Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the only presidential candidate who actually experienced torture as a POW in Vietnam, continues his criticism today of Rudy Giuliani's defense last week of aggressive or intensive interrogations that critics say border on, or even become, torture.
Last week, McCain upbraided Giuliani for defending the legalistic dodge on whether waterboarding is illegal torture offered by the former New York mayor's friend, Michael Mukasey, in his confirmation hearings on his nomination as attorney general.
Today, through a surrogate, McCain chides Giuliani for joking last week about "sleep deprivation" not being torture, since he is suffering from lack of sleep because of his presidential campaign.
In a statement issued by the McCain campaign, Sergeant Major Paul Chevalier, USMC (Ret.), called on Giuliani to apologize for his flippant remark, noting that McCain's close friend Orson Swindle was subjected to sleep deprivation while the two of them were POWs in Vietnam. Swindle, Chevalier said, "can personally assure Mayor Giuliani that the experience was far more severe than the loss of sleep he experiences as a candidate."
(Read the entire news release below.)
Tom Brune
STATEMENT BY MCCAIN NEW HAMPSHIRE VETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR SERGEANT MAJOR PAUL CHEVALIER ON RUDY GIULIANI
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
MANCHESTER, NH -- U.S. Senator John McCain's New Hampshire Veterans Advisory Committee Chair Sergeant Major Paul Chevalier, USMC (Ret.), today issued the following statement:
"Last week, Rudy Giuliani implied that he had experienced the torture of sleep deprivation while running for president. His hyperbole is an insult to all American soldiers who have had to endure real torture and mistreatment while in enemy hands. This practice was common during the Vietnam War. One of John McCain's closest friends, LtCol. Orson Swindle, USMC (Ret.), was subjected to this treatment while he was held as a P.O.W. in North Vietnam and can personally assure Mayor Giuliani that the experience was far more severe than the loss of sleep he experiences as a candidate. I call on Mayor Giuliani to apologize to LtCol. Swindle and all of our courageous veterans who have had to persevere through this heinous experience as well as other torturous acts while serving their country and recognize how he belittled that service and sacrifice through his comments."
Comments (1)
This statement by the McCain Campaign would be almost funny if it weren't so licentious. I would like to ask the McCain Campaign to address just how severe the loss is of those American POWs that he has dedicated himself to making sure were "buried" in bureaucracy for more than a decade. The reestablishment of relations and eventually trade with Vietnam was more important to his political aspirations than his sense of moral decency. Therefore, I would like John McCain to recognize his own belittlement of the service and sacrifices of the Airmen, Sailors, Marines and Soldiers left behind in Vietnam as well as their families for more than a decade.
The fact McCain continues to use his status as a former POW as a foundation to his candidacy is pure hypocrisy.