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McCain Defends Opposition to GI Bill

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May 26, 2008 3:17 PM

ABC News' Bret Hovell reports: Presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain said that the United States must choose not to lose in Iraq and cast in starkly personal terms what he feels is his responsibility to keep America on a course toward victory.

"I have many responsibilities to the American people, and I take them all seriously. But I have one responsibility that outweighs all the others and that is to use whatever talents I possess and every resource God has granted me to protect the security of this great and good nation from all enemies foreign and domestic," McCain said in a Memorial Day remembrance speech in Albuquerque, NM.

He talked about the mistakes that had been made in Iraq pre-surge – which he mentions regularly on the stump – and said that those cannot deter America's persistence in the war-torn region.

"We cannot react to those mistakes by embracing a course of action that will be an even greater mistake, a mistake of colossal historical proportions, which will -- and I am sure of this -- seriously endanger the security of the country I have served all my adult life," he said.

McCain, R-Ariz., addressed a largely veteran crowd of nearly 1,000 at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial, using the opportunity to talk about the prospects of victory in Iraq, as well as his views on a so-called "21st Century GI Bill."

McCain praised Virginia Democrat Sen. Jim Webb, the primary author of the bill that passed the Senate last week, as an "honorable man who takes his responsibility to veterans very seriously," but disagreed with Webb's plan, which provides education benefits to members of the military after just one enlistment in the service.

McCain's plan would offer more benefits to soldiers who have served longer terms.

"It is important to do that because, otherwise, we will encourage more people to leave the military after they have completed one enlistment," McCain said.

McCain's plan would also provide benefits accrued by soldiers to be transferred to spouses and dependents.

McCain, the soon-to-be Republican nominee, seemed to argue that the potential for military attrition, due even to a well-meaning GI bill, was something he had to fight against.

"It would be easier, much easier, politically for me to have joined Senator Webb in offering his legislation," McCain said.

But speaking about the Iraq war in general, McCain later explained why the GI bill fight was worth fighting, even though Webb's bill has already passed.

"Our defeat in Iraq would be catastrophic, not just for Iraq, but for us. I cannot be complicit in it. I will do whatever I can, whether I am effective or not, to help avert it," he said.

May 26, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (79)

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Voters should not give money to Obama's campaign..this money should go to help veterans. Obama seems not to care about the veterans more than himself.

Posted by: Anders Scooper | May 26, 2008 6:03:35 PM

Any veteran who serves this country should get the best benefits period. Some feel that education benefits should be dependent on time spent in military and argue that we don't want to make benefits too good because they won't serve. I disagree. Our men and women can lose their lives at any time especially the ones that are serving in a war, so the least we can do is cover the cost of tuition.

Posted by: dotheresearch | May 26, 2008 6:06:09 PM

McCain's bill is better it allows vets to transfer benefits to their families.

Webb's bill is a disaster it doesn't allow vets who are killed in action to transfer benefits to their families.

Obama is against allowing benefits for vets who are killed in action to be transferred to their family members.

Posted by: david | May 26, 2008 6:08:13 PM

McCain is for more benefits than Webb's bill.

McCain wants more benefits for the troops he is just against Webb's crappy bill.

McCain wants veterans who are killed in action to be able to those benefits transferred to family members. Jim Webb and Obama are against that.

The media is silent on that.


McCain's bill also gives more benefits for seniority. The military wants that.

Posted by: david | May 26, 2008 6:09:47 PM

John McCain is a hero and Obama should respect him and not say or do any thing that is in any way disrespectful toward him. Obama is not a hero but some might say he is kinda shady.

Posted by: Anders Scooper | May 26, 2008 6:10:27 PM

Webb's bill is not the bible.

McCain is for a better bill which allows benefits to be tranferred to other family members.

McCain is for a new GI bill.

The headline is misleading.

McCain's bill is better than Webb's.

Posted by: david | May 26, 2008 6:10:43 PM

Barak Obama opposed military construction for new bases in the u.s

The dems last year blackmailed our soldiers. They said if the republicans didn't allow a hate crime bill against gays they would block funding for construction of bases in the u.s.

Nancy Boyda voted against new funding for a base in kansas. Obama supported blocking funding for these new bases.

These were soldiers who just came back from iraq and the dems were against them sleeping in a better facility.


The dems are against the troops.

Posted by: david | May 26, 2008 6:14:59 PM

All you Obama/Webb fans I have news for you.

Obama will never pick Webb because Webb is against wholesale affirmative action.

Webb is pro second amendment while Obama is for the DC gun ban.

Obama is a marxist.

Posted by: david | May 26, 2008 6:15:47 PM

The best thing McCain can do for retention of the troops is to end this war of Choice.

