Ground Game

The Badlands Blue blog has video of George McGovern speaking at the "McGovern Day Dinner" in Sioux Falls last night. McGovern centered some of his remarks on presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain, sharing an anecdote about having once appeared on television with McCain and former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara to discuss whether the Vietnam Was was a mistake. McGovern says McCain insulted him by saying, "We all know that George McGovern knows little about national defense." Unless that actual video can be found, it's impossible to know whether this account is accurate, but it sounds plausible. However, while decrying McCain's attack on his service record, McGovern launches into one of his own, belittling McCain's service by noting he spent "most of the war" in a POW camp. The greater question is whether attacking McCain's time as a POW will actually be used by Democrats in an attempt to diminish McCain's stature as a war hero. McGovern's self-described "dig" at McCain may have been fair game in context, but the enthusiastic ovation he receives may not play well in a general election if other Democrats try a similar line of attack:

Let me tell you what I would say to John McCain: neither of us is an expert on national defense.  It's true that you went to one of the service academies but you were in the bottom of the class. It's true that you were a pilot in Vietnam, that you were shot down and spent most of the war in prison and we all sympathize with that and honor you for your courage.  But you and I both had these battle experiences, you as a Navy fighter plane, I as an army bomber. I am not going to criticize your war record and your knowledge of national security but I don't want you criticizing mine either.  

If I'd be allowed just one little dig at Senator McCain, since he gave me. I would say, 'John, you were shot down early in the war and spent most of the time in prison. I flew 35 combat missions with a 10-man crew and brought them home safely every time.'