Rogers: Clark "demeans" McCain's military record

One real third rail this campaign — more even than race, sex, or age — has been the substance of McCain's military service.

But on "Face the Nation" today, retired Gen. Wesley Clark challenged it as a qualification:

“He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee. And he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded — that wasn't a wartime squadron,” Clark said. “I don’t think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president.”

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers just fired back, on message, at Clark, a former Clinton backer who's now with Obama:

If Barack Obama's campaign wants to question John McCain's military service, that's their right. But let's please drop the pretense that Barack Obama stands for a new type of politics. The reality is he's proving to be a typical politician who is willing to say anything to get elected, including allowing his campaign surrogates to demean and attack John McCain's military service record.



John McCain is proud of his record of always putting the country first — from his time in the Navy, in Vietnam and through to today.

Rogers went on to attack Obama for not having visited Iraq, and to renew McCain's demand of town hall meetings.