MyDD :: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft

McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft

by jsfox, Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:12:40 PM EST

McCain at a town hall meeting in NM said today that he agrees with bringing back the draft.

From Think Progress

A Questioner said:

If we don't reenact the draft, I don't think we'll have anyone to chase Bin Laden to the gates of hell.

To which McCain responded:

Ma'am, let me say that I don't disagree with anything you said.

Now if this isn't something we can go after him on nothing is. I can't think of few ideas that are less popular.

Update from Think Progress: Some clarification on McCain position historically on the draft:

Asked about the draft last September, McCain said, “I might consider it, I don’t think it’s necessary, but I might consider it if you could design a draft where everybody equally could serve.” Considering McCain’s vow that “there’s gonna be other wars” and that we could stay in Iraq for 100 years, a draft might seem reasonable to him.

Tags: McCain, Draft (all tags)

Permalink :: 44 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (2.00 / 1)

everyone who sees me post here knows I am one of the ones that gives Obama HUGE latitude on how to run his campaign, and I am the first to give him the benefit of the doubt.

but if this isn't attacked by tomorrow afternoon I will seriously start wondering what the hell his campaign is doing.

this should have been an attack ad 5 minutes ago

Dream for tomorrow but fight for it today.

by TruthMatters on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:21:44 PM EST

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (2.00 / 1)

Actually, this is something much better suited to surrogates, since it's pretty clear he didn't intend to agree to a return of the draft. Let the surrogates put him on his heels by attacking him on it, and let him explain that he shouldn't be taken literally.

by CA Pol Junkie on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:22:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

well, the draft part perhaps you are correct, but the part the campaign should hit on was that McLame was so out of it he could not grasp what he was being asked...

by zerosumgame on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 06:41:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Obama should jump on this. I have a feeling he may announce his VP tomorrow so he may wait.

by Politicalslave on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 09:35:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

I agree, but I sure as hell hope the MSM pick it up!

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.

by jsfox on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:27:58 PM EST

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Unfortunately, because he was responded to a long comment that principally discussed veteran health care--among some other issues unrelated to the draft--I think McCain can pretty easily claim he wasn't agreeing with that specific part of her comment.

by DPW on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:29:26 PM EST

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

That should be "responding," not "responded."

by DPW on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:30:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

he said he didn't agree with ANYTHING he said.

I still think Obama should hit him on this, click the TP link and you can see this is in line with McCains train of thought and his idea of military service should be something everyone should do.

that man is NOT against a draft. he just tries and hides it because its political suicide.

Dream for tomorrow but fight for it today.

by TruthMatters on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:31:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

that should be disagree, not agree. :-P

Dream for tomorrow but fight for it today.

by TruthMatters on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:32:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Yeah, I just read the Think Progress link, and in that post, some additional evidence of McCain openness to the draft is included. So, there may be more potential here than I first thought.

by DPW on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:33:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Well sort of. However, claiming I didn't hear her or wasn't responding to that part of the question by clarifying that in his answer makes him to continue to look none to bright.

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.

by jsfox on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:32:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

See my reply to TruthMatters, above. Maybe you should copy some of the other info in that Think Progress post to demonstrate McCain's prior comments about reinstituting a draft.

by DPW on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:35:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

He has said this before. Always, like Rangel, with the idea that no one could get out of it by being related to someone, etc. In Rangel's case it's to make the point that Republicans would act far differently if they were sending their kids into wars. BUt based on McCain's policies, I don't see how there would be enough enlisted military not to institute a draft. McCain takes every opportunity to insult those who have voluntarily enlisted in the military, and fought to deny them educational benefits from doing so. The man is a hypocrite.

by Jeter on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:46:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

If he agrees with all of it..... (2.00 / 1)

Wasn't BUSH going to chase Osama to the gates of Hell?

This women is a little late for that demand.

If McCain agreed with THAT, why wasn't he busting Bush's chops for

"I don't know where he is, frankly I don't think about it much..."

How the F does these guys keep getting a free pass for spending TRILLIONS to turn Iraq into one big Halliburton Reconstruction Project, and letting Obama go...

Christ, OBAMA TEAM, get on the stick!

I'm as strong an Obama supporter as they come but would the Clintons have let kind of comment slide?
I'm all for hope, but I surely hope you all start getting some cajones soon.

PLEASE pick Hillary or Biden, or WES for goodness sake, someone that WANTS TO PICK A FIGHT WITH THESE GUYS!!!!!!

On Nov 4th, we elected "the smart guy" and the world celebrated!

by WashStateBlue on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:38:41 PM EST

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Wasn't BUSH going to chase Osama to the gates of Hell?

