Let's think about this for a minute -- Wesley Clark made the unremarkable observation that being a fighter pilot and dropping bombs on people (or, let's make it nicer, targets) doesn't really make you particularly qualified to run America's foreign policy. This is somehow transformed into a gaffe and immediate cause of consternation among the DC media elite. Jesus, Bob Schieffer practically had a heart attack at the notion that being shot down as a pilot does not make you more qualified to be a president. Joe Klein gets the vapors of course. Worse yet, the Obama campaign joins in the denunciation.
Please. On what possible basis can McCain's experience as a pilot be deemed a foreign policy credential? Hell, how does it stack up as more of a qualification than being a lawyer? And I'm a self hating lawyer. (How could I not be -- Dan Abrams is a fucking lawyer and seems to think we should give a shit.)
Let us further resolve that physical courage is a morally neutral virtue. We would all like to think that those who are brave are somehow virtuous, but that is clearly not the case. Members of the Waffen SS, the Japanese Imperial Army, the Army of the Confederacy, etc. all demonstrated impressive acts of bravery in war -- and all of those those acts were committed in the cause of political movements that were evil.
(It is interesting to note that the military statesmen of note have all been associated with the Army -- e.g. George Marshall, Dwight Eisenhower, Colin Powell -- I can't think of a pilot who has ever shown talent in this regard, but correct me if I'm wrong -- and no, Donald Rumsfeld does not count.)
Finally, would the press at least mention that Wesley Clark served in Vietnam with distinction and was severely wounded.
