He does praise certain aspects of McCain's record. I think he is saying people shouldn't be blinded by McCain's status as an ex-POW to the extent that they ignore other crucial factors.
I also think it is fair to note that certain incorrect popular assumptions are left uncorrected by the McCain campaign. The item that jumps out at me is this assertion:
Was he tortured for 5 years? No. He was subjected to torture and maltreatment during his first 2 years, from September of 1967 to September of 1969. After September of 1969 the Vietnamese stopped the torture and gave us increased food and rudimentary health care. Several hundred of us were captured much earlier. I got there April 20, 1965 so my bad treatment period lasted 4 1/2 years. President Ho Chi Minh died on September 9, 1969, and the new regime that replaced him and his policies was more pragmatic. They realized we were worth a lot as bargaining chips if we were alive. And they were right because eventually Americans gave up on the war and agreed to trade our POW's for their country. A damn good trade in my opinion! But my point here is that John allows the media to make him out to be THE hero POW, which he knows is absolutely not true, to further his political goals.
How many times have we heard someone attack Kerry for his
1971 SFRC appearance, saying JK's testimony was given
while American POW's were being tortured?
To be honest, I think JK did the right thing even if that did happen, but Butler's statement is that torture was not being done by the North Vietnamese at that time. So people who try to drum up emotional angst against JK by telling this tale, are at least mistaken if not dishonest. I am glad Butler is trying to set the record straight on that score.