McGovern: War heroism doesn't make a president

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McGovern: War heroism doesn't make a president

By Susan Milligan
Globe Staff / July 9, 2008

WASHINGTON - He was a pilot in World War II, bombing targets in Europe to stop Hitler. But former senator and 1972 Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern says that didn't qualify him to run the country - and the same goes for GOP presumptive nominee John McCain.
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"I don't have any regrets about that," the antiwar Democratic stalwart said in a brief interview yesterday on Capitol Hill. "While bombing is a terrible thing, we smashed Hitler's oil refineries all over Europe."

"But I don't recall ever saying that experience as a bomber pilot equipped me to be very strong on how to run a war, how to command the armed forces," said McGovern, who will turn 86 on July 18.

Retired General Wesley Clark, a onetime candidate for president himself, raised ire when he said recently that McCain's experience in Vietnam - while laudable - did not qualify him to be commander in chief. While noting that he honored McCain's service - including his years as a prisoner of war - Clark said late last month that McCain has not held "executive responsibility," and added, "I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is qualification to be president."

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