Admiral Smith: Obama Should Have the Guts to Question McCain's Service Himself

Statement by Admiral Leighton "Snuffy" Smith on Gen. Wesley Clark's Attack on John McCain

ARLINGTON, VA -- Admiral Leighton "Snuffy" Smith, USN (Ret.) today issued the following statement on Gen. Wesley Clark's attack on John McCain's military service record today on CBS' "Face the Nation":

"If Barack Obama wants to question John McCain's service to his country, he should have the guts to do it himself and not hide behind his campaign surrogates. If he expects the American people to believe his pledges about a new kind of politics, Barack Obama has a responsibility to condemn these attacks."

Admiral Leighton "Snuffy" Smith, Jr. retired from the Navy after over 34 years of service in positions that took him, literally, around the world. His last active duty assignment was Commander, U.S. Naval Force, Europe, Commander in Chief Allied Forces Southern Europe (NATO) and, concurrently, Commander of NATO's first ever out of area land operation, the Implementation Forces (IFOR) in Bosnia charged with implementing the Dayton Peace Accords. As a naval aviator Admiral Smith flew carrier-based light attack jet aircraft during multiple deployments to the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Western Pacific and Indian oceans. These included three cruises in waters off North Vietnam where he flew over 280 combat missions.

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NYT and Republican Candidates

The few people that I have seen come to the defense of the NYT have stated that they didn't think it was fair to say that the article was written with the intent to undermine the Republican nominee. The fact that the NYT smeared Mayor Giuliani only a few months ago then burried a retraction in the back of their paper adds to this theory, and explicitly shows their lack of integrity and journalistic chops. Some have noted that this story is unifying conservatives, but I think it also needs to be noted that people across the political spectrum are coming to the defense of Senator McCain. This article is an affront to fair minded people of all political persuasions. The Times itself admits,

"Personally, I was surprised by the volume of the reaction (including more than 2,400 reader comments posted on our Web site). I was surprised by how lopsided the opinion was against our decision, with readers who described themselves as independents and Democrats joining Republicans in defending Mr. McCain from what they saw as a cheap shot."

The NYT has shown repeatedly that it lacks credibility and is more than willing to run unsubstantiated drivel to sell a paper. Just look at how their effect on the Giuliani campaign...


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Relevant reading...
The New York Times Would Like to Hear From You

Why the Left and the Right Should be Upset About the NYT Story

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From - http://blogs4mccain.com/