Newly discovered video: McCain handed over to U.S. military in Hanoi
posted at 11:30 am on September 11, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Buried in a Swedish TV station’s vault for 35 years, now part of the historical record thanks to a quick-thinking researcher. One thing confuses me, though: What’s with the limp? Air America tells us McCain was “well treated” during his time in the cage thanks to all those propaganda videos he made for the other side. Maybe he stubbed his toe coming down the stairs of the bus? Click the image to watch.
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Why aren’t they wearing spa robes and slippers like you get at
nice hotelsClub Gitmo?garry on September 11, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Separate the political from the historical you idiot. I guess you are someone who can not understand that a hero can be a severely flawed person as well. Please go back to lewrockwell.com or prisonplanet.com, thanks!
Dawnsblood on September 11, 2008 at 12:43 PM
from the article:
You can watch Amazon for this:
Folket som segrade: 157 bilder fran Vietnam 1968-75 (Unknown Binding)
by Erik Eriksson (Author)
Out of Print–Limited Availability.
I think if you check Amazon for other Vietnam / POW books & Video documentaries, you might find similar works, if not that exact video. Best of luck.
wise_man on September 11, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Very true!
upinak on September 11, 2008 at 12:46 PM
I question the timing. I also have a total explanation for the supposed limp: He knows he’ll be trying to steal power a few decades later (dont you know that Mav and the Bush crime family carefully plotted out everything from Vietnam to 9/11??) and has to appear hurt to gain sympathy from the Reich wing Rethuglican sheeple in extra-chromosome country.
Regards,
Rachel, Olby, Kos, Arianna, Josh, and Sully
Mike D. on September 11, 2008 at 12:46 PM
March 14, 1973 – John McCain is liberated from a communist POW camp after 5 years of brutality and torture
March 14, 1973 – Barry Obama hangs out with Frank Marshall Davis, and receives instruction in being a good communist
indythinker on September 11, 2008 at 12:51 PM
I was going to capture it on my cell phone, but now I can’t play it…I hope they didn’t take it down.
JustTruth101 on September 11, 2008 at 12:52 PM
“He knows he’ll be trying to steal power a few decades later “
Yes. And they loved to bring up the fact that W Bush wasn’t born in Texas, so he was a poser. And he moved there with his family I think when he was 5 or 8 years old. And he lived there his whole life. Sneaky bastard, that W Bush, planning his cunning deception to run for president as a fake texan at such a young age like that, convincing his parents to go along with him to work up the ‘i’m a texan,’ alibi.
wise_man on September 11, 2008 at 12:53 PM
I bet his hair turned all gray like that for no reason, also.
Seixon on September 11, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Wow. They all look dry. Shouldn’t they be wet from all the waterboarding? /sarc.
Seriously — very humbling. All honor and respect to them.
wytammic on September 11, 2008 at 1:03 PM
And not a single woman’s underwear on their heads, either.
See? Randi Rhodes is correct! Well treated!!/s
wise_man on September 11, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Note how McCain comes off the bus, with a limp. Then when he walks forward to salute the American officer, he strides evenly. Then as he walks away, the limp returns.
How much pain did he have to endure to take those three steps without a limp? To salute his Officer as a Naval Officer should? This man has honor imprinted on his bones.
gridlock2 on September 11, 2008 at 1:09 PM
Obviously McCain has been putting on an act that would make Vincent “the chin” Gigante look like a summer stock novice.
I give it 24 hours before some bright bulb notes that McCain was able to render a proper salute by raising his arms.
moxie_neanderthal on September 11, 2008 at 1:19 PM
Could be shock and disbelief.
“Is this really happening?”
Yakko77 on September 11, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Well, I couldn’t open the video for some reason. I respect McCain’s service to our country and this video is even more poignant on the anniversary of 9/11 when evil slapped us in the face once more.
It is people like McCain that truly embody what it means to love America.
BTW, is Ed having a show today? Work was cancelled because of Ike, so I’m home.
pullingmyhairout on September 11, 2008 at 1:27 PM
Damn, he was a good looking fellow back then.
pseudonominus on September 11, 2008 at 1:28 PM
I’m assuming you’re in the path of the storm then. Good luck to you.
Yakko77 on September 11, 2008 at 1:31 PM
like a non-moonbat Richard Gere….
sven10077 on September 11, 2008 at 1:33 PM
RCP electoral shift…..Bambi is down to +1….
sven10077 on September 11, 2008 at 1:34 PM
The limp has been photoshopped in, frame by frame.
