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especially against Re-pubs who have no or questionable military service (Reagan, Bush 2).
Bush Sr was a legitimate war veteran shot out of the sky in the pacific, Dole has nazi metal in him due to being horribly shot up near the end of WW2 leading a platoon in Northern Italy.
In both cases Bill Clinton was able to win, and I do not recall him having to stoop to belittling their legitimate military experience.
Simply put the nation (as a whole) generally does not like legitimated war veterans dragged through the mud (the exception being the John Kerry's of the world who served then turned anti-war, and then was slow to defend himself when slimed, IIRCC the swift boating did not really start to take hold as an issue damaging him till 2-3 weeks after it started. Like most I believe that had taken on this issue early and decisively than we would be talking about a Kerry re-election at this moment.).
If we question McCain on his overall integrity (lacking some future happenstance that makes it a more legitimate issue) we will not look well to the nation.
The NYT identifying his son as a combat soldier in Iraq will I guarantee you not sit will with a good chunk of the populace.
Now think of what it would be like if his son is hurt or God forbid killed, or some in his unit are killed because they have become a special target due to McCain's son being in that unit.
If we come out strident anti-war if this happens, well than we deserve the derision we will get.
Obama handles this the proper way. He never fails to give McCain the respect he has rightly earned with his service, but still makes his point on policy issues, it is why current polls not withstanding he will win in November.
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