Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby called ‘idiot’ by Sen. John McCain

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Washington Post

Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby called ‘idiot’ by Sen. John McCain
By Dan Lamothe October 22 at 6:29 PM

Sen. John McCain has a long history of ripping President Obama’s foreign policy as “feckless,” and has blamed it in recent months for the rise of the Islamic State that has terrorized Iraq and Syria. McCain just found a less likely target, however, blasting the Pentagon press secretary as an “idiot” for not taking his side when asked about McCain’s recent remarks that the U.S.-led military coalition is losing the fight against the militants.

The senator’s insult came last week on the conservative Tyler Cralle Show on 980 WAAV-AM radio in North Carolina, and received new attention Wednesday after Buzzfeed highlighted them. The Arizona senator, a former Navy pilot and prisoner of war, said the spin and lies coming from the White House are “unbelievable,” and then started in on Kirby.

“This idiot Admiral Kirby was asked, I think yesterday, that said, ‘John McCain says that we are losing, what do you say?’ The guy, you gotta run it, you gotta run it. Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. I mean, it’s amazing.”

Kirby, reached by telephone Wednesday evening, said he was aware of McCain’s comments, but declined to comment. He has sparred with reporters frequently during news conferences in recent weeks, urging them to take a nuanced look at the U.S. campaign in Iraq and Syria. But he also is generally well respected within the Pentagon press corps.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2014/10/22/pentagon-spokesman-rear-adm-john-kirby-called-idiot-by-sen-john-mccain/

[Diclotican]

1. Judi Lynn

Judi Lynn

I guess John McCain is the right person to talk about others that way - he have yet to impress me....

Diclotican

[Uben]

2. Is McCain getting senile?

His intelligence factor has greatly decreased in the past few years. I have great respect for his service to our country, but when he says stupid things in anger, it gets lost.

[TBF]

10. I think that boat sailed awhile ago -

but yes it is getting really obvious. I don't know why his family hasn't stepped in to help him. It's embarrassing.

[Demit]

13. He says stupid things when he's not angry too.

Which, granted, isn't very often. He's a permanently angry, bitter man since November 2008. "That one" took the presidency that was rightfully his, you see. And now he's losing the media adulation that has been his consolation prize. Even the media knows he's past his mental sell-by date, and doesn't hang on his every word any longer. If he doesn't allow his wife to gently lead him off the stage soon, he'll be a real embarrassment no one will quite know what to do with.

[Paladin]

16. McCain's father and grandfather were both 4-star U.S. Navy admirals.

I think if McCain were still in control of himself, mentally and emotionally, he would have never made such a disparaging public comment about an admiral. Past time for him to go.

[July]

20. I don't think he had much intelligence to begin with.

Let's not forget that he was sixth from the bottom in a class of 899. Most likely, if he had not been the son and grandson of admirals, he'd have been unceremoniously dumped from the Naval Academy.

He is desperately seeking relevance, and it's working for him in a country where only Democratic presidential contenders are considered has-beens. Even when he's inflicted Sarah Palin and her family of dingbats ( hey, is that the common point between McCain and Palin?) on the rest of us.

Never overestimate the intelligence of McCain. He wouldn't be annoying us today without the influence of his father and grandfather, along with the wealth of his wife and father-in-law.

[winstars]

28. 6th in his class and then proceeds to crash how many planes????

[niyad]

29. sixth FROM THE BOTTOM!! darn near "tail-end charlie"

oh, and let us not forget the fire aboard the forrestal.

[winstars]

32. Right, thats what I meant and yeah, he had that oopsie on the Forrestal. But just that one time!!!

The Admiral that his is dissing should just play some of the audio excerpts from the grifters brawl we all heard yesterday...

Grampy=complete asshole and sorry he is fucking senile too...

[former9thward]

40. He had nothing to do with the fire on the Forrestal.

Other than being on deck at the time with a bunch of others. Unless you know more than the Navy.