McCain said it as well at the Warren Forum on Saturday.

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.

by jsfox on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:41:06 PM EST

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Well, if that is where they want to chase him TO, that need to at least start chasing him at all?

How are we letting him get away with that crap?

He was "Mr. Surge", how is THAT chasing Osama to the gates of hell.....

On Nov 4th, we elected "the smart guy" and the world celebrated!

by WashStateBlue on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:45:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Oh Come On (2.00 / 1)

Here's the full question:

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Senator McCain I truly hope you get the opportunity to chase Bin Laden right to the gates of hell and push him in as you stated on your forum. I do have a question though. Disable veterans, especially in this state have horrible conditions, their medical is substandard. They drive four hours one way to Albuquerque for a simple doctors appointment which is often canceled. Our VA hospital is dirty it is understaffed, it is running on maximum overload. The prescription medicines are ten years behind standard medical care we have seven hundred claims stacked up at the VA office in Albuquerque some of them are ten and seven years old waiting to be processed in the mean time these people are homeless. My son is an officer in the Air Force, and I am a vet and I was raised in a military family. I think it is a sad state of affairs when we have illegal aliens having a Medicaid card that can access specialist top physicians, the best of medical and our vets can't even get to a doctor. These are the people that we tied yellow ribbons for and Bush patted on the back. If we don't reenact the draft I don't think we will have anyone to chase Bin Laden to the gates of hell.

It seems very clear to me that the questioner was saying "the veterans' health regime is a sad state of affairs and if it keeps up like this, we won't have any army left without a draft!"

I mean let's hit McCain strongly but not this kind of out-of-context, distort-the-meaning bullshit. How about his disgraceful flip on the Bush tax cuts? His terrible judgment with the Keating 5? His wholesale abandonment of his role as conservative gadfly and his metamorphosis into Bush the Third?

What is The October Protocol?

by Koan on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:44:38 PM EST

Re: Oh Come On (2.00 / 1)

So, this woman is all about Vet affiars?

Does she know McCain voted AGAINST Webbs new GI bill, then claimed credit for it?

Again, we let these guys slide and slide and slide....

On Nov 4th, we elected "the smart guy" and the world celebrated!

by WashStateBlue on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:49:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh Come On (none / 0)

Does she know McCain voted AGAINST Webbs new GI bill, then claimed credit for it?

There you go. Hit him on that!

What is The October Protocol?

by Koan on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:50:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh Come On (none / 0)

And the Republicans don't distort?

And if you really want to stick to the question and the facts. He agrees with everything she said, while voting against everything she wants!

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.

by jsfox on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:49:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh Come On (none / 0)

once again read the TP link, its not just this instance, by now I think someone could (and TP just did) make the argument that quietly McCain would have no problem whatsoever with reinstating a draft.

Dream for tomorrow but fight for it today.

by TruthMatters on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:58:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh Come On (2.00 / 1)

I agree, this was a question about health care for vets, not a question about reinstating the draft.

It's up to the Obama campaign whether they want to make attacks based on out-of-context quotes, it wouldn't be worse than anything John McCain has done. But I dislike these diaries that present things out of context and end up misleading people on our team. This is supposed to be the reality-based community, not the fool each other with propaganda community.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 07:42:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh Come On (none / 0)

As I said earlier you want to keep in context fine.

How about everything this questioner was saying about the VA needed improving McCain has voted against!

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.

by jsfox on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 08:21:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

I happen to agree with McCain, at least to the tune of universal service.

No, I am not a troll.

by Bob Miller on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:58:37 PM EST

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (2.00 / 1)

Sure, I know a few progressives who believe in the idea of a draft; it's usually based on the idea that our foreign policy shouldn't be carried on the backs of the poor. It's a defensible position. Just not one I share.

I'm voting for Saxby Chambliss!

by Jess81 on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:09:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Stop and think about your position, if for no other reason than from an economic stand point.

Mandatory military service would swell the ranks by how many 100's of thousands and the subsequent payroll, infrastructure, training and support to a prohibitive cost.

You'll notice the countries that have it either have small populations, low pay, or a true security need, such as Israel.

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.

by jsfox on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:17:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

I agree with mandatory service, just not mandatory MILITARY service. There are a lot of ways our young people can serve this country without putting on a uniform. And there will always be connected weenies like Junior Bush who will dodge ACTUAL service to play pilot by protecting Austin, Texas. Not to mention that most military leaders abhor the idea of mandatory service, because it's hard enough getting people who WANT to be there properly trained.

Although, if we did have a draft the Iraq war never would have gotten off the starting blocks, so there is something to be said for it.

by EvilAsh on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:27:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (2.00 / 1)

Yes, you got it. That's why I used the phrase "Universal service." Not necessarily military.

