Obama: I Have The Same Amount Of Executive Experience As McCain [Reader Post]

On 60 minutes last night Obama said they he and McCain had the exact same about of executive experience. The comment comes around the 30 second mark on this video. Sorry Senator Obama, but I beg to differ.

McCain’s combat duty began in 1967 when he was thirty years old. He was almost killed later that year. Lieutenant Commander McCain was almost killed when a Zuni rocket discharged on the flight deck. Of the USS Forestal here escaped from his jet and helped another man escape before the explotion. After this tragedy McCain volunteered to serve on the USS Oriskany.

On October 26 1967 McCain went down in Hanoi and was taken Prisoner by the Viet-cong. He served two years in solidary confinement. He was offered release but refused because their were others who had been POW’s longer. August of 68 is when a prolong series of torture began. He was beaten every two hours! His injuries has left him unable to raise his arms above his head. McCain was released on March 14, 1973 after serving five and a half years has a POW.

When John McCain came back to America he received rehab for his injuries and attended the War College in 1976 he became a commanding officer of a training squad in Florida. The squad won a Meritorious Unit Commendation.

In 1977 McCain served as the Navy’s liason to the U.S. Senate According to McCain, this was the begining of McCain’s political career. McCain retired from the Navy in 1981 has a Captain. He had received 17 Millitary rewards: The Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and Navy Commendation Medal were just a few of them.

So McCain was a Lieutenant Commander and a Captain. After receiving some comments saying this shouldn’t qualify has executive experience I thought I should find out what the responsiblities for these ranks were.

A Lieutenant Commander is a senior department officer on a large ship or shore installation. They may also be commanding officer or executive officer (second-in-command) of a smaller ship or installation. Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) is a junior officer rank, with the pay grade of O-4. Lieutenant Commander ranks above Lieutenant and below commander. Lieutenant Commander is equivalent to the rank of Major in the other uniformed services. The Lieutenant Commander is the most senior of the junior officer ranks.

Captain (CAPT) is a senior officer rank, with the pay grade of O-6. It ranks above Commander and below Rear Admiral (lower half). It is equivalent to the rank of Colonel in the other uniformed services. Navy Captains may also fill important senior staff positions or have shore based command assignments, such as commanding officer of a naval station, naval air station, naval support activities, specialized centers or commanders of test wings or training air wings.

John McCain was an officer in the U.S. navy for 14 years. He trained men and gave orders that entire time. He made decisions that other men had to follow and he had these men’s lives in his hands. Has an officer he was also responsible for setting an example for his men to follow. If that doesn’t count has executive experience I must not understand the what the term means.

I guess Obama once again forgot about McCain’s military record when he was speaking on 60 minutes. Obama seems to forget about McCain’s military record frequently. It’s come to the point I no longer believe it’s an accident. I believe that Obama is intentionally ignoring McCain’s military record because he doesn’t have one of his own.

Does not having served make someone unfit to be President? Absolutely not. Just as simply being in the military does not make someone qualified to be President. However saying someone with 14 years of executive experience in our military has the same amount of executive experience has a Freshman Senator who served has a community organizer and a State Senator is absurd. If Obama really believes McCain has no executive experience that alone should disqualify him from becoming our next President.