[politicaljunkie41910]

30. Thanks for reminding DU of John McCain, the Affirmative Action Candidate to the Naval Academy's

other redeeming quality. Besides being the Naval Academy chief boozer and party organizer, Not only did John McCain graduate 6th from the bottom of his class of 899, but he also took a coveted slot as a Naval Aviator traditionally reserved for those graduating in the top percentage of the class. He then proceeded to crash several jets. He later joked that he was sleeping during the training class on 'ejection from the jet' which is where his injuries occurred when his plan went down and he was taken prisoner. He then told his captors who his father and grandfather was in hopes of getting released than realized what a bad idea that would be if he were released because of who he was and decided to stick it out. He said himself that he thought he'd be there a few months at most, never thinking for a moment that he'd be a POW for years.

[csziggy]

39. On the other hand Rear Adm. John Kirby earned his way to the top

That's probably why McCain hates him:

Rear Admiral John Kirby
Pentagon Press Secretary

Rear Adm. Kirby grew up in St. Petersburg, Fla. He is a 1985 graduate of the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla., where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in History. He holds a Master of Science degree in International Relations from Troy State University and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

He was commissioned in September 1986 after completing Officer Candidate School at Newport, R.I.

Kirby qualified as a surface warfare officer aboard the guided-missile frigate USS Aubrey Fitch (FFG 34). As a public affairs officer, Kirby served at sea aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV 59) and on the staff of the Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, embarked aboard the command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20).

While ashore, Kirby completed tours as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy; public affairs officer with the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels); editor-in-chief of the Navy's Flagship monthly magazine, All Hands; the staffs of the chief of naval personnel, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, chief of naval operations, and the special assistant for public affairs to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His most recent assignment was serving as the deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for Media Operations.

Rear Adm. Kirby served as the U.S. Navy's chief of information, serving as the principal spokesman for the Department of the Navy and providing strategic communication counsel to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations. As CHINFO, he led the Navy's public affairs community consisting of more than 2,700 active and reserve officer, enlisted and civilian communication professionals.

Currently, Kirby is the Pentagon Press Secretary, serving as the chief spokesman for the Department of Defense.

Kirby has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, as well as various campaign and service awards.
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=691

Idiot McCain could not have done one of the things that John Kirby has - with or without the assistance of McCain's father and grandfather!

[Javaman]

38. getting? nt

[underpants]

3. They called the US Navy liars with the Swift Boating

No surprise. Republicans loves them some military for three reasons:
1. Contractor donations for overpayments
2. Money poured into the South's economy ( in case the Spanish attack )
3. Wrap themselves in the flag. The "Patriotic" party.

[Turbineguy]

4. The key to winning a "who's a bigger asshole" contest

is to let the other guy have the last word.

[Voice for Peace]

22. excellent, spot on.

[Adsos Letter]

23. Yup!

The Admiral handled it with the class McCain lacks

[tanyev]

5. The President McCain Doctrine: No Country Left Unbombed

[TwilightGardener]

6. Adm. Kirby is a great spokesman, actually. Also, outranks McLoser, Navy-wise.

Johnny Mac always seems torn up with bitterness and jealousy.

[Cha]

12. Mahalo, TG.. I wanted to see what Adm John Kirby looked like..

I like his style.. heard McCain's comment but too much class to retort on the rambling's of an "idiot".. my take away.

[TwilightGardener]

15. Yes, he probably knows better than to engage publicly with this nasty old fart.

Let McSenile keep the classless asshole trophy, he earned it.

[Ikonoklast]

34. If this man is an idiot we need a lot more just like him.

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=691

McCain was lucky he learned how to dress himself correctly.

[Cha]

35. Just McCain Projecting his own idiotic inadequacies, a-gain.

[Cha]

7. McCain is projecting for turning Palin loose on the US.. is that his biggest idiotic move or are

there others that rank with that?

[SCVDem]

8. It's almost Thanksgiving.

Short straw gets him!

[Dawson Leery]

9. Coward John McCain was shot down

because he went off course to bomb a light bulb factory.

Remember that.

[former9thward]

41. Were all the others shot down because they "went off course"?

Were they cowards too? How many bombing runs have you done with people trying to shoot you down and kill you?

