Robert Freedberg, when he was first running for judge, approached my Dad for support, and he was a little hesitant.
"Is it because I'm Jewish?" he asked.
"No, it's because you're a god damn cripple. I wouldn't let a cripple on a jury, and I don't want one on the bench," is how I'm told my father answered him.
It was a terrible thing to say.
And everyone loved it.
Even Freedberg.
Now I hear about draft-dodger Donald Trump, whose self-immolation is still underway, deriding Senator McCain because he was a POW. This reminds me of another story from a different time.
My Dad was running for re-election as DA. Charlie Spaziani, one of his former Assistants, was running against him. The two of them met at some candidates' night, where my Dad recited his service in the military during WWII, as well as his capture during the Battle of the Bulge.
"I was in the military, too, but I wasn't stupid enough to get caught," retorted Spaz.
After insulting each other, the two of them got drunk.
And Spaz got elected.
LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteThe best thing for Trump to do is to get John McCain drunk!
I honestly don't know what would possess an adult with common sense to pick on McCain's military service, of all things. The general public is not well versed in McCain's background, so Trump's choice of targets was incredibly stupid. However, there are many other shortcomings to choose from, but McCain's conduct during his terrible ordeal as a prisoner of war is not among them.
For example, McCain had a terrible reputation while at the United States Naval Academy - fighting, drinking, and other unbecoming behaviors that had he not been related to a U.S. Senator would have been grounds for expulsion. McCain was not academically distinguished, either, famously graduating last in his college class. McCain's autobiography "Faith of My Fathers" has plenty of stories of McCain's troubled youth and storied temper tantrums.
McCain has also made a number of questionable decisions during his political career, such as choosing Sarah Palin as running mate during one of his failed Presidential campaigns in 2008. McCain does not enjoy the support of anywhere near the majority of veterans, including former POWs, who regard McCain as a traitor to their cause. (http://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/07/18/trump-right-about-hanoi-john-mccain/)
McCain himself has often been wreathed in controversy. There are still uncertainties surrounding McCain and the tragic explosion and fire aboard the USS Forrestal. McCain himself acknowledges numerous incidents where he engaged in dangerous "hotdogging" and "clowning" while piloting planes. (http://www.factcheck.org/2008/09/mccains-plane-crashes/).
McCain's personal conduct during his marriages, anger control issues, and his voting record regarding expansion of funding for veterans benefits are all legit targets and would have been a far more appropriate missile for Trump to hurl at him.
Trump is an ass. How can one support him in any way. Even before this latest verbal diarrhea episode, he was belching bile. Despite all that, he was top amongst the Republicans in their own polls.
ReplyDeleteThis shows the depth of the psychotic break with reality hardcore Republicans have at this time. Trump is a billionaire buffoon and has been one for years.
I was amused by a couple of the Republican candidates who while afraid to take on Trump's outrageous comments about Mexicans had fits of lather over the easy to assail McCain remarks. Where were these guys when the attacks on decorated war veteran John Kerry occurred? The swift boaters were an organized group put together to distract voters from the difference between protected hotdog pilot Bush and combat veteran Kerry. Their entire campaign was based on innuendo and deception. Kerry choose to not fight back as he never thought reasonable people would pay attention to the BS. He was wrong. The ditto-whacko heads were loving it. A few Republican candidates yesterday said "no veteran" especially combat veterans should ever be disparaged for their service. Something they conveniently forgot in 2004.
John McCain had a chance at an early release and passed on it. He served honorably and suffered tremendously for his country. I think he went sort of crazy after his 2008 campaign but will never question his patriotism and bravery. A damn good man who was also a victim of the Bush-Cheney smear machine in 2000.
The Republicans need to pull their heads out of their asses. Get back into the reality of America in 2015 and seek therapy and read history by real historians. However, I am just fine with you guys making Donald Trump your candidate. Please do.
Trump is an embarrassment who actually makes Sarah Palin look good. He owes his wealth to his father's real estate company. On his own, he has pretty much been a flop.
ReplyDeleteTrump-- will peak, then crash and burn. His double comb over /flip back hair do with starch is an indication of his caliber of substance. He has run around all his life on somebody else s money and makes comments about a former POW that flew high performance jets in the war. ,--and Mr.Trump never had a rifle in his shoulder,whom has not a fathom . Charlie Spaz, interrupted his schooling at Lafayette College during the World War 11 about the time your father was locked up by the Nazis bastards. They served .
ReplyDeletePeter, Actually, Spaz interrupted his schooling for the Korean War.
ReplyDeleteAs a combat vet, he could say whatever he wanted.
ReplyDeleteI like the Spaz quote, but even better: yourfather's typical Irish response Let's drink about it.
ReplyDeleteI'd be real proud of my father saying cripple. That's awful.
ReplyDeleteOf course it is. And he said worse. But people always laughed.
ReplyDeleteSpaz made that statement at the Hellertown Democratic Club during a candidates Night. I was there. It was also the last time I heard him make any negative statement about your father. Yes they did go to the bar afterwards and enjoyed quite a few rounds of beers, as did all of us. I am not 100% certain, but that quote may very well have made the newspapers.
ReplyDeleteGerald "Jerry" Seyfried
Gerry, my Dad would later make that argument himself. Someone from the state asked to see him and told him he was eligible for a POW plate free, for the rest of his life. My Dad turned the guy down, and when asked why, said he didn't weant too many to know he was stupid enough to get caught.
ReplyDeleteBecause he was a DA. That's why. I'd laugh too but call him a jackass behind his back.
ReplyDeleteSorry Bernie ,your right ,I found a year book in a closet at Lafayette College when I was single and chasing quiff .That's so many years ago that I have forgotten the date.
ReplyDeleteBernie, while sailing with your dad, many times late at night I listened to him tell the story of how he and Vonnegut were captured at the Battle of the Bulge. I always thought he was exaggerating a bit until, sailing with Vonnegut and your dad one day, Vonnegut confirmed it was your dad's miserable command of the German language that saved their lives.
ReplyDeleteAs Vonnegut relates it, surrounded and without food or ammunition, frantically waiving his arms your dad screamed out what he thought was German for "Don't shoot, Don't shoot" ("Nicht schiessen, Nicht schiessen!"). In your dad's fervor it came out "Nicht scheissen, nicht scheissen!" ("Don't shit, don't shit!"). Recognizing a true soldier, the Germans laughingly offered them the little food they had and shipped Vonnegut and your dad off to Dresden as POWs for the remainder of the war. Against all odds, they survived. He was quite a man.
The difference is Spaz actually fought. I doubt Trump has the stones to get in a real fight rather than just bully people in a boardroom.
ReplyDelete