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Tag(s): Adam Kokesh; Iraq Veterans Against The War; McCain-John; McCain-John; Protester; Republican; Republican GOP Dirty Tricks; Republican Hypocrisy; Republican National Convention; Republican Voter Suppression; (more...) Republican-slime-machine; Taxes; Veterans Benefits; Veterans Handicapped; Veterans Mental Health; Veterans Neglected; Veterans Post Tramatic Stress; Veterans Vietnam (less...)
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September 5, 2008 at 02:01:29

Falujah Veteran is Attacked by McCain Republicans at Speech

by Dean Powers Page 1 of 2 page(s)

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An Iraq War Veteran with a different view on the Iraq War threw a shock of reality into the Republican National Convention tonight, capturing the attention of McCain and the audience.

In the top tiers over an exit in the bleachers, the protester with an "Iraq Veteran's Against the War" shirt on held a sign that read, "McCain votes against vets" on one side and, "You can't win an occupation" on the other.

The veteran's name is Adam Kokesh, according to The American Prospect, which interviewed him. Kokesh is a Ron Paul supporter from Santa Fe, and he served in Falujah, an area that saw some of the greatest horrors in the Iraq War.

Here's a play-by-play of the shock McCain displayed at the sight of this protester:

You'll notice that the people in the arena, including McCain, can see the networks' broadcast on television monitors. At the 43 second mark on this video, McCain notices that the screen behind him is showing one of his 54 houses rather than what it's supposed to be showing. He turns half-way around to see this in reality. He then turns back and begins to speak but pauses to let the audience applaud. He looks down, and while he's looking down the networks cut to a shot of the Iraq War Veteran holding a sign that reads, "You can't win an occupation." McCain looks up, and perhaps owing to a slight delay, sees the protester just a moment after we do, mid-sentence, swallowing his words and freezing at the sight of Kokesh.

The clip would make a great anti-McCain commercial. Just play it over and over again.

While Fox cameras, as seen above, only showed the protester briefly, NBC--which had just transferred its viewership in from the first NFL game of the year--showed the man several times. It also showed the faces of the audience, many of whom seemed shaken by the message of the protester--perhaps ashamed of themselves and their party.

Thousands of savages in the audience buried any feelings of remorse by ganging up on the single man with chants of "USA! USA! USA!" Reminding us that when veterans speak out against the war, the Republican Party treats them like dogs.

Many of the Republicans who screamed obscenely at the Iraq War Veteran never fought in battle. They did, however, wrap themselves in the American flag and cheer on the invasion of Iraq. Last night, they followed the lead of Rush Limbaugh, who attacks veterans that don't fall lock-in-step with the corporate agenda of the Republican Party.

Veterans and active duty military are only beginning to learn that John McCain hates veterans. What else could explain the stunning list of votes he's cast against veterans?

In 2005, John McCain voted against S. Amdt. 149, a $2.8 billion veterans' health care bill introduced by Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI).

In 2006, Senator Akaka requested $1.5 billion for medical care for veterans and $430 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs doing outpatient care. John McCain voted against this proposal too.

In 2006, a year before the horrors of Walter Reed Hospital captured headlines, Senator Dodd proposed S. Amdt. 2735 to shore up failing infrastructure at veterans hospitals. The bill would have mandated a minor rollback in the capital gains tax cuts for the richest 1 percent of Americans (Republican spin: raise taxes, implying for everybody) to pay for the veterans' needs. John McCain, perhaps because his wife's worth possibly $100 million, voted against this one too.

Republicans are content to put a yellow ribbon on their SUVs declaring, "Support the troops." But they will not give veterans actual, meaningful support. They only recite patriotic BS to win absolute power so Jack Abramoff, former GOP Congressman Duke Cunningham, Congressman Rick Renzi (R-AZ) and others can rip YOU off.

These elite rich Republicans, many of whom filled the Xcel arena last night, are content to chant "USA! USA!" and get patriotic in order to win elections, but they will attack veterans and anybody else who stands in the way of absolute power.

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Dean Danger Powers is an international man of mystery.

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6 comments

Writer/Photographer. Special interests in media reform, restoring/protecting the constitution, support for returning veterans, ending the Iraq occupation and improving relations with Iran. In the meantime, I'll settle for a vanilla latte and a keyboard while exposing those who prmote ideologies like the Bush Doctrine that subvert our constitution, encourage terrorism and are morally and ethically corrupt.

Writer and managing editor for OpEdNews.com.

Contact info: cher...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Cheryl Biren-WrightWriter/Photographer. Special interests in media reform, restoring/protecting the constitution, support for returning veterans, ending the Iraq occupation and improving relations with Iran. In the meantime, I'll settle for a vanilla latte and a keyboard while exposing those who prmote ideologies like the Bush Doctrine that subvert our constitution, encourage terrorism and are morally and ethically corrupt.

Writer and managing editor for OpEdNews.com.

Contact info: cher...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Adam Kokesh in Action

Adam is a great guy. On June 13, I held an Iraq forum in my district. Worked my ass off to get my congressman, Rob Andrews (D-NJ), who helped coauthor the House version of the Iraq resolution to show up.

At the last minute, the Iraq vet who was going to sit on the panel alongside Andrews had to cancel. I freaked. I really wanted him to have to face a veteran he helped send to Iraq.

Adam Kokesh who was in DC jumped on a train that afternoon with almost no notice and took Andrews to task. You must see this video of him calling out this congressman. I will include the link to the second part of his speech because it's really when he gets fired up, though while there you might want to see the other:

Absolutely must see video of Adam K.

At 2:00 min in he let's loose on Andrews

by Cheryl Biren-Wright (26 articles, 25 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 403 comments) on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 12:15:09 PM

Dean Danger Powers is an international man of mystery.
Dean PowersDean Danger Powers is an international man of mystery.

