Legal Commentary

Commander In Chief Test

By Big Tent Democrat

Remember this controversial comment?

I think it’s imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander-in-chief threshold. I believe that I’ve done that. Certainly, Sen. McCain has done that and you’ll have to ask Sen. Obama with respect to his candidacy,” [Hillary Clinton] said.

Yesterday, General Wesley Clark said John McCain had not passed that test. But Barack Obama disagrees and "rejects" Clark's assessment. Apparently, Obama agrees that McCain has passed the Commander in Chief test. I doubt McCain will extend the same courtesy. More . . .

Rereading Josh Marshall's post made me realize that his real objection here is, as he reiterates it:

What his campaign should not be doing is lending its imprimatur to the proposition that because McCain saw combat in Vietnam and suffered as a POW that he has the judgment to be an effective president.

Josh's point makes sense to me. I now agree. Obama's reaction was a mistake.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 30, 2008 (boomark / email).