I want facts, not supposition, not lies, not swiftboating. About McCain.

[Ilsa]

First of all, I don't like McCain. He's a suck up. He launches ad hominem attacks. I don't want him elected president.

Frankly, I don't know why any Democrat wants to go back to the 1960's to dig up dirt on John McCain when he was in the Navy.

I've heard stories that he crashed four or five planes. I don't know if that is true or if he only lost the one aircraft he was shot down in.

I've heard that he wet-started his A-4 on the Forrestal, causing the aircraft behind him to misfire a rocket, which hit a fuel supply and other armamments, resulting in 134 deaths. I know about the Forrestal fire, but I have never heard of anyone providing documentation that this happened because of McCain. That's a serious charge to make. Yes, I realize someone could have doctored the reports, but where is the proof? I'm not comfortable telling a story like this if it is a lie.

I don't know why his A-4 was shot down. The story I heard and read was that when the Vietnamese discovered he was an admiral's son, they offered to send him home for medical treatment. He declined because he didn't believe he should leave as long as the other POWs were being held. This is where the "hero" status comes in. Is this true or not?

I'm not comfortable with questioning someone's service and likely sacrifices unless I have solid evidence to the contrary. I don't like hearing it on left radio or reading it, either.

I don't think swiftboating McCain is going to work.