Wow

He's as brave standing up to America's power-brokers as he is in combat. What a fearless and fascinating speech. Bravo.

by Dean Powers (128 articles, 8 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 61 comments) on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 11:27:26 PM

Armybrat, former Republican, now Democrat, but still old school conservative.
Judy SwindlerArmybrat, former Republican, now Democrat, but still old school conservative.

Oh My God

That's all I could keep thinking over and over as I read your article, just 'oh my God.' Not because of the white mansion that was so big they must have confused it with the Whitehouse flashed on McCain's big screen and made me wonder if the large brown building that was also shown at one point during the speech was a school as I heard on tv.

Not because McCain got flustered but because Republicans shouted USA USA USA almost as on cue to switch the focus as they hauled an American veteran out of the Republican convention for simply holding up a sign.

Not because Cindy McCain was sitting there the whole time smiling while the mansion was flashed and the veteran trashed - in her $313,000.00 outfit, including bling knowing how badly her husband sh*ts on our veterans slashing funds left and right, working to deny those who have 'non'combat' related injuries that could be life long, even the 15% of military women raped or traumatized during war. I've had no use for John McCain for years and none whatsoever for Cindy now.

All I could think was Adam as a young kid in the hell of Fallujah, wondering if he got WP poisoning or other health problems from his ordeal.. that and 'oh my God'. How hard it must have been for this young man hearing the shouts of USA USA USA drowning out the very damn 'freedom' we told Adam he was fighting for in Iraq.

Did the crowd know he was an veteran? I don't know, but they knew he was an American.

Adam went through what may end up being the roughest part of the entire Iraq war for our troops. If you guys talk with him, please give him a Welcome Home from me, tell him God Bless and thank him for taking this stand.

I'll make sure your story gets around. People need to see this.

by Judy Swindler (19 articles, 1 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 79 comments) on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 8:43:33 PM

A United States Marine Corps Viet Nam Era Veteran trying to do what I can and expecting Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Judicial Branch, to do what they can to keep the nation strong and free by remaining true to the Constitution first of all.
Gene CappaA United States Marine Corps Viet Nam Era Veteran trying to do what I can and expecting Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Judicial Branch, to do what they can to keep the nation strong and free by remaining true to the Constitution first of all.

Bravo Cpl Adam Kokesh USMC

Adam presented a clear truthful message at the RNC, "McCain Votes Against Vets" and "You Can't Win An Occupation". Adam's message to the mainstream media, the American people, and John McCain, in particular, grinning and having a great time, is NOW ON THE RECORD FOR POSTERITY. McCain is basing his campaign on pure fantasy and waving the American flag to rally his cool aid drinkers, most of whom are proud chicken hawks who would never dream of putting on a uniform and serving their country themselves, especially in battle. McCain proudly rallies around the American flag, country first, a reform agenda, stand for integrity, support the troops, but his campaign is based of pure fantasy. McCain sitting idly by on the Senate Armed Services Committe let the troops go into Iraq to get slaughtered by IEDs and sniper fire without the proper body and vehicle armor and without holding Bush accountable, Impeachment Article IX Failing to Provide Troops with Body Armour and Vehicle Armor CLICK HERE http://kucinich.us/impeachment/articles.pdf McCain votes against increasing veterans benefits and extended veterans care. He supports Bush's signing statements even on torture. He supports the war in Iraq even though the war itself is based on deliberate lies and false pretenses put forward by Bush, Impeachment Article I, Creating a False Propoganda Campaign to Manufacture a False Case for War Against Iraq CLICK HERE again http://kucinich.us/impeachment/articles.pdf McCain is so proud of Bush, even though Bush launched an illegal aggressive war against Iraq in gross violation of the United Nations Charter and even House Joint Resolution 114, The Authorization to Use Military Force, Impeachment Article VI Invading Iraq in Violation of the Requirements of HJRes.114 CLICK HERE http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2008/06/kucinich_impeac.php and HERE http://www.impeachbush.tv/args/noiraqauthority.html Every word McCain utters is a likely a falsehood, but his cool aid is satisfying the blood thirst of this new republican nazi party for the 21st century. McCain picks Republican Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska for his Vice President nominee, a compelling, attractive woman and mother, no doubt about that, but instead of the crucial issues, McCain's campaign is now highlighting hockey moms, snow mobiling, pro life and anti-gay issues, but the fact that Palin supports and belongs to the Alaska Independence Party advocating sesssession from the Union, and using her official Governor's office to fire a state official for not firing an Alaskan State Trooper who divorced her sister, will not be mentioned. McCain's campagin is based on pure fantasy, no doubt about it, but for the rabbitly ill republican nazi faithful, in full bloom at their convention, cool aid is still their favorite so they'll keep on pour'in.

by Gene Cappa (35 articles, 0 quicklinks, 58 diaries, 258 comments) on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 10:02:00 PM

Just want to comment now and then.
spinnikercaJust want to comment now and then.

Falujah Veteran is Attacked by McCain Republicans at Speech

Um, that mansion is Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, where my kids go and in fact the principle had to put a statement up at the school web page asking media to leave the school alone because they had nothing to do with it and didn't know why it was behind McCain.

As a Ron Paul supporter who was watching his rally, rather than the RNC, where this vet was a speaker, I note that some in McCain's audiance were grinning appreciatively at the sign. McCain isn't popular. He had to go with Palin because he had absolutely no attraction for his base, and she does. It remains to be seen how that will play out.

Ron Paul 2008 or as close as I can vote and have it counted.

by spinnikerca (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 6 comments) on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 2:40:47 PM