Wade on September 11, 2008 at 1:39 PM
The storm has moved a bit north, but we’re not out of the woods. The swath of hurricane and tropical storm winds is quite large, so we expect some pretty high winds tomorrow night. Fortunately, we are on the dry side. Not so good for the family in Houston, however.
pullingmyhairout on September 11, 2008 at 1:39 PM
No as noted, he just forgot he was going to run for President 30 years later and he needed that limp. It was just a mental lapse…
right2bright on September 11, 2008 at 1:45 PM
The video dialogue questions why McCain’s limp worsened from initial release to when he met Nixon. Two obvious rationales would be that the VietCong medicated the injury to temporarily mask pain and lubricate the joint tissues; and also, once stateside, McCain underwent therapeutic treatments, surgical perhaps, during which time he met Nixon.
Google Translates (literal):
Reportern Erik Eriksson bevakade mellan 1968 och 1979 Vietnamkriget för bland annat SVT:s räkning. Nu har han skrivit boken “Jag såg kärleken och döden” om sina år i Vietnam. Upptäckte film Det var under arbetet med boken och den medföljande DVD-filmen i somras som Erik Eriksson upptäckte att det i hans stora mängd filmmaterial fanns bilder av en ung John McCain. Bilderna visar hur de första amerikanska krigsfångarna frigavs 1973. Bland fångarna finns John McCain, som var stridspilot. McCain träffar Nixon, Foto: AP McCain träffar Nixon McCains kampanj i USA har gjort ett stort nummer av att John McCain är en krigshjälte som skadades och torterades när han satt i fångenskap under Vietnamkriget. Haltade lätt När hans krigshistoria porträtteras i amerikansk tv visas ofta bilder på hur McCain träffar president Nixon efter att ha opererats för sina skador, skador som förblev obehandlade under hans fångenskap. Erik Erikssons bilder från frigivandet visar en McCain som haltar lite lätt när han hälsar på en amerikansk officer inför avfärden från Hanois flygplats.
Reporter Erik Eriksson watched between 1968 and 1979 for the Vietnam War including SVT’s behalf. Now, he has written the book “I saw love and death” for his years in Vietnam.
The discovery film
It was during work on the book and the accompanying DVD movie this summer that Erik Eriksson discovered that in his large quantity of film, there were pictures of a young John McCain.
The pictures show how the first American krigsfångarna released in 1973. Among the prisoners is John McCain, who was stridspilot.
McCain hits Nixon, Photo: AP
McCain hits Nixon McCains campaign in the United States has made a large number of that John McCain is a krigshjälte who were injured and tortured when he was in captivity during the Vietnam War.
Halter easily
When his krigshistoria portrayed in American television often displayed pictures of how McCain to meet President Nixon after having surgery for his injuries, damage remained untreated during his captivity.
Erik Eriksson’s images from the release shows a McCain lame little light when he visits a U.S. officer before his departure from the Hanois airport.
maverick muse on September 11, 2008 at 1:47 PM
gridlock2 on September 11, 2008 at 1:09 PM
Don’t play stupid.
Honor and decorum, regardless of pain, on ceremony.
maverick muse on September 11, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Amusing headline from yahoo dot com right now:
Film reportedly shows McCain’s release from Vietnamese prison
“It’s our material. So we can confirm its authenticity,” Yng said. He could not confirm the date and location of the film, but he said he had no reason to doubt Eriksson’s information.
wise_man on September 11, 2008 at 1:51 PM
He was beaten and his arms and leg ‘treated’ while a POW. His leg was locked straight, he couldn’t bend his knee. When he was re-treated back in America, they had to go in and properly treat his wounds to he would heal as best he could. He used crutches when he meet Nixon after being opened up again and was recovering.
When he was first shot down and had a broken arm & leg, and then bayoneted, he was sent to jail first, and then two days later, was treated. It’s in the CNN clip on youtube.
wise_man on September 11, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Great clip, and great that it came out today, 9/11.
reshas1 on September 11, 2008 at 1:57 PM
Like I wrote before, I don’t think he managed the “proper” salute. His elbow never makes it above his shoulder.
Seriously, with all the damage he took, I expect he has been living his life sense then in pain. You know, that “daily pain” people sue over? Yet he does not mention it.
Not exactly a whiner, is he?
Count to 10 on September 11, 2008 at 1:57 PM
Top of my queue.
thomashton on September 11, 2008 at 2:01 PM
I’ve walked through one of the C-141s used to transport the POWs–it could’ve been that one in the video clip. The plane was called “Hanoi Taxi”, and the USAF used to fly it around the country to airshows. It’s outfitted just like it was back then, and it contains exhibits on the POW evacuation flights.
It’s on static display now, I think at Wright-Pat? It was a very moving experience to get to tour that airplane.
juliesa on September 11, 2008 at 2:04 PM
I just ordered that DVD from amazon. Thanks for the tip.
juliesa on September 11, 2008 at 2:06 PM
Oh, I hope the LLL go on this track. I dare ‘em. Let’s get this all out in the open, maybe get a couple of ads out of the froth. I want to hear the explanations one more time of what they did to him, and how he’s still affected today.
