John McCain's insistence on countering any attack on his character or policies by citing his time spent as a P.O.W. has evolved into somewhat of a joke these days. McCain, who has said in the past that he prefers not to talk much about his P.O.W. experience in the public arena, has been rather quick to use it as his trump card these days. In fact it has become something of a political game to figure out how John McCain could best rebut an attack by evoking the P.O.W. card. For
example:
Milk prices are too high “This is a guy who didn’t have the luxury of milk for five and a half years -- in prison.”
We’re not doing enough to find alternative sources of energy “This is a guy who lived in the dark for five and a half years -- in prison, with no light bulbs.”
While some in the media (
Dowd) are beginning to call McCain on this, it does present a small problem for the
Obama campaign, because they can't directly call McCain on this. However, I think
Sullivan provides a hint as to how to respond to this tactic of McCain's. There has been some resentment from
POWs who also served in Vietnam, of McCain, who they feel acts like he was the only one to experience any hardship during Vietnam. It would seem like the
Obama campaign should capitalize on this by cutting an ad of down on their luck
POWs with one or no home. Contrasting their situation with the celebrity of John McCain. This allows
Obama to continue attacking McCain on his wealth and being "out of touch", while not undercutting his service and sacrifice for the country. Thoughts?
(A particularly pathetic, and funny, evocation of the P.O.W. defense,
here.)
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