Gen. Clark won't back off critique of McCain
By DAVID ESPO
Associated Press
July 2, 2008
Page 2 of 2
"Nobody could have taken the floor and spoken about detainee policy" the same way, Graham added.
Obama, campaigning in Ohio, said he did not believe Clark's intent was the same as critics who four years ago challenged Kerry's account of his own wartime service in Vietnam. The so-called Swift Boat ads are widely blamed by Democrats for playing a role in Kerry's defeat.
"I don't think that Gen. Clark had the same intent as the Swift Boat ads of four years ago. I reject that analogy," Obama said.
He said McCain "deserves the utmost honor and respect for his service to our country."
At the same time, he said his admonishment â€" in a Monday speech on patriotism â€" against devaluing McCain's military service had been in early drafts of the speech, and was not added at the last minute in response to Clark.
"The question is why, given all the vast numbers of things that we've got to work on, that would be a top priority of mine," he said. "The fact that somebody on a cable show or on a news show, like Gen. Clark, said something that was inartful about John McCain, I don't think is what is keeping Ohioans up at night," he said.
On Monday, Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said, "Sen. Obama honors and respects Sen. McCain's service, and of course he rejects yesterday's statement by Gen. Clark."
---
Associated Press writers Jennifer Loven in Zanesville, Ohio, and Beth Fouhy in Cartagena, Colombia, contributed to this report.
>> Back -- Page 1 2
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
++ Discuss this topic in The Forum
Current rating:  3.5 out of 5.0 (4 total votes)
| 
