Local Vet Calls McCain Memorial Day Event in ABQ a 'Republican Pep Rally"

More on that below, but first watch Santa Fe Reporter writer Dave Maass take MoveOn's Bush-McCain Challenge at the Plaza in Santa Fe. The Challenge is happening in locales all over America today, drawing attention to the similarities between John McCain and George Bush. Hard to tell 'em apart, eh Dave? Speaking of the Santa Fe Reporter, you might want to check out their guide to the June 3rd primary election, which includes endorsements for all the Santa Fe area races. One, in particular, is creating some controversy. Can you guess which one?

Onward. Have you seen this story? Quote:

As he spoke to a Memorial Day crowd of about 1,000, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee was joined by New Mexico Republican Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Steve Pearce and Rep. Heather Wilson, who are running for Domenici's soon-to-be-vacant seat.

[Bruce] Clark, a former Marine whose son Bradley Clark is serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, said he showed up at the event to protest what he called "this criminal war" and McCain's support of it.

But though it was a public event on public property, all signs of dissent were quashed by the heavy presence of APD officers and agents from the Secret Service, he said.

"We were very intimidated," he said.

Many of you may remember Bruce Clark's emotionally powerful and personal speech against the Iraq occupation and the shredding of the U.S. Constitution at last year's Iraq Summer town hall. He's still at it.

How very sad that the powers behind a supposedly public event -- not a campaign event -- refused to allow even veterans to exercise their constitutional rights to peaceable assembly and free speech. You'd think that McCain, who constantly proclaims how much he respects vets and what they fought for in terms of American freedoms, would be supportive of the constitution and free expression by veterans. Then again, how much is he really for the vets when push comes to shove?

McCain was absent when the Senate was voting on the New GI Bill that would expand veterans' benefits for college tuition. He was in California, at the home of San Diego Chargers owner Alex Spanos, attending a $25,000 a couple fundraiser for his presidential bid. Of course McCain doesn't support the New GI Bill anyway, preferring a bill he sponsored that would require members of the military to serve at least 12 years before getting the expanded benefits.

Unfortunately, this isn't the first time McCain has voted against the interests of veterans:

As a veteran and former prisoner of war, Sen. McCain should know better than anyone the extent of difficulty our soldiers can face upon returning home after combat, she said.

Yet a study of Congressional voting records shows that, twice since the beginning of the Iraq War, McCain has voted against federal Veteran's Administration allocations that would raise benefits for veterans.

Go read the rest.

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