Fifty things you didn't know about John McCain

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

I don't want to continue too much of a derailment here, but my point is merely that there are concrete and well-defined aspects of the job where military history would be an advantage.

Humility is a nice attribute that most people respect, but we can't really give the same concrete and well-defined aspects of the Presidency that would always benefit from humility - only areas where, in our opinion, this would happen. Whether or not I agree with that opinion (I agree on a pretty limited basis), it seems clear - it's almost quantitative versus qualitative. No offense intended, just pointing out the differing nature.

I do not mean to pick on you at all in any way KSig RC just your posting was a good place for me to ask you and others the following question:
How many of our past Presidents have been professional military?
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Six (6):Washington, Jackson, William Henry Harrison, Taylor, Grant, and Eisenhower.
From http://fs6.depauw.edu:50080/~jkochan...ident/all.html

As for the rest,check out List of United States Presidents by military service http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...litary_service
By Rank:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._military_rank

[nate2512]

Originally Posted by jon1856

I do not mean to pick on you at all in any way KSig RC just your posting was a good place for me to ask you and others the following question:
How many of our past Presidents have been professional military?

31.

Additionally:
Taft Sec War under Theodore Roosevelt.
FDR - Assistant Secretary of the Navy

Non uniformed military serving as POTUS during war time,
Wilson WWI
FDR WWII

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._military_rank

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by nate2512

31.

Additionally:
Taft Sec War under Theodore Roosevelt.
FDR - Assistant Secretary of the Navy

Non uniformed military serving as POTUS during war time,
Wilson WWI
FDR WWII

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._military_rank

6 not 31.
Was not a trick question-Professional. As in career.

[nate2512]

Originally Posted by jon1856

6 not 31.
Was not a trick question-Professional.

Thats just ridiculous, the arguments here had nothing to do with professional military or not. It was military service, of which is 31. That makes roughly 72% of past presidents with military service prior to holding the Presidency.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by nate2512

Thats just ridiculous, the arguments here had nothing to do with professional military or not. It was military service, of which is 31. That makes roughly 72% of past presidents with military service prior to holding the Presidency.

And as pointed out, only 6 were career. The rest were time of war. And look at the time frames covered by most of those and the type of war.
In current day pool of candidates, one will more likely see a MBA than a career military, let alone extended service time.
And just being in a military branch, does not of and by itself give nor provide great enlightenment to all knowledge.
My Uncle more of less agrees with General Sherman-told me awhile ago that all war does is waste good men.

Me,if one was going to use only one rule, I would much rather see a very smart, sharp business person. And have them rely on Professional Military for advise.

And out of your 31, how many did you know served?
And how many where in combat?
How many said anything in great detail about it?
Did you know that Ford saved his carrier?
LBJ was a staff officer who Johnson's biographer, Robert Caro, stated, "The most you can say about Lyndon Johnson and his Silver Star is that it is surely one of the most undeserved Silver Stars in history. Because if you accept everything that he said, he was still in action for no more than 13 minutes and only as an observer. Men who flew many missions, brave men, never got a Silver Star."[15]

[nate2512]

Originally Posted by jon1856

And as pointed out, only 6 were career. The rest were time of war. And look at the time frames covered by most of those and the type of war.
In current day pool of candidates, one will more likely see a MBA than a career military, let alone extended service time.
And just being in a military branch, does not of and by itself give nor provide great enlightenment to all knowledge.
My Uncle more of less agrees with General Sherman-told me awhile ago that all war does is waste good men.

Me,if one was going to use only one rule, I would much rather see a very smart, sharp business person. And have them rely on Professional Military for advise.

And out of your 31, how many did you know served?
And how many where in combat?
How many said anything in great detail about it?
Did you know that Ford saved his carrier?
LBJ was a staff officer who Johnson's biographer, Robert Caro, stated, "The most you can say about Lyndon Johnson and his Silver Star is that it is surely one of the most undeserved Silver Stars in history. Because if you accept everything that he said, he was still in action for no more than 13 minutes and only as an observer. Men who flew many missions, brave men, never got a Silver Star."[15]

What does it matter? The debate was about military experience, now you've done gone and changed the subject, for what reason I'm really not sure, other than you seem to brushing off and cheapening McCain's military record.

Each candidate has strengths that they play too, ya know, I can say I want a good military candidate because he has adviser's and such to handle the money and the other things. It's all about personal opinion, it's just merely stating his military experience, its not saying you should vote for me because I've been in the military. When you fill out a job application, do they not 99% of the time ask you if you were in the military. As a candidate he is obligated to prove why he thinks he would make a good president, he highlights his military experience as I'm sure Obama would had he felt compelled to serve.

The president has adviser's to, what do you know? Advise him on things he might not be familiar with. Obama highlights his strengths, and so does McCain, just so happens for McCain military was one of them.

So take your damn attempt at train wrecking this thread, and move it elsewhere.

[nate2512]

Originally Posted by jon1856

My Uncle more of less agrees with General Sherman-told me awhile ago that all war does is waste good men.

Then let's disband the military all together and just let everyone else have free reign on us?

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by nate2512

Then let's disband the military all together and just let everyone else have free reign on us?

General Sherman: "
On June 19, 1879, Sherman delivered his famous "War Is Hell" speech to the graduating class of the Michigan Military Academy and to the gathered crowd of more than 10,000: "There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all hell."[76]"
And BTB, LBJ used another Sherman statement when he declared that he would not run for re-election.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by jon1856

And as pointed out, only 6 were career. The rest were time of war. And look at the time frames covered by most of those and the type of war.
In current day pool of candidates, one will more likely see a MBA than a career military, let alone extended service time.
And just being in a military branch, does not of and by itself give nor provide great enlightenment to all knowledge.
My Uncle more of less agrees with General Sherman-told me awhile ago that all war does is waste good men.

Me,if one was going to use only one rule, I would much rather see a very smart, sharp business person. And have them rely on Professional Military for advise.

And out of your 31, how many did you know served?
And how many where in combat?
How many said anything in great detail about it?
Did you know that Ford saved his carrier?
LBJ was a staff officer who Johnson's biographer, Robert Caro, stated, "The most you can say about Lyndon Johnson and his Silver Star is that it is surely one of the most undeserved Silver Stars in history. Because if you accept everything that he said, he was still in action for no more than 13 minutes and only as an observer. Men who flew many missions, brave men, never got a Silver Star."[15]

You're missing the point here. People are saying that they look at military experience (note, "experience" does not equal "professional military") as a qualification - not "the" qualification. They're saying they look at it as part of the bigger picture, not as the whole picture.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

You're missing the point here. People are saying that they look at military experience (note, "experience" does not equal "professional military") as a qualification - not "the" qualification. They're saying they look at it as part of the bigger picture, not as the whole picture.

I do not think that I am.
If not a career, just what would four years of military experience provide a person beyond other life, work and business experiences?
Just look at our current President; what did his time in service do for him?

I would not call military service an important part of a candidate's resume; just one part of it.