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Barack Obama, while mentioning his respect for John McCain's military service, also criticized him for not supporting Jim Webb's GI bill.

McCain's response?

He criticizes Obama for not serving in the military.

Let's forget for a moment that neither one of these two dudes served in the Armed Forces. McCain essentially is saying that unless you served in the military, you can't judge what would be right for them.

(OK, moment's over.)

How in the hell can he support George Bush and Dick Cheney sending said military into Iraq, or any war? Isn't that two guys that didn't fight sending others to fight? By McCain's standards, how can any POTUS be anything other than military? Where in the Constitution is that written? And how, exactly, can a guy who skipped the vote on the bill slam those who actually showed up, despite also running for president?

Please. McCain gave way more than most soldiers can be expected to give, but that doesn't give him the right to act holier-than-thou against someone with a legitimate criticism of his policies.

As for the actual policy disagreement, the fact that Webb's bill offers the same benefits to someone who enlists for the first time and those who re-enlist several times thereafter is a good thing, and shows how out of touch McCain is with today's military. Many soldiers, including people I know, have re-enlisted when they were eligible for collegiate benefits because the financial burden - even with assistance - would have been too great. So they re-enlist.

Look, let's not be fooled - the Republicans have a problem with how this might affect retention because they want to be able to lock those boys into service, and not provide them a just and fair way to pursue their education here in the States, away from needless wars fought so that oil-baron presidents and vice-presidents can draw a profit from their blood.

And let's take the opposite position - if he were to be elected President, how would McCain be qualified to, say, deal with poverty since he was never poor? Obama certainly would be, but do you see him coming out with a statement saying that McCain has "less than zero knowledge" about the plight of those living on the edge of American societal viability since he's never been on food stamps?

McCain needs to be in Washington, and not at fundraisers in California, if he wants anything he says to have resonance. Otherwise, have a Coke and a smile.