POW explains why he won't vote for McCain

Dr. Phillip Butler attended the U.S. Naval Academy with Senator John McCain, and he was also a Prisoner of War with McCain in Vietnam. Butler recently gave reasons as to why he will not vote for McCain to be the President of the United States.

Dr. Phillip Butler has been acquainted with Senator McCain for many years. He wrote an article in Military.com why he is not going to vote for McCain. The article addresses many of the things that are being said about McCain by those who do not feel he will be good for the office of the U.S. President. It talks about his temper, about his age, the support he has given to the failed policies under Bush's administration and how he sees McCain as being a religious person. Butler talks about being in the Naval Academy in 1957-58 as a "Plebe (4th classman, or freshman)" and being across the hall from McCain who was a First Classman (senior). He calls him a crazy guy who he would never have dreamed would one day become a Senator and a candidate for the President of the United States. McCain was described as a wild man who was funny, intelligent and quick-witted. Butler states McCain was intent on breaking every USNA regulation in the USNA Regulations book. He said McCain spent a lot of time on restriction for his offenses. Butler wrote:

"In fact he barely managed to graduate, standing 5th from the bottom of his 800 man graduating class. I and many others have speculated that the main reason he did graduate was because his father was an Admiral, and also his grandfather, both U.S. Naval Academy graduates."

When Butler is asked if he was a POW with McCain, he said "No," and corrected the statement, saying McCain was a POW with him. He said:

"The reason is I was there for 8 years and John got there 2 ½ years later, so he was a POW for 5 ½ years. And we have our own seniority system, based on time as a POW."

Writing about McCain's treatment as a POW, he said:

"Was he tortured for 5 years? No. He was subjected to torture and maltreatment during his first 2 years, from September of 1967 to September of 1969. After September of 1969 the Vietnamese stopped the torture and gave us increased food and rudimentary health care."

Butler goes on to say that he became a prisoner on April 20, 1965 so his bad treatment lasted for four-and-a-half years. Butler says McCain was badly injured when he was shot down, but so were many other POWs and many died from their wounds. Butler said:

"Because John's father was the Naval Commander in the Pacific theater, he was exploited with TV interviews while wounded. These film clips have now been widely seen. But it must be known that many POW's suffered similarly, not just John. And many were similarly exploited for political propaganda."

Butler also said that McCain was offered and refused an early release as were many of the POWs. To get early release, it would have meant you had to lie about your country and admit the U.S. was criminal and say your treatment was "lenient and humane." So Butler said he and numerous others refused the offer. Butler wrote that, even though McCain was awarded a Silver Star and Purple Heart for heroism and wounds in combat, it has been played up in the press and in his political campaigns. Butler said it should be known that there were approximately 600 military POWs in Vietnam. He said McCain was one hero out of many, as there have been many decorations awarded, including: eight Medals of Honor, 42 Service Crosses, 590 Silver Stars, 958 Bronze Stars and 1,249 Purple Hearts. Butler writes:

"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."

McCain's age is a concern of Butler's; he says that because of the injuries they had, and the malnutrition they suffered, and as they are now in their late 60s and 70s, some have died and are dying off at a greater rate than their non-POW contemporaries. He said:

"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.

Butler also wrote:

"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."

Butler is also disappointed that McCain supports "Bush's war in Iraq." He says McCain:

...represents the entrenched and bankrupt policies of Washington-as-usual.

Stating that the last seven years have been disastrous for the U.S., he sees McCain's views:

...on war, foreign policy, economics, environment, health care, education, national infrastructure and other important areas are much the same as those of the Bush administration.

Butler said McCain is not representing himself accurately as a moderate. He sees him as a maverick on many issues but says his voting record is far to the right. He also says McCain is not a religious person:

"...but he has taken every opportunity to ally himself with some really obnoxious and crazy fundamentalist ministers lately. I was also disappointed to see him cozy up to Bush because I know he hates that man. He disingenuously and famously put his arm around the guy, even after Bush had intensely disrespected him with lies and slander."

Butler ends his article by saying:

"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."

AOL news reports on a town hall meeting in Denver at which McCain was questioned by a fellow Vietnam vet about his terrible voting record; McCain apparently ignored the man's questions twice and proceeded to lie about his own record, and then tacitly accused his fellow vet of lying. The above video, which has commentary by Rachel Maddow, shows McCain's real record with veterans' groups.