Does John McCain Really Support the Troops?

Does John McCain really "support the troops"?

Not so much, according to the Veterans groups that track this sort of thing.

Here's John McCain's voting record (and the other fellow too) with links to the same.

• Vietnam Veterans Of America
  John McCain voted AGAINST THEM them 17 out of their last 26 scored votes.
  Barack Obama, on the other hand, voted FOR THE VETS 13 out of 14 times.




• Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans for America
  Senator John McCain -- a grade of "D"
  Senator Barack Obama - a grade of "B+"
  
  


• Disabled American Veterans
  Senator John McCain -- 20%
  Barack Obama -- 80%
  .

And what happens when a Vietnam veteran asks John McCain why he has consistently voted against increasing health care and hospital services for returning wounded vets from Iraq?

Suddenly the "Straight Take Express" careens off the road into a rambling soliloquy, far from the facts, and racing away from the question. Check it out.

As for John McCain's statement that he has "a perfect voting record from organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion," guess what? Those two groups do even keep voting records! All we know for sure is that both groups were pushing the Webb bill, which McCain is criticizing in the video link, above.

And, just to close the loop, McCain was AWOL on the Jim Webb-authored bill expanding GI benefits to returning Iraq vets (Webb was the former Secretary of the Navy under Reagan).

The bill passed 75-22 with a veto-proof level of bi-partisan support.

Some other votes by John McCain:

• McCain was one of only 13 Senators to vote against $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.
  
  


• McCain voted against increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.
  
  


• McCain again against voting against closing abusive tax loopholes in order to pay for a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans' medical care by $1.8 billion...
  



• McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Dodd that called for an additional $322,000,000 for safety equipment for United States forces in Iraq and to reduce the amount provided for reconstruction in Iraq by $322,000,000.
  



• McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Dodd that called for an additional $322,000,000 for safety equipment for United States forces in Iraq and to reduce the amount provided for reconstruction in Iraq by $322,000,000.