John McCain may have put the final nail in his own coffin with his shameful lies about his support for veterans in last Friday's debate, and during his campaign.

From the debate transcript September 25, 2008:

John McCain: As far as our other issues that he brought up are concerned, I know the veterans. I know them well. And I know that they know that I'll take care of them. And I've been proud of their support and their recognition of my service to the veterans. And I love them. And I'll take care of them. And they know that I'll take care of them. And that's going to be my job.

Our own clammyc has done an informative diary cataloging John McCain's anti-veteran votes, McCain has a long history of voting against veterans and those currently on active duty.

McCain's Voting Record

These are just three of the more recent votes, not to mention his not voting for the new GI Bill:

May 2006: McCain voted against an amendment that would provide $20 million to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care facilities.

April 2006: 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.

March 2006: McCain voted against increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.

I come from a family of veterans from WWII, Viet Nam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. I know first hand how they only use(d) VA medical care as a last resort because of the poor and inadequate treatment they received in the past. The veterans and their families know this better than anyone and many are either too ashamed or too sick to complain about how they are treated. And they are outraged when McCain brags about how he takes care of veterans, how he has not forgotten them and how he honors them when they know better. McCain has voted against them time and again and now he lies about his support to fraudulently gain support for his failing campaign. My nephew served in Iraq and Afghanistan angrily talks about his lack of body armor and their lack of the proper equipment.

I did a bit of research and this press release for Veteran's Day 2007 from the US Census bureau makes for interesting reading and I believe will seal John McCain's fate.

Veteran's Day 2007

Who they are:

23.7 million

The number of military veterans in the United States in 2006.

(Source: Table 505 of the upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008.)

Female Veterans

1.7 million

The number of female veterans in 2006.

(Source: Table 505 of the upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008.)

2.4 million

The number of black veterans in 2006. Additionally, 1.1 million veterans are Hispanic; 292,000 are Asian; 169,000 are American Indian or Alaska Native; and 28,000 are Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. (The numbers for blacks, Asians, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders cover only those reporting a single race.) (Source: 2006 American Community Survey.)

When They Served

9.2 million

The number of veterans 65 and older in 2006. At the other end of the age spectrum, 1.9 million were younger than 35.

(Source: Table 506 of the upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008.)

8.2 million

Number of Vietnam-era veterans. Vietnam veterans account for more than 3-in-10 veterans, the largest share of any period of service. The next largest share of wartime veterans, 4.4 million or nearly 2-in-10, served during World War II. (From the upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2004-2005.)

Where They Live

6

Number of states with 1 million or more veterans in 2006. These states are California (2.2 million), Florida (1.7 million), Texas (1.7 million), New York (1.1 million), Pennsylvania (1.1 million) and Ohio (1 million). (Source: Table 505 of the upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008.)



Income and Poverty

$34,437

Annual median income of veterans, in 2006 inflation-adjusted dollars. (Source: 2006 American Community Survey.)

5.9%

Percentage of veterans living in poverty, as of 2006. The corresponding rate for nonveterans was 12.3 percent. (Source: 2006 American Community Survey.)

Disabilities

6.1 million

Number of veterans with a disability. More than half this number (3.5 million) were 65 and older. (Source: 2006 American Community Survey.)

Voting

17.4 million

Number of veterans who voted in the 2004 presidential election. Seventy-four percent of veterans cast a ballot, compared with 63 percent of nonveterans. (Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004.)

McCain is alienating a potential 23.7 million person voting block, men, women, blacks and hispanics, many who live below the poverty line, who are disabled and who vote in greater numbers than the population at large. Add their family members and the potential voting block grows larger.

McCain's outrageous lies about his veteran's support will most likely cost him the election. Veterans are angry because they know first hand that McCain does not support our veterans. If McCain loses the veteran's votes he loses the election.