Obama knows he's going to get slaughtered on national security

[Flystripper]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

You actually have not. If I missed it, apologies. My original question still stands...cite 3 or 4 specific qualifications as they pertain to National Security.

Examples: "McCain was a key component in developing our strategy for the Iraq Invasion." or "McCain was instrumental in drafting legislature in AZ that wound up decreasing illegal immigration by X percent." I can see those are legitimate and compelling credentials.

You have definitely provided generic examples, though....McCain finished almost dead last in his class at the Naval Academy, McCain's relatives were soldiers, McCain is on an oversight committee that monitors military pensions, etc..

One thing you havent addressed is whether McCain played a lot of Stratego as a kid. Maybe that also qualifies him because he has an innate ability to guess whether the opposing piece is a bomb or higher ranking officer.

Stratego! Damn, I loved that game. I have extensive experience in that area, and I even played Axis and Allies a time or two. Will you vote for me?

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Flystripper

Stratego! Damn, I loved that game. I have extensive experience in that area, and I even played Axis and Allies a time or two. Will you vote for me?

I think Risk is probably better military experience.

[Flystripper]

Originally Posted by Tex

I think Risk is probably better military experience.

I played that one too!

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by Flystripper

Stratego! Damn, I loved that game. I have extensive experience in that area, and I even played Axis and Allies a time or two. Will you vote for me?

Not sure. Can you verify the building in which you were born? That will factor greatly into my decision.

I am looking for a President that was born in a bank or at a construction site because the economy and the housing crisis are important issues to me.

Also, what did you grandfather do for a living?

[Tex]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

Not sure. Can you verify the building in which you were born? That will factor greatly into my decision.

I am looking for a President that was born in a bank or at a construction site because the economy and the housing crisis are important issues to me.

Also, what did you grandfather do for a living?

Your grandfather must have been an ass.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by Tex

Your grandfather must have been an ass.

He is still alive. He is a really nice guy, but he smokes incessantly. Why do you ask?

[Flystripper]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

Not sure. Can you verify the building in which you were born? That will factor greatly into my decision.

I am looking for a President that was born in a bank or at a construction site because the economy and the housing crisis are important issues to me.

Also, what did you grandfather do for a living?

I was born in Ypsilanti Michigan unfortunately in a hospital, but i guess I can provide experience in healthcare. My Grandfather worked for Alcoa and assisted in the manufacture of the atomic bomb, so boy do I know national security! My dad owns some stocks so I am an economic wiz. He also worked for Fleetwood which is one of the largest manufacturer of prefab homes, so I am the guy that can get us out of this housing crisis. My mom's dad was a auto mechanic, so I understand the auto industry and its impact on the economy. I can also offer expertise in the area of fuel efficiency. My mother was a teacher so I am also an expert in education, doubly so because I also went to school.

I am your man.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by Tex

Your grandfather must have been an ass.

You don't want to admit it (so you are going with personal attacks instead), but he has a point.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

You don't want to admit it (so you are going with personal attacks instead), but he has a point.

Yes. Equating 20 years of military service and 20 years of Armed Services Cmte service with a game of Stratego does make a point. Not the one you mean, though.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by Tex

Yes. Equating 20 years of military service and 20 years of Armed Services Cmte service with a game of Stratego does make a point. Not the one you mean, though.

It makes a great point, and you can hardly be surprised that he threw out Stratego with the silly reasons you were giving for McCain's experience (born on a military base? Really?).

His point, which you are totally ignoring, is a valid one. To what extent would John McCain be a better commander in chief than Obama? Bush was in the military too. Did that make him a great commander in chief? Reagan also was (despite the fact that you said he wasn't). He was in the cavalry (seriously) and wound up making movies for the army while in service. I honestly would have thought you would have known that about your hero. Was it his army experience that led him to "greatness" as a commander in chief?

The point is that being in the military, in and of itself, doesn't make you qualified to be commander in chief or mean you will be a great commander in chief. There are some experiences that prepare you better than others and that are better predictors than others. McCain fought in active duty. That seems more relevant to me than Bush's service in the national guard, which seems more relevant to me than making movies in the cavalry. But is McCain "highly qualified" as you contest? If he is, it has nothing to do with being born on a military base or being related to soldiers. It also has nothing to do with serving on a committee which, Triplet has pointed out, focuses on military pensions and not on combat troop movements or strategy.

We should also be careful not to conflate military service with "foreign affairs experience." One involves combat, the other involves negotiations and politics, though they do overlap in some ways.

I think you and Triplet are talking past each other in some ways. He is asking what makes McCain "highly qualified" to be commander in chief. You are responding with answers that may indicate a general familiarity with the military, but in no way indicate a sound knowledge of how a president should utilize the military in the field of foreign affairs. We all respect McCain's service in the military (at least, I hope we all do), but that doesn't resolve the issue as to how he would act as president.

Perhaps even more important is to ask why we should care if he is "highly qualified" to be a commander in chief if the manners in which he indicates he would use our military in foreign affairs would be disastrous (even if a highly qualified disaster).