Republican presidential candidate John
McCain on Monday took exception to the comments of retired general Wesley
Clark, who suggested that McCain's long record of military service did not
qualify him to be president.
McCain, regarded as a war hero after being held captive and tortured for
five years in Vietnam, called the remarks "unnecessary" and suggested
it was part of a wider strategy by supporters of Democratic presidential rival
Barack Obama, who quickly distanced himself from Clark.
"I'm proud of my record of service, and I have plenty of friends and
leaders who will attest to that," McCain told reporters at a stop in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
McCain's campaign also slammed Clark's critique in a conference call Monday
morning and declared the creation of a "truth squad" to fend off
attacks on the Arizona senator's military record.
"If that's the kind of campaign that Senator Obama and his surrogates and
his supporters want to wage, I understand that, but it doesn't reduce the price
of a gallon of gas by one penny," McCain said.
Clark, a former NATO commander who ran for the Democratic presidential
nomination in 2004, said McCain "hasn't held executive
responsibility" and never had to make tough national security decisions
during his time as a fighter pilot and squadron commander in the US Navy.
"He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall," Clark told US
broadcaster CBS on Sunday.
"I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down (in
Vietnam) is a qualification to be president," said Clark, who has been
mentioned as a possible running mate for Obama.
Obama, in his own broad speech on patriotism on Monday, said the country needed
"no further proof" of McCain's sacrifices for the United States.
"No one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a
political campaign, and that goes for supporters on both sides," Obama
said.
Campaign spokesman Bill Burton in a statement said Obama
"rejects" Clark's remarks and honours McCain's military service to
the country, dpa reported.