Jul 21, 2008 6:56 pm US/Central
Veterans Split In Support Of McCain, Obama
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―
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Barack Obama, John McCain. (File)
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Minnesota veterans are weighing in on their choice for President of the United States. Some are lining up behind Vietnam War veteran John McCain, but others support Barack Obama, who's had no military experience, but his supporters don't think that should disqualify him.
Barack Obama's visit to Iraq and Afghanistan is generating the kind of media coverage candidates crave. Here at home, John McCain's campaign isn't letting it pass without comment.
"I know that John McCain hates wars as much as any of us two up here, but he will never, I just guarantee this somehow, he'll never willy-nilly get us into some conflict," said Retired Colonel Leo Thorsness, a Minnesota Congressional Medal of Honor recipient that was imprisoned with McCain.
Minnesota Veterans for McCain criticized Obama's lack of military service, and a tough new television ad is driving the message home.
"Barack Obama never held a single Senate hearing on Afghanistan. He hasn't been to Iraq in years," claims the ad.
Not all veterans feel that way. Army Reserve Sergeant Sam Scott spent a year in Mosul, Iraq, and reenlisted.
"I was hit by over a dozen IEDs while I was overseas," said Scott.
He's an Obama supporter who says he respects McCain's military service, but that great presidents from Lincoln to Reagan had none.
"It doesn't necessarily take military service to qualify you to be a great leader of the country as well, even in war time," said Scott.
As McCain has been pointing out since Obama went overseas, Obama's visit to Iraq is his first in two years, and his first ever to Afghanistan.
"Obama predicted the troop surge would fail," said McCain, who believes he is strong on the issue of the occupation of Iraq.
WCCO's Pat Kessler said voters believe military service is significant and honor it, but don't necessarily vote for it for President. There are many cases where presidents were elected with little or no military background.
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