Obama Distorts at VFW

A guest blog by McCain 2008 National Veterans’ Director Lang Sias...

The warm reception Senator McCain received from the VFW demonstrates that veterans appreciate his long record on national security issues and his deep commitment to our nation's veterans.

I know other veterans share my disappointment that Barack Obama used the VFW’s National Convention as a forum for misrepresenting John McCain’s proposals to expand veterans’ benefits.

Senator Obama alleged that John McCain "wants to ration care so the VA only serves combat injuries, while everyone else gets an insurance card…privatization is just not the answer.” This is false.

John McCain made clear both in his speech to the VFW yesterday and to the Disabled American Veterans last week, that his Veterans’ Health Care Access Card would be an expansion of benefits. It would provide eligible veterans who do not currently have timely access to VA facilities the option of using high-quality health-care providers nearer to their homes. It would not force anyone to go to a non-VA facility. Nor would it ration health care based on whether injuries were combat/non-combat related. And it certainly would not privatize the VA.

Barack Obama also mischaracterized Senator McCain’s position on the “GI Bill For the 21st Century,” claiming that McCain opposed the bill because it was “too generous.” In fact, John McCain opposed the initial version of the bill because it failed to address the number one education request of career service members and their families--the freedom to transfer their benefits to a spouse or a child. It also did nothing to retain the young officers and enlisted leaders who form the backbone of our all-volunteer force. Once the bill was improved, Senator McCain was proud to support it.

John McCain could have done the politically expedient thing and just signed on to what he knew was flawed legislation. But instead he put country first and sought a better bill. As a result of his leadership, we now have legislation that better serves our military, better serves military families, and better serves the interests of our country.