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Steinem on McCain's Vietnam Years: So What?

Posted Mar 4, 08 5:41 AM CST in Politics 

(Newser) – Uber feminist Gloria Steinem downplayed John McCain's experience as a Vietnam POW in a stump speech for Hillary Clinton, and said Americans have behaved since George Washington "as if killing people is a qualification for ruling people," reports the New York Observer. Speaking of McCain's years as a POW, Steinem told a Texas audience: "I mean, hello? This is supposed to be a qualification to be president? I don’t think so."

Had a woman been imprisoned during war, the media would have asked, "What did you do wrong to get captured?" she added. The Clinton campaign issued a statement distancing itself from Steinem's weekend remarks and praising McCain's service to his country. Steinem didn't criticize Barack Obama, but told the Observer that she believed he had benefited from people viewing racism as a more serious issue than sexism.

Source New York Observer

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Gloria Steinem attends the world premiere of "The Machinist" in New York in this file photo.   (KRT Photos)
Gloria Steinem, left, is shown with Margaret Sloan in 1973 at a rap session at a co-ed dorm at Webster College, now Webster University.   (KRT Photos)
Lt. Commander John S. McCain III, a POW for over five years, waves to well wishers March 18, 1973, after arriving at Jacksonville Naval Air Station in Florida. Of his more than five years in confinement,...   (Associated Press)
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., tells his son Jack about his time as a Vietnam war P.O.W. as they look into a prison cell at the Hoa Lo prison, nicknamed "The Hanoi Hilton" by American prisoners, during a...   (Associated Press)
Republican presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,left, shakes hands with Roland Day, state commander of the Alabama Veterans of Foreign Wars, during a campaign stop in this Friday June...   (Associated Press)
As Republican Presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, talks about his days as a POW, his wife, Cindy, glances at Roberto Perez, who was a Cuban political prisoner, Monday, Jan. 21, 2008,...   (Associated Press)
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Hillary Clinton  • John McCain  • Vietnam War  • feminism  • POW  • Gloria Steinem


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