I wrote a diary yesterday about Sarah Palin's 'loose lips' re: her son's deployment. Perhaps I should have waited a couple of hours.
Last night, the McCain-Palin campaign demonstrated, through primetime RNC speaker Fred Thompson, that Palin's initial disclosure about her son's deployment date wasn't an accident. Rather, it confirmed my worst suspicions -- that Palin was using her son's deployment as a political prop.
Thompson stated in his speech,
"As I speak, John and Cindy McCain have one son who's just finished his first tour in Iraq and another son going back for his second one on Christmas Day, I understand."
Of course, there's no way that Thompson or McCain or ANYONE would know exactly when McCain's son will deploy. Dates are approximate up to about a week prior to deployment. This claim is certainly false.
However, by announcing specific deployment dates (true or not), the McCain-Palin campaign exposes a cynical willingness to exploit our troops -- including their own children -- by politicizing their service.
Is it not enough that their children are going to serve our country in a combat zone?
Does the fact that they are deploying not attest to their patriotism and sacrifice already?
Why is it necessary to state specific dates -- particularly emotion-laden dates like 9/11 and Christmas Day? (My husband didn't deploy on a holiday or anniversary of a tragedy. Does that make his service less patriotic? It certainly hasn't made it any easier.)
It is becoming increasingly apparent that McCain and Palin view their respective sons' service and upcoming deployments as an opportunity to score bonus political points for their campaign.
UPDATE: SHE JUST SAID IT AGAIN! In her nomination speech, she just said that her son will deploy on September 11th! Jon Soltz already refuted that talking point here.
Maybe I'm wrong . . . maybe this isn't a lie, a blatant ploy for voter sympathy. Maybe Palin really is violating OPSEC. As the wife of a deployed soldier, I certainly hope that isn't the case.