Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are �Losers� and �Suckers�

[Ronson]

I don't think that's true. I think they know folks with TDS aren't going to vote for Trump anyway. I guess maybe they were trying to target a particular base of his supporters that are pro-military, but it still leaves me uneasy that they're using this issue to try and sway the election.

I'm not a veteran so the whole thing doesn't really resonate with me personally anyway. I'm curious, though, what veterans on this board think about the whole thing.

But I am not surprised that Leftists would stoop to this level. It's not unprecedented. I think they've stooped much lower.

[LiconaFan97]

And I've seen plenty of your posts. Neither of us are bending. You despise Trump and everything about him, and I don't.

This isn't about my personal feelings towards Trump. But you're wrong in any case.

You can still support Trump and still vote for him while at the same time admitting he's said things about McCain (and indirectly all American POWs) which are simply wrong.

[Ronson]

Ronson, your posts display a simple denial of reality. It is one thing to support Trump in spite of his statements, which is the majority position of Trump supporters here. It is quite another to pretend those statements don't exist.

Did you miss the part about The Atlantic backpedaling on the validity of their article?

I'm not denying he said disparaging things about McCain in regard to his war record. I said it was a stupid thing for Trump to say. He says a lot of stupid things. So?

[oxmixmudd]

I'm not a veteran so the whole thing doesn't really resonate with me personally anyway. I'm curious, though, what veterans on this board think about the whole thing.

But I am not surprised that Leftists would stoop to this level. It's not unprecedented. I think they've stooped much lower.

The problem is that its very likely not a lie nor a deception. But Trump has followed the autocratic playback and managed to sow enough distrust in the media that he can hide behind that same distrust.

But why, given trumps track record lying and twisting the truth, and disparaging military personnel you or others here would trust his words on this is beyond comprehension. At the very least you should be skeptical of both. I personally think this likely, but do not dismiss the possibility the sources are lying or exaggerating. I do not think there is any practical chance this is contrived by the media itself.

[seanD]

I'm not a veteran so the whole thing doesn't really resonate with me personally anyway. I'm curious, though, what veterans on this board think about the whole thing.

But I am not surprised that Leftists would stoop to this level. It's not unprecedented. I think they've stooped much lower.

I'd actually be more interested in what active duty military folks think about it. I hope we get a poll before November, that would be really interesting.

[Gondwanaland]

He dragged every American POW, past, present, and future into his personal feud. That is more than "immaturity." He attacked McCain yet again on Monday. That is more than "rough politics."

I've seen enough posts from you on this board to know that you understand this.

Believe it or not, being a POW at some point in your past does not magically render you immune to criticism of your choices and actions you make in the years after being a POW.

[Gondwanaland]

I'm not a veteran so the whole thing doesn't really resonate with me personally anyway. I'm curious, though, what veterans on this board think about the whole thing.

But I am not surprised that Leftists would stoop to this level. It's not unprecedented. I think they've stooped much lower.

As a veteran I really haven't seen anything really objectionable from Trump. To be Frank I know and served with plenty of others who turned out to be real turds in their actions and behaviors, and they're the ones who tend to use the "I'm a vet" as a kind of get out of jail free card to hand wave their behavior. Being a vet, as a vet myself, does not make you immune to criticism for your choices and actions. Same with former POWs.

[Ronson]

The problem is that its very likely not a lie nor a deception. But Trump has followed the autocratic playback and managed to sow enough distrust in the media that he can hide behind that same distrust.

But why, given trumps track record lying and twisting the truth, and disparaging military personnel you or others here would trust his words on this is beyond comprehension. At the very least you should be skeptical of both. I personally think this likely, but do not dismiss the possibility the sources are lying or exaggerating. I do not think there is any practical chance this is contrived by the media itself.

Did you miss the part about The Atlantic backpedaling on the validity of the story? Does that matter to you?

I only distrust the mainstream media when it prints things that are clearly false, or when it prints biased, anonymous-sourced stories. And I trust them completely after they close up for the night.

[LiconaFan97]

Believe it or not, being a POW at some point in your past does not magically render you immune to criticism of your choices and actions you make in the years after being a POW.

"I like people who weren't captured."

Read those words and imagine you had been captured. Read those words and imagine your brothers- and sisters-in arms who were captured. Read those words and imagine your child being captured. If it doesn't make your blood boil then we're probably better off with you no longer in uniform. The men and women to your right and left certainly are.

[Ronson]

As a veteran I really haven't seen anything really objectionable from Trump. To be Frank I know and served with plenty of others who turned out to be real turds in their actions and behaviors, and they're the ones who tend to use the "I'm a vet" as a kind of get out of jail free card to hand wave their behavior. Being a vet, as a vet myself, does not make you immune to criticism for your choices and actions. Same with former POWs.

Two questions (for you and other vets):

1) If The Atlantic story turned out to be true, what would your opinion of Trump be?
2) If The Atlantic story turned out to be false, what would your opinion of The Atlantic be?

[seanD]

Is he really an atheist? In my experience of the internet, 100% of people who troll that much are Christians.

Uh, no. Non-Christians so obsessed with a Christian forum that they use multiple handles when they get banned for their trolling is the exemplification of a troll. That happens here pretty frequently.

[LiconaFan97]

Two questions (for you and other vets):

1) If The Atlantic story turned out to be true, what would your opinion of Trump be?
2) If The Atlantic story turned out to be false, what would your opinion of The Atlantic be?

Ronson, Fox also confirmed the story using (probably) the same sources. Unless you're willing to also throw them under the bus this is a bogus question.

[Electric Skeptic]

Believe it or not, being a POW at some point in your past does not magically render you immune to criticism of your choices and actions you make in the years after being a POW.

I neither said, suggested or implied it did.

[Electric Skeptic]

As CP already stated, McCain and Trump had been feuding for decades. And once McCain forwarded the bogus Steele Dossier, Trump went ballistic.

It's part of Trump's M.O. to shoot from the hip. I don't like it. But he was aiming at McCain the adversary, not McCain the POW.

He specifically mentioned that his being a POW was what he was "aiming at".

[Ronson]

Ronson, Fox also confirmed the story using (probably) the same sources. Unless you're willing to also throw them under the bus this is a bogus question.

That doesn't mean much, though. I used to be in the business. Fox "confirming" a story in The Atlantic AT MOST means the anonymous sources exist and said those things. It may only mean the sources exist, or that they said something to that effect.

Other sources - people like John Bolton who despises Trump - said the story is baloney. And others who were there and have gone on the record said it's baloney. And now The Atlantic's publisher is trying to reinvent the article.