All veterans who served deserve equal treatment when comes to the GI Bill.

The last thing that is needed is a division among the Military

Posted by: Thinking | May 26, 2008 6:16:29 PM

McCain and Hillary know about veterans but Obama has not been in Bosnia during turmoil. Obama just doesn't have the experience to make judgements about money issues. He might let Rezco in the bank.

Posted by: Anders Scooper | May 26, 2008 6:18:26 PM

Obama is against allowing veterans to have their benefits transferred to other family members if they are killed in action.

The NY Times is silent on this.

This is a major reason why McCain is against the Webb Bill.

The Webb Bill doesn't allow you to transfer benefits to family members.

Posted by: david | May 26, 2008 6:19:03 PM

Obama has been to Iraq once years ago.

McCain has been there 8 times.

McCain's son just came back from Iraq.

McCain saw his wife cry at his son being away.

McCain will end the war the right way.

McCain hates war. McCain has seen the horrors of war.

Barry Obama is inexperienced he is the one who says we will invade Pakistan.

McCain has said he will turn over the areas to the iraqis to deal with the insurgency and bring our troops home. McCain was talking about keeping a small level of military advisors to train iraqis not combat troops.

The media has smeared McCain.

Posted by: david | May 26, 2008 6:20:48 PM

For those of you who feels so compassionate for the veterans but turn around and called McCain a Fraud. You must have forgotten that McCain is a veteran himself and suffered for this country. His son, father and grandfather also fought and died for this country. How is that make him a Fraud and not make you feel compassionate about him as you claim you are for other veterans. No one disagree, including mccain, to give veterans the best they deserve, at the same time, however, enlisting encouragement is needed. Our military is volunteered. Would you be more happy if no one wants to enlist and there is a draft?? And how is it efficient to train someone and when that someone quits, you have to spend time again to train others. That in turn makes our army with always inexperienced combats. And the most important of all, McCain's benefits will transfer to your family should something happens to you. Why do we buy life insurance? so that when we go, our spouse and kids have soemthing to live on. There's nothing wrong with pay veterans more to encourage longer service and put a life insurance aside for the veterans' families. What is wrong with that. If you're not a veteran, then put that in business sense to make you understand better. On the surface, obama thinks he's doing veterans a favor but in fact, he has absolutely no understanding whatever with the military and foreign policies.

Posted by: hannah | May 26, 2008 6:21:41 PM

Obama is against the second amendment.

He calls the DC handgun ban constituational.

Then in the debate he wouldn't answer the question.

Posted by: david | May 26, 2008 6:21:55 PM

hannah, your post is correct. Obama could or could not be Muslim. There is no way to know until it's too late.

Posted by: Anders Scooper | May 26, 2008 6:26:23 PM

Thinking - or No Thinking - You cannot just withdraw the troops. Didn't obama said that he'll withdraw the troops but will send them back if there's AQ in Iraq?? if he's willing to send our troops back then why withdraw now. If we had finished the Gulf war and kill Hussein then, we wouldn't have had to enter Iraq again in the first place. read history. If you withdraw the troops now when we're doing good and come back when terrorists are getting stronger, do you think that's a good idea. Things like this obama doesn't seem to understand. He never even voted "No" to invade Iraq because he wasn't even a senator. He even said that he wouldn't know what to do if he had to vote on it.

Posted by: hannah | May 26, 2008 6:29:16 PM

If handguns are banned how will citizens defend themselves. Everyone has a right to defend themselves and thier family. Obama is an eletist and depends on someone else to defend him and his family. He is a friend of Rezco and Rezco will not attack him anyway.

Posted by: Anders Scooper | May 26, 2008 6:31:58 PM

McCAIN COULD BE THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE. THERE'S NO WAY OF KNOWING UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE.

Posted by: Javalation | May 26, 2008 6:33:04 PM

Threr was a time when someone was promised free medical care for life when they retired from the military. It was determined that recruiters had no authority to make such statements but it was determined that anyone who entered the service prior to 1956 was qualified for this entitlement. It didn't happen. During Clinton's administration those who retired and signed on to the Survivor's Benefits Program which provided a portion of their retired pay to their spouse if they predeceased their spouse were to be able to have a paid up plan if they had paid in for 30 years and had reached the age of 70. Sounded good but that was 1998 and it was deferred until 2008. When we are burying 100+ a day how many do you think lasted until 80?

Posted by: Nick | May 26, 2008 6:34:23 PM

Nick, If Hillary's health care plan had passed those patriots would have been covered.

Posted by: Anders Scooper | May 26, 2008 6:37:46 PM

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