I’ve been so affected by this clip and his story at the convention. This all happened when I was too young to know what was going on. People my age *need* to see and hear this. No, he doesn’t always vote the way I like, but I have such profound respect for him as a man. He doesn’t have to assure anyone with words that he serves his country.
hoosiermama on September 11, 2008 at 2:07 PM
Very moving video. John McCain, and all the
brave men and women of our military, have
my deepest respect and thanks.
Mulligan on September 11, 2008 at 2:21 PM
goosebumps.
ctmom on September 11, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Keep hitting the Buzz button to get this video passed around.
AubieJon on September 11, 2008 at 2:38 PM
Those bastids! They obviously didn’t even give him PH-balanced shampoo!
/sarc
max1 on September 11, 2008 at 2:46 PM
he should have warn a turbin like Barry Hussein was at this time of his life….
SDarchitect on September 11, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Anna, same with me, this summer my husband starting calling me blondie.
When I was 13, we were stationed at Holloman AFB in New Mexico. My mom had just married my stepfather who was serving with the Black Sheep Squadron of F-4’s in Vietnam. All of the people wore those MIA and POW bracelets. I wore one for a friend’s father who had been a POW for seven years. One day she told me that he was coming home.
The entire base turned out to the flightline for the homecoming. I will never forget that day or the sight of her dad coming off that plane. He was thin and obviously weak but carried himself with customary military pride.
The family left the base shortly after that and as most times happened I lost touch with my friend.
Watching Sen. McCain and the others there, I am reminded of that day. God Bless our military and their families. We can never repay the great debt we owe them.
Jvette on September 11, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Breaks my heart.
surrounded on September 11, 2008 at 3:02 PM
Good thing the NVA didn’t waterboard him for 15 seconds.
Otherwise, they’d be torturers or something…..
Techie on September 11, 2008 at 3:27 PM
That was almost the same meme on Kerry spouted on conserv blogs a few years ago.
I guess you missed this comment posted earlier on this thread.
alflauren on September 11, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Don’t fret none. Most here don’t read or comprehend previous comments.
Chimpy on September 11, 2008 at 3:27 PM
If this is widely released, then I expect O!bama’s reaction to be:
” Um, eh, uh, well, as a young man, I considered becoming a POW at one time too.”
PC14 on September 11, 2008 at 3:31 PM
Interesting, if you go to Comcast.net and look at their news, their entry about this has a question mark at the end of it. “Film Shows McCain’s Vietnam Release?”. Why the question mark?
Zaggs on September 11, 2008 at 3:32 PM
Not to mention, the bewildered look of waiting for it to be all a dream. You can tell by not just Mccain, but a few of the other men in the film… they have a blank yet apprehensive look as if this is either a figment of their imagination or they are waiting to get jumped.
My Hats are off to them all. God Bless them!
upinak on September 11, 2008 at 11:54 AM
You’ve hit it, upinak. My late dad, in the Air Force at the time, said that they didn’t believe they were being freed. Expected the plane to be shot down at take-off, etc. As soon as the planes would take off they would tell the POW’s they were now back in the US (or something akin to that)and they’d just go crazy, cheering, clapping, crying, etc. I still tear up thinking about it. And they’d drink beer all the way home!! God Bless them, indeed.
thebookkeeper on September 11, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Others have commented on the POWs stoicism in this film–the POWs were ordered by their senior officers in charge not to show any emotion to the NV on their way out. That was for later, when the plane left NV airspace.
juliesa on September 11, 2008 at 3:50 PM
Since McCain can walk, salute, and carry a bag Randi Rhodes is obviously correct in her point that McCain was well-treated by the VC
/sarc
cyclown on September 11, 2008 at 4:11 PM
I wish my dad could see it too, but he died many years ago. I, too, did a memorial for my father, the veteran of three wars. I agree that the still picture of McCain is very striking and quote poignant. God bless him.
Glynn on September 11, 2008 at 4:13 PM
I imagine McCain is always in some pain. My Dad was in a bad work accident on an oil rig when he was a young man. He had lots of broken bones and it took a long long time for him to heal. There were days when his limp was worse than others. There were days when it was harder for him to lift his arms above his head, that sort of thing.
I hope several people see this. Not just for McCain, but for all those old soldiers.
Terrye on September 11, 2008 at 4:13 PM
That made me cry.
Glynn on September 11, 2008 at 4:16 PM
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Glynn on September 11, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Moxi:
I had a client who had survived 3 and a half years in a Japanese POW camp in the Philippines. He had a scar on his back as big as the palm of my hand. He said is was made by a 60 caliber weapon. I wondered how he survive with a wound like that. He still has malaria. He weighed about 70lbs when liberated. He was a tough old bird.
