Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
CNN
September 4, 2008
The Situation Room (CNN), 5:00 PM
WOLF BLITZER: John McCain and Sarah Palin have one thing in common with Democratic rival Joe Biden. They all have children who are likely to soon end up serving with the U.S. military in Iraq. Can these VIP warriors expect any special treatment?
Let’s go to our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre. He’s looking into this story for us. Jamie, what are you finding out?
JAMIE MCINTYRE: You know, Wolf, the whole thing conjures up this almost comical image of a soldier in battle with a bunch of Men in Black, Secret Service agents whispering into their sleeves, trying to protect them. But the Army says it’s nothing like that. No matter whether these are the sons and daughters of the highest officials of the United States, they’re treated the same as any other soldier.
SARAH PALIN [Vice Presidential Candidate]: I’m just one of many moms who will say an extra prayer each night for our sons and daughters going into harm’s way.
MCINTYRE: Army officials tell CNN that an extra prayer is about the only extra 19-year-old Track Palin can expect as the son of the Republicans’ VP nominee. For security reasons, the Army won’t say exactly when his Alaska National Guard unit deploys to Iraq, but mom is pretty sure it’s next week.
PALIN: And one week from tomorrow, Sept. 11th, he’ll deploy to Iraq with the Army infantry in the service of his country.
MCINTYRE: Under law, the Secret Service is not required to protect the children of presidential and vice presidential candidates, but it does when they are young. But when VIPs volunteer for the U.S. military, they are just like any other GI, says the Pentagon. Take John McCain’s Marine sons, 19-year-old Jimmy just back from Iraq, or 21-year-old Jack, who could go next. Sen. McCain makes a point of not talking about them. And his campaign makes a point that McCain never took special treatment when the Vietcong offered to release him early because his father was a four-star admiral.
In contrast, when Britain’s Prince Harry was dispatched to Afghanistan, the international news media were sworn to secrecy. The argument being that as third in line for the throne, he’d have a bull’s-eye on his back.
PRINCE HARRY: I need to keep my face slightly covered just on the off chance I do get recognized, which will put other guys in danger. I’m called the bullet magnet.
MCINTYRE: Once the news leaked, Harry was called home.
Should the Democrats win, they will also be a VP’s son in the war zone. Delaware Attorney Gen. Beau Biden, son of Joe Biden, will spend a year in Iraq with his Guard unit. But it sounds like won’t he be on the frontlines.
NATHAN BRIGHT [Delaware National Guard]: Capt. Biden is part of an administrative staff that’s going to go with them and he’ll be acting as a trial lawyer.
MCINTYRE: Wolf, the reality is if your father is the president or vice president, along with some teasing, people are going to be looking out for you. No commander wants to be the one that calls the commander-in-chief to give him the worst news a parent can get. And if it turns out that the commander believes that a celebrity soldier in the ranks is posing a danger to others, what you’re likely to see is a very quiet reassignment. Wolf?
BLITZER: All right. Thanks very much, Jamie McIntyre. Interesting information for all us to ponder.
September 4, 2008
The Situation Room (CNN), 5:00 PM
WOLF BLITZER: John McCain and Sarah Palin have one thing in common with Democratic rival Joe Biden. They all have children who are likely to soon end up serving with the U.S. military in Iraq. Can these VIP warriors expect any special treatment?
Let’s go to our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre. He’s looking into this story for us. Jamie, what are you finding out?
JAMIE MCINTYRE: You know, Wolf, the whole thing conjures up this almost comical image of a soldier in battle with a bunch of Men in Black, Secret Service agents whispering into their sleeves, trying to protect them. But the Army says it’s nothing like that. No matter whether these are the sons and daughters of the highest officials of the United States, they’re treated the same as any other soldier.
SARAH PALIN [Vice Presidential Candidate]: I’m just one of many moms who will say an extra prayer each night for our sons and daughters going into harm’s way.
MCINTYRE: Army officials tell CNN that an extra prayer is about the only extra 19-year-old Track Palin can expect as the son of the Republicans’ VP nominee. For security reasons, the Army won’t say exactly when his Alaska National Guard unit deploys to Iraq, but mom is pretty sure it’s next week.
PALIN: And one week from tomorrow, Sept. 11th, he’ll deploy to Iraq with the Army infantry in the service of his country.
MCINTYRE: Under law, the Secret Service is not required to protect the children of presidential and vice presidential candidates, but it does when they are young. But when VIPs volunteer for the U.S. military, they are just like any other GI, says the Pentagon. Take John McCain’s Marine sons, 19-year-old Jimmy just back from Iraq, or 21-year-old Jack, who could go next. Sen. McCain makes a point of not talking about them. And his campaign makes a point that McCain never took special treatment when the Vietcong offered to release him early because his father was a four-star admiral.
In contrast, when Britain’s Prince Harry was dispatched to Afghanistan, the international news media were sworn to secrecy. The argument being that as third in line for the throne, he’d have a bull’s-eye on his back.
PRINCE HARRY: I need to keep my face slightly covered just on the off chance I do get recognized, which will put other guys in danger. I’m called the bullet magnet.
MCINTYRE: Once the news leaked, Harry was called home.
Should the Democrats win, they will also be a VP’s son in the war zone. Delaware Attorney Gen. Beau Biden, son of Joe Biden, will spend a year in Iraq with his Guard unit. But it sounds like won’t he be on the frontlines.
NATHAN BRIGHT [Delaware National Guard]: Capt. Biden is part of an administrative staff that’s going to go with them and he’ll be acting as a trial lawyer.
MCINTYRE: Wolf, the reality is if your father is the president or vice president, along with some teasing, people are going to be looking out for you. No commander wants to be the one that calls the commander-in-chief to give him the worst news a parent can get. And if it turns out that the commander believes that a celebrity soldier in the ranks is posing a danger to others, what you’re likely to see is a very quiet reassignment. Wolf?
BLITZER: All right. Thanks very much, Jamie McIntyre. Interesting information for all us to ponder.