McCain POW Vid
Released. French archive vid site here. Remember when McCain talked about being a tough guy who was broken? He’s not broken here but he is vulnerable and humble. Very moving footage. Sky News thinks there’s a problem that McCain is smoking as he describes being shot down, missing his family. Sounds like Sky News has never been near a war zone, been shot down, captured, or missed its family. Sky News:
The video portrays the Republican as a hero but the message may be tarnished as he is filmed smoking a cigarette.
In the footage an emotional and shirtless McCain passes a message to his wife saying he will get well and loves her.
He also describes being shot down over Hanoi in 1967, and parachuting into a lake.
At times, when speaking of his family, McCain’s lower lip trembles and his voice breaks.
“I was on a flight over the city (Hanoi) … and I was bombing and I was hit by a missile or anti-aircraft fire, I’m not sure which,” he said, adding that his plane “went straight down”.
After landing in the lake, McCain said he “was picked up and taken to the hospital, where I almost died”.
In the interview, McCain said he was treated well by his Vietnamese captors. Asked about the food, he told his French interviewer: “It’s not like Paris … (but) I eat it.”
French reporter Francois Chalais conducted the interview , which was first broadcast on French television program Panorama in January 1968.
The journalist’s widow, Mei Chen Chalais, is seeking payment from several television broadcasters in France and the US for the unauthorised use of the footage.
Her lawyers have even written to the McCain campaign as its website features a few seconds of the footage, which Chalais said was done without her approval.
Sounds like someone wants to exploit John McCain’s POW experience. Didn’t Francois get paid back in the day? May not be haute cuisine but maybe, like McCain had to, she should just eat it.
There’s been a lot of lefty chatter about whether McCain is exploiting his POW experience. I don’t recall that being a problem for them when John Kerry was exploiting his Vietnam experience. Not for nothing has combat experience always been valued in our society. Because it speaks to character.
Accessible images from the vid aren’t popping up on a google news and image search but that one above looks like it could be from the same session. A few more:
Topics: France, McCain, courage, military, shameless opportunism
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 8:57 am on Thursday, October 23, 2008
5 Responses to “McCain POW Vid”
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October 23rd, 2008 at 9:14 am
That cigarette comment in the article was just weird.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:22 am
[...] McCain POW VidIn the interview, McCain said he was treated well by his Vietnamese captors. Asked about the food, he told his French interviewer: “It’s not like Paris … (but) I eat it.” French reporter Francois Chalais conducted the interview , which … [...]
October 25th, 2008 at 12:23 am
[...] McCain POW VidIn the interview, McCain said he was treated well by his Vietnamese captors. Asked about the food, he told his French interviewer: “It’s not like Paris … (but) I eat it.” French reporter Francois Chalais conducted the interview , which … [...]
October 27th, 2008 at 12:30 am
[...] McCain POW VidSky News thinks there’sa problem that McCain is smoking as he describes being shot down, missing his family. Sounds like Sky News has never been near a war zone, been shot down, captured, or missed its family. Sky News: … [...]
October 28th, 2008 at 1:23 am
[...] McCain POW VidI don’t recall that being a problem for them when John Kerry was exploiting his Vietnam experience. Not for nothing has combat experience always been valued in our society. Because it speaks to character. … [...]