Veterans tout Obama as top pick for president

Veterans tout Obama as top pick for president

Winchester — Three veterans of the U.S. military say Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois is the best candidate to become president.

Army Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, Sgt. Maj. John Estrada of the Marine Corps, and Navy Rear Admiral James A. Barnett Jr., each of whom are retired, took turns Saturday explaining why Obama is the preferred candidate over the Republican Party’s own military veteran, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

Talking before a crowd of about 75 in the Stimpson Auditorium at Shenandoah University’s Halpin-Harrison Hall, the trio spoke about how Obama is a more practical choice and someone more willing to develop international partnerships that will protect the nation.


Retired Army Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy speaks in support of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama during a Veterans for Obama gathering Saturday at Shenandoah University. Seated behind her is fellow Obama supporter John Estrada, a retired sergeant major with the Marine Corps.
(Photo by Jeff Taylor)

Kennedy said she views national defense as the combination of several pieces, including the nation’s economy.

She said the United States is experiencing “the Katrina of all economic messes,” putting increased financial pressure on the nation’s businesses.

Obama, Kennedy said, wants to help companies thrive in the United States rather than assisting them as they outsource jobs to other nations.

“If we elect Senator Obama, we are getting a leader with a basic integrity,” she said. “He’s able to deal with all levels of a problem.”

In addition to having a solution to the war in Iraq, Kennedy said, Obama has plans to help the economy, provide quality education for children, and correct problems in foreign policy.

She said the practices of the Bush administration have forced the need for change.

“The biggest mistake is four more years [of the same policies],” Kennedy said.

Estrada said the Bush administration is starting to go along with some of the suggestions made by Obama and others about drawing down the number of troops in Iraq.

“Iraq is not going to be won militarily; militarily, you are not going to win that sort of conflict,” Estrada said. “You have to come to some sort of political dialogue of reconciliation. I think that will happen when the Iraqi government has taken full responsibility, and we are helping them do that by leaving.”

Attendees asked how the United States could increase enlistment numbers during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Estrada, who was the first African American to hold the rank of sergeant major of the Marines, said the solution is not trying to fight every battle by military, but instead working out some decisions diplomatically.

He said giving troops more time at home on leave also will help them be more willing to serve.

Kennedy, who was the first woman to reach the rank of three-star lieutenant general in the Army, agreed that more needs to be done to support the troops.

Barnett said Obama has advocated national service while wanting to properly support the military and their families at home.

Obama wants to do that even though he is not a veteran himself, Barnett said, but the veteran in the campaign, McCain, has offered little in support of veterans and the military.

“When you are excited about that culture, creating that culture where people want to serve, I think [it] will draw people in,” he said.

Kennedy said recent disrespect shown by the U.S. toward other nations must be corrected. Measured responses are needed, not quick reaction that causes more problems than it solves.

Barnett said Obama can solve those problems.

“I have been really impressed about how he relates to people and understands the whole [system of the military],” he said. “It’s not how he relates to admirals and generals — that’s not really what the military is. It is really sergeants and corporals and petty officers, and he has a real rapport there that I think is important in decision making.

“The second thing is, he has already established a record of caring for military families in a way that seems to be way beyond his years and experience. It shows that he actually gets it — that there is actually a connection between military readiness and how you treat those in the military,” Barnett said.

How existing military members view the two candidates and how they would treat them and their families also is telling, Barnett said.

He said good treatment of the troops is part of military readiness, increasing retention, recruiting, and morale.

“There’s a connection there that John McCain could not understand because he wouldn’t have voted that way over the past few years,” Barnett said. “I was very pleased to find out Barack Obama has an 80 percent approval rating from disabled veterans because of the way he votes. I was shocked to find out that John McCain only has about a 20 percent approval rating.”

Veterans for Obama held similar sessions on national security Saturday in Roanoke and Staunton.

On Sunday, additional sessions were held at the Quantico Marine Corps base and Virginia Beach.

— Contact Drew Houff at
dhouff@winchesterstar.com
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“There’s a connection there that John McCain could not understand because he wouldn’t have voted that way over the past few years,” Barnett said. “I was very pleased to find out Barack Obama has an 80 percent approval rating from disabled veterans because of the way he votes. I was shocked to find out that John McCain only has about a 20 percent approval rating.”
this is from a Navy Admiral that has looked at Senator McCains voting record on veterans issue's, is this how Senator McCain supports the troops?

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