Terrye on September 11, 2008 at 4:19 PM
McCain is a babe.
bridgetown on September 11, 2008 at 5:12 PM
It’s saddening to even think about what those guys went through as prisoners, and the lefties are all broken up over those people at abu gharib having to wear panties on their head. What permanent damage would they display if they were to walk out and salute. limps? very thin?
Redteam on September 11, 2008 at 5:42 PM
This was spun on Swedish TV thus: McCain doesn’t look as beaten and broken down as he claimed to have been, so this video proves his “war hero” story is basically a lie, which will hurt his chances of winning.
We report, you decide.
Halley on September 11, 2008 at 6:02 PM
Then torches up a few bowls with the Chumba crew, does a little blow and fills out his racial preference paper work.
Alden Pyle on September 11, 2008 at 8:59 PM
Yes. Thank you so much for your valuable input. Do you feel all big and tough now? Well, that’s good….
And to the poster who linked the flash file – THANK YOU – that was really nice of you!
KMC1 on September 11, 2008 at 11:50 PM
Better men than me.
McCain/Palin ‘08
ex-Democrat on September 12, 2008 at 8:06 AM
If you recall pictures of McCain, once in American custody, you see him in the hospital with an upper body cast including his right arm. He had suffered multiple fractures that had not been treated properly, were reinjured by captors and required corrective surgery. The surgery probably realigned his arm and shoulder fractures. The surgery may have corrected the most important functional use of his arm and hand and yet left the shoulder joint in less than optimal condition. Age changes accelerate after injury and or surgery. Physical therapy techniques have improved greatly over the years and now we treat the post surgical time with more emphasis on regaining normal range of motion and education of the need for life long exercise aimed to maintain full range of motion.
Pat in NC on September 12, 2008 at 10:06 AM
Actually, the film of McCain in the body cast was taken in a hospital in Hanoi. They has just slapped a body cast on him without setting his broken arm and shoulder properly. The cast had no padding and eventually wore holes in his arm down to the bone.
McCain looks relatively good in that in that video, because he had been shot down only a few days before. However, after two months in the hospital, McCain was down to 100 lbs, and was completely covered in filth. He couldn’t feed or care for himself with two broken arms, and the NV barely fed him enough to keep alive. For example, they wouldn’t give enough time to chew his food before shoving more food in, and the food wound up all over his face. They did not clean him or shave him the entire time. Finally, he was taken from the hospital and dumped in a cell with two other POWs to die.
The other POWs were sure he was about to die. It took them days to clean off the encrusted filth, and eventually they were able to get enough food and fluids into him to save his life.
After five years of captivity, the shoulder had grown itself a new socket, and there was nothing the American doctors could do at that late stage to fix the old arm and shoulder injuries, so they didn’t do any surgery.
They did do surgery on his knee, and that’s why you see McCain on crutches in later pictures.
juliesa on September 12, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Look at his teeth.
Easier to see on a large flatscreen HD, but there’s a moment then his mouth parts…..his teeth are completely messed up. It looks like some are just broken off.
aquaviva on September 12, 2008 at 11:21 AM
The grandson of Slew McCain looks a little like the First Marines finally leaving Guadalcanal after four months of constant battle in which they had won because Slew McCain was the maverick Admiral who single handedly forced Ghormley to stop pulling out and instead flew in the ammo , wildcats and SBD’s to fight back until even Knox in DC saw that we could win there.That was the first McCain lead Surge to VICTORY. Do not underestimate courage in leadership; e.g. SARAH P. whom McCain understood quickly but the Elite News cannot fathom.
jimw on September 12, 2008 at 11:44 AM
It’s really hard to imagine a human being living through all that.
Everything the ACLU has ever complained about the terrorists treatments, or the human rights organization that claimed that the US was the gulag of our time ….. makes me have even less sympathy for them. Knowing what real torture, real pain and real mistreatment of prisoners looks like.
wise_man on September 12, 2008 at 12:05 PM
I was born in 1963 and I do remember television reports of POWs coming home. Barely, but I do. It has never resonated with me more than now.
And I echo others when talking about injuries. 3 really bad car accidents over 20 years ago have left me with a neck that is a whisper away from paralyzing me and a hip joint that can’t be unfrozen, leaving me with a limp. I understand what it took McCain to walk those steps to salute his Officer without limping – the pain would have been excrutiating.
His story has always been remarkable – but that video gives new focus on just what it took for those men to endure being a POW.
Wow – I am completely humbled, to my knees.
McCain*Palin 2008
KrisinNE on September 12, 2008 at 12:36 PM
They were.
BillH on September 14, 2008 at 1:02 AM
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