McCain can't be sure veterans will fall in behind him
At a major Las Vegas convention, some veterans express concern about his positions on veterans' benefits.
LAS VEGAS — No one was surprised when both presidential candidates appealed for votes Saturday at the annual convention of the nation's largest organization of disabled military veterans.
But Fred Bristol, who has attended the Disabled American Veterans convention for the last 55 years, marveled at his fellow veterans' reaction to Sens. Barack Obama, who sent a video, and John McCain, who addressed the group in person.
"I think there's an unusual split in the group we haven't seen in the past," said Bristol, 81, of Sarasota, Fla. "I'm hearing that from a lot of friends."
McCain has built his political career on his Navy service, including 5 1/2 years as a POW in Vietnam, and he remains immensely popular with many veterans groups. But the Arizona Republican's appearance here suggested limits to that appeal.
The 1.4-million-member group said that in 2006, he voted for only one of the five spending bills the group considered most important -- 20%.
"It's a pretty low score," said David Autry, spokesman for the congressionally chartered nonprofit group. The group rated Obama (D-Ill.) at 80%.
The bill McCain supported, which passed the Senate unanimously, increased funding for veterans' health benefits and got rid of enrollment fees and higher pharmacy co-payments.
The four he opposed would have increased funding for veterans' services and benefits. In each case, aides said, he objected to earmarks: amendments that members often attach for pet projects in their home districts, including those involving the Veterans Affairs Department. Opposition to earmarks is a signature issue for McCain.
McCain used his remarks here Saturday to try to reassure the 4,000 or so people at the convention.
"Exactly because funding VA programs commands bipartisan support, some in the Congress like to attach unrelated pork barrel appropriations and earmarks to VA bills," he said. "The result is to mix vital national priorities with wasteful and often worthless political pork."
McCain also discussed his plan to issue sick or disabled vets a special access card so they could use private healthcare providers outside the VA system. Some veterans and the Obama campaign oppose the plan.
"Let me make very clear: This card is not intended to either replace the VA or privatize veterans' healthcare, as some have wrongly charged," he said.