[niyad]

42. McCain's mishaps in the cockpit

(please point out, with reliable, legitimate sources, ONE OTHER pilot had all these "mishaps", and was NOT booted out of the service.)


McCain's mishaps in the cockpit
Three early crashes drew Navy scrutiny. A review of his record reveals a cocky flier, prone to test the limits.
October 06, 2008|Ralph Vartabedian and Richard A. Serrano | Times Staff Writers

John McCain was training in his AD-6 Skyraider on an overcast Texas morning in 1960 when he slammed into Corpus Christi Bay and sheared the skin off his plane's wings.
McCain recounted the accident decades later in his autobiography. "The engine quit while I was practicing landings," he wrote. But an investigation board at the Naval Aviation Safety Center found no evidence of engine failure.

The 23-year-old junior lieutenant wasn't paying attention and erred in using "a power setting too low to maintain level flight in a turn," investigators concluded.
The crash was one of three early in McCain's aviation career in which his flying skills and judgment were faulted or questioned by Navy officials.



In his most serious lapse, McCain was "clowning" around in a Skyraider over southern Spain about December 1961 and flew into electrical wires, causing a blackout, according to McCain's own account as well as those of naval officers and enlistees aboard the carrier Intrepid. In another incident, in 1965, McCain crashed a T-2 trainer jet in Virginia.

After McCain was sent to Vietnam, his plane was destroyed in an explosion on the deck of an aircraft carrier in 1967. Three months later, he was shot down during a bombing mission over Hanoi and taken prisoner. He was not faulted in either of those cases and was later lauded for his heroism as a prisoner of war.

. . .

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/06/nation/na-aviator6

[former9thward]

43. I asked the poster specific questions given what was in the post.

He has answered none and neither have you. He had nothing to do with the Forrestal fire and I don't call anyone who was shot down over Vietnam "cowards".

[niyad]

45. you asked me no questions, but I did ask you, and you have not answered. keep trying, we

sorely need the laughs.

[former9thward]

46. I'll answer.

I don't have access to Navy personnel records. Do you? Now, do you agree with the poster that people shot down over Vietnam were cowards? Do you agree with the poster that McCain had something to do with the Forrestal fire?

[TwilightGardener]

44. Bad officer, bad pilot. Bad Senator. Bad Presidential candidate. But extremely capable

at self-promotion and grabbing media air time, I'll give that to him.

[douggg]

11. Idiot?

This word coming from McCain who said Palin was qualified to be President.

[truebluegreen]

31. Good point. And welcome to DU. nt

[SoapBox]

14. Be proud Arizona...Be proud!

Idiot.

[beac]

17. John McCain should be tried for TREASON for trying to put Sarah Palin one

of his old, senile heartbeats away from the Oval Office. John McCain is SCUM and I'm sure his daddy and granddaddy are rolling in their graves to see what a miserable sack of shit he is. Not that he wasn't one when they were alive, because he was. Come to think of it, his father should have insisted his son be drummed out of the Naval Academy when it became clear he was nothing but useless, entitled, talentless, cowardly scum. So the whole McCain family has a lot to answer for.

[muntrv]

18. Shut the fuck up John! You graduated near the bottom of your class at the Naval Academy!

[YOHABLO]

19. Sunday talk shows need to quit throwing him at us .. not that any of DU'ers are watching.

[Voice for Peace]

21. Is that Rear Admiral John McCain?

"Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. "

[George II]

26. No, it's "I crashed four planes" John McCain

[George II]

25. Is there any way we can make a deal with the Vietnamese so they can take him back?

The man is totally demented.

[GeorgeGist]

36. Ho Chi Minh is rolling in his grave ...

with laughter.

[orpupilofnature57]

27. Him and Vice President Palin would of ended all our

[tiptonic]

33. bad pilot

he was know as a bad pilot, near bottom of his class, even with daddies help. then his actions as a pow. he should pass judgement on others?

[jakeXT]

37. What is it, should Obama support ISIS or not ?