed. John knows that. He was not an individual POW hero. He was a POW who surmounted the odds with the help of many comrades, as all of us did...Doctor Phillip Butler is a 1961 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a former light-attack carrier pilot. In 1965 he was shot down over North Vietnam where he spent eight years as a prisoner of war. He is a highly decorated combat veteran who was awarded two Silver Stars, two Legion of Merits, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Heart medals.
I furthermore believe that having been a POW is no special qualification for being President of the United States. The two jobs are not the same, and POW experience is not, in my opinion, something I would look for in a presidential candidate.
Most of us who survived that experience are now in our late 60's and 70's. Sadly, we have died and are dying off at a greater rate than our non-POW contemporaries. We experienced injuries and malnutrition that are coming home to roost. So I believe John's age (73) and survival expectation are not good for being elected to serve as our President for 4 or more years."
After his repatriation in 1973 he earned a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at San Diego and became a Navy Organizational Effectiveness consultant. He completed his Navy career in 1981 as a professor of management at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He is now a peace and justice activist with Veterans for Peace.
Source: Military.com
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Comments: 54
great post.
Like many McCain supporters, I do not hold his status as a former POW as the primary reason for voting for him this November. Nor do I consider his age, 72 on August 29th, as a barrier to his electibility.
I think this is particularly telling about John McCain's character: "Succeeding as a POW is a group sport, not an individual one...We all supported and encouraged each other to survive and succeed."
It's interesting that many think a person this age should be retested for a driver's license but don't think anything of allowing him to run a country.
Yogi Berra
Dr. Butler writes about more than McCain's being a POW with him. It's a fair and honest piece.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Like many McCain supporters, I do not hold his status as a former POW as the primary reason for voting for him this November. Nor do I consider his age, 72 on August 29th, as a barrier to his electibility."
Well said, Ivan.
John McCain is indeed FIT for command.
Boy, that guy sure can rattle on, can't he??
There were very few people within the Repub establishment who had the stature of John McCain. As a veteran of the horrors of war he was morally bound to insure AMerica's finest were not sent on a fools errand. He had the abiltiy and DUTY to check and balance a rouge President and Admin. He did nothing. Explain why, ANY John McCain supporters, why his behavior in the last 8 years earns him the confidence to the highest office in the land.
thanks for posting this....it is what I always suspected, but did not have verified. He sounds like the same kind of college student as "W", wild and wooly, living off daddy's money and reputation. Never holding a real job in his life, so cannot relate to the rest of us .
good post!
His appeal to many Americans is based on their fear, the reptilian aspect of the brain. The appeal of Obama is based on his appeal to their aspiration for the higher aspect of the brain. Perhaps half of Americans are enthralled by this lower aspect of the brain, the fear response.
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The process by which the candidates were chosen is flawed.
...an astute observation, Clarke...
Dr. Butler will not vote for him because of McCain's political views. According to Butler, McCain is too far right and is concerned about the kind of judges McCain would nominte for the Supreme Court.
Alas, Dr. Butler is a Liberal.
McCain Was NOT Tortured --- The Words of His Prison Commander + FRIEND!
After the elections in 2000, Karl Rove said that this is just the beginning of a country led by Republicans. This quote is much the same, in intent, and in the results on the resolve of the opposition. If anyone believes this, it would be best to keep it to yourself.
"I can verify that John has an infamous reputation for being a hot head. He has a quick and explosive temper that many have experienced first hand. Folks, quite honestly that is not the finger I want next to that red button."
thanks again.
Luckky - this is the full statement about torture.
"But I can confirm to you that we never tortured him. We never tortured any prisoners."
So I guess all those prisoners were lying. Hmmmm...
And he endorsed McCain for the presidency. So there must be some truth in it.
Bush and his minions claimed Jessica Lynch was raped and tortured in an Iraqi prison. Later on she was said all those stories were baseless.
Remember?
I agree 100% with you, Julia.
Luckky - this is the full statement about torture.
"But I can confirm to you that we never tortured him. We never tortured any prisoners."
So I guess all those prisoners were lying. Hmmmm...
Big deal, you found a POW who is also a Democrat. Just like Democrats love to find one example of social hardship than try to extrapolate that it’s proof of the need to inflict harsh government control over all aspects of our lives.
As for what he has done as a Senator, let's list them................
Okay, I'm done. Unless you count his dealings with Keating that did this country so much good. What else is there in all of those years in the Senate? 95% voting record with Bush policies? No thank you.
Plus if Mr. In a Fogg up above is for him,, that proves to me that I am on the right side of this equation!!!
I don't know how he'd react if he met me again," said Mr Duyet, flicking through old black and white photographs of himself and his American prisoners at Hoa Lo.
"But I can confirm to you that we never tortured him. We never tortured any prisoners."
Mr Duyet reminisces instead about how he often summoned the future US presidential candidate to his private office for informal chats.
"We used to argue about the war - about whether it was right or wrong," he says.
"He is a very frank man - very conservative, and very loyal to his country and the American ideal.
"He had a very interesting accent and sometimes he taught me words in English and corrected my accent. I have followed his career since he left prison."
Rapprochement
So is Mr Duyet implying that that Senator McCain lied about his treatment at the Hanoi Hilton?
"He did not tell the truth," he says.
"But I can somehow sympathise with him. He lies to American voters in order to get their support for his presidential election."
Cathi, all of what prisoners? Have you ever heard any testimony from any others that were at that particular Prison Camp and said they were tortured? I am not doubting that there was some torture at a prison camp while McCain was there. I am suggesting that he may have exaggerated just a bit to embellish his story as a hero.
Heck there is torture at every prison camp isn't there? I mean let's ask Dickie and GWB about that, I am sure they wouldn't lie about it, would they? "Let me make this clear, we do not torture".
Excellent piece...
Thank you for posting it...
I hope you do not mind if I post the link to the Video of GTMO:
"If a POW cell in Vietnam gave John McCain 'Character for Leadership' then GTMO is a 'Leadership Acadamy for al Qaeda'"
Travel Log-NAVSTA GTMO, Cuba