Obama outscores McCain in veterans’ group’s report card

[maddezmom]

Source: The Hill

Obama outscores McCain in veterans’ group’s report card
By Roxana Tiron
Posted: 10/06/08 07:12 PM
Barack Obama outscored his Republican rival, Vietnam veteran John McCain, in a report card issued by an influential, nonpartisan veterans’ group.


The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA’s) Action Fund gave the Arizona senator a “D” as part of its congressional report card. Obama received a “B” from the group.



McCain is among three senators who scored a “D.” Only one senator, Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), received an “F.”


McCain — a former Navy officer and prisoner of war — and Obama, who has not served, have made military and veterans’ issues central to their campaign as they try to show voters who would be a stronger advocate for those who have fought in two wars in the last seven years.


Much of IAVA’s scoring revolves around legislation to boost education benefits for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, known as the “Post 9/11 GI Bill: Fair Education Benefits for Veterans.” The bill was the brainchild of Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and garnered wide sponsorship throughout the upper chamber.





Read more: http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/obama-outscores-mccain-in--veterans-groups-report-card-2008-10-06.html

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pff of scorecard here:
http://www.veteranreportcard.org/reportcard.pdf


Vets group slams McCain on voting record

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 7, 2008 9:05:14 EDT

The nation’s most prestigious group for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans released a congressional scorecard Tuesday that ranks Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona as having one of the worst voting records to support troops and veterans.

The grade is due to his absence on several key votes on military and veterans’ issues over the last two years.

McCain, ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee and a decorated Navy fighter pilot who spent 5½ years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, received a D on the report card from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. D is the lowest grade given by the nonprofit, nonpartisan group, and McCain is one of just four senators and five members of the House of Representatives who received such a low grade. McCain also is the only veteran among the nine who received a D on the record card.

For senators, the score was based on 10 votes involving increased veterans funding, expansions of benefits, a vote to purchase Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and four separate votes at various stages of consideration of the Post-9/11 GI Bill of Rights and co-sponsorship of the bill.

more:
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/10/military_vets_congress_reportcard_100708/

can't get the link to work for the source above but if you google the title, you can find it.

[TwilightZone]

1. McCain thinks that his veteran status should give him the support of all veterans by default.

He thinks that he can constantly screw them over and they'll still support him.

It's nice to see that his belief is not indicative of reality.

[saigon68]

6. He can go fuck himself

[OswegoAtheist]

7. It's (anecdotally) going the other way

At least as far as I've seen. I've been calling New Hampshire and Pennsylvania veterans for the Obama campaign, and in recent weeks, the people I've talked to have become more and more skewed towards Obama.

Oswego "Chickenhawks are red, veterans are blue..." Atheist

[UK populist]

2. Obama should hammer with this in the debate tonight

He should do it early on and spend some time doing it. If anything will get under Mccain's skin this will.

[debbierlus]

3. Last link has been pulled

[maddezmom]

9. it's still there, it's broken in my OP

Just google "Vets group slams McCain on voting record" you'll find it. :hi:

[Rambis]

4. Vets guy I work with says.....

vets are pissed at McLame for a number of reasons and he thinks they will support Obama. Vets are giving to Obama 6-1 putting their money where their mouth is. Support the troops is not a fucking slogan, give them what they deserve! Dignity, health care and our appreciation for doing a job most of us can't do or won't do.

[krispos42]

5. Tom Tancredo, Ron Pau, and John McCain... all terrible on Veterans

Faced with a choice between taking care of our veterals or fighting against socialized medicine (which is what the VA is), they choose idealology every time.


Disgusting.

[Lionel Mandrake]

8. McCain sends a message to his fellow veterans:

"I've got mine. Screw the rest of you"

[OakCliffDem]

10. Even die hard Republicans are seeing the light in Obama