In the 2000 Republican primaries a whisper campaign was underway against John McCain. It was later attributed to Karl Rove.

The 2004 presidential campaign was then inundated with questions over John Kerry's war record.

Fast forward to 2008 and we get this.

A person joins the military for a variety of reasons. Some do truly believe in serving their country and that is a primary reason why they enlist. Others, like myself, need to earn a living and pay for college.

No matter the reasons a person chooses to become a part of the military, the very idea of it has always been widely regarded with great respect...as they should be. To enlist a person has to be willing to lay their life down for the United States. Aside from dying while serving, it comes in pretty high on the list for what is considered patriotic.

John McCain was tortured and used as a propaganda tool. Despite all of that, he chose to stay imprisoned with his fellow countrymen until they could all be released together. That should be considered a heroic act and should be revered as nobility under duress. This is not something everyone can do. I think it's safe to say the majority of us would have leaped at the first opportunity after undergoing so much suffering.

None of this makes him qualified to be president and neither does anything else. What does prepare anyone for a job like that? Well, nothing. It's probably one of the few jobs that can't have set qualifications such as military experience. You learn by doing which has been the case for every person that has filled the position.

This opinion is not about qualifications or experience. It's about military service and it's about politics. It's about what is acceptable and unacceptable.

Anyone with the intention of running for president has to have a certain amount of ego and courage. They have to be willing to contend with a harsh media. Now, it's doubled because they are also dealing with an internet population with unforgiving attitudes who are like-minded and tend to congregate with some of the more outrageous types hoping for their fifteen minutes of internet fame.

Because of this we now see an attitude of 'nothing is off limites because it's politics' type of attitude. Wives, children, friends, old associations from childhood, music, food, relatives...no matter how far removed...are all targets. The latest is military service.

John Kerry was accused of fabricating the reasons for getting his medals...that his wounds were not deserving of a purple heart. The Republicans who claim to love the military more devalued his wounds and his service. They didn't realize that doing so undervalues every other soldier who was wounded while serving.

It's no diffrent with John McCain. He was not the only POW who was tortured beyond our comprehension. There were others. Should we say they were collaborators as well?

Of course not...because it's not true. It wasn't true with John Kerry and it's not true with John McCain. To distort, devalue or to lie about someone's military service is wrong.

Worse yet...to take something so horrific such as being forced to kill during wartime or being tortured and using it against them is morally repugnant. We're passing judgment on events that took place decards ago and that we did not witness.

To use this kind of attacks to justify a motive for not wanting someone as president signifies a weakness on the part of the attacker. They don't have it within them to use legitimate attacks such as the war or the economy. They are so desperate to tear them down that they will use anything.

If a person is willing to use military service as a weapon...at what point do they say 'it's too far'. Spouse, children, religion?

Not only do these attacks demean the military and ALL those who serve and have served...it also demeans us as a nation. The exchange of ideas is demeaned and it worsens the atmosphere for political discussion.

This is what hurts our country.