And it doesn't have to be a full-time commitment that involves leaving one's community and providing service 24x7.

by Bob Miller on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:39:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Actually, I think service that forces young people to leave their community is a good thing. Possibly a VERY good thing. Too many teens and young adults across the economic spectrum are insulated ways of life different from their own. That insulation breeds an inability to understand different points of view, which helps to create the brutal divides in our culture.

by EvilAsh on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 09:24:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (2.00 / 1)

The draft is good policy. It lowers the burden that war puts on the poor/urban poor who have little else available to them other than the military. It also gives every single person in this country a stake in foreign/war policy, which ultimately makes wars less likely. lastly the all volunteer army while nice in theory does not provide for the two war situation we are in. There are a good number of democrats who thing the draft is a good idea. Many of them members of the CBC.

by nyarch on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:13:53 PM EST

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

The reason the CBC threatened it is because they knew it would have brought the Iraq war to a swift end due to the protests.

I do not know if you were around during Vietnam, I was and I was a drafted. Trust me it does not make for a cohesive or a good military.

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.

by jsfox on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:21:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

A fair point.
I do not like the draft, I do like the idea of us all sharing equally in the cost of war.

by nyarch on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:29:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

<q> lastly the all volunteer army while nice in theory does not provide for the two war situation we are in. There are a good number of democrats who thing the draft is a good idea. Many of them members of the CBC. </q>

That means we could also be in Iran and Russia too. I doubt too many democrats would like that. And as mentioned, the draft position held by super lefties is a risky move; they are betting the masses will rise in mass protest against "wrong" wars, which they may, but it is still too risky in my opinion.

by KLRinLA on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 06:32:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

oops not quote block :(

by KLRinLA on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 06:32:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

what's wrong with what McCain said? It's called straight talk. We might need to reinstate a draft some day. Might not be a bad thing actually.

by karajan72 on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:26:32 PM EST

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

You call THAT straight talk? "I don't particularly disagree with anything you said," is straight talk?

The "100 years" line could be considered straight talk, even though he's denied ever saying it, and then walked it back in other ways. But throwing out double negatives with a qualifier is a LONG way from straight talk.

by EvilAsh on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:31:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Since you're a butt kissing Republic, can you just save the bandwidth and post at RedState from now on?

They agree with your fawning attention to McCain, they also think he is a straight shooter.

Over here, we have a different opinion.

On Nov 4th, we elected "the smart guy" and the world celebrated!

by WashStateBlue on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:37:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (2.00 / 1)

Sorry about the Butt-kissing comment, but I am in a bad mood, and all you seem to do is kvetch, moan, compliment McCain and whine about Clinton......

I'll just avoid you from now on, seems like a sensible thing to do....

On Nov 4th, we elected "the smart guy" and the world celebrated!

by WashStateBlue on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:42:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Ok skip the part about the draft. Everything the questioner wants for our vets and the VA McCain has voted against

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.

by jsfox on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 05:53:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

If you're older than 21, have never served and have no kids or grandchildren, kindly shut the fuck up please.

Thank you.

Welcome to a landslide WITH white working class, latinos, women and holding on sweeties!!!

by spacemanspiff on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 06:19:07 PM EST

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

I'm talking to those who would support a draft (of course).

Welcome to a landslide WITH white working class, latinos, women and holding on sweeties!!!

by spacemanspiff on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 06:22:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (2.00 / 1)

I don't think any of us misunderstood :)

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.

by jsfox on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 06:26:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (2.00 / 2)

Hey Space....

But, you have to agree with the CBC, the all volunteer slants the demographic to the lower class and minorities.

When was the last real war we had where so few in congress had sons and daughters in harms way?

For that fact alone, it's worth bringing up the discussion.

Remember Webb's anger at Bush, who saw this war as his ticket to presidential status, while Webb's kid was on the ground in harms way....

And, hate to give McCain props, but I think his son has served in theatre as well.

On Nov 4th, we elected "the smart guy" and the world celebrated!

by WashStateBlue on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 06:29:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Agrees With Bringing Back the Draft (none / 0)

Oh no doubt. Don't take it the wrong way please. I do agree that the "volunteer" slants the demographic to the lower class and minorities. That's why I LOVE Senator Webb's GI Bill. It would actually level the playing field and give these kids a well deserved compensation.

But my comment was adressed to those who I mentioned in my post. I respect the opinion of those who have children or have served in the military and think the draft is a good idea.

Welcome to a landslide WITH white working class, latinos, women and holding on sweeties!!!

by spacemanspiff on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 06:57:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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