Poking the bear

It appears that a nerve has been touched. ABC News reporter David Wright is on McCain's campaign plane today and reports the following,

McCain became visibly angry when I asked him to explain how his Vietnam experience prepared him for the Presidency.

"Please," he said, recoiling back in his seat in distaste at the very question.

McCain allies Sen. Lindsey Graham stepped in to rescue him. Graham expressed admiration for McCain’s stance on the treatment of detainees in US custody.

"That to me is a classic example of how his military experience helped him shape public policy in a way no other senator could have done,’’ Graham said.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, also traveling on the trip, expressed admiration for McCain’s wartime service as well.

McCain then collected himself and apologized for his initial reaction.

Got that?

When asked a softball question about how exactly his service prepares him to be Commander in Chief (an argument McCain himself makes everyday on the stump and in his campaign commericals) John McCain becomes "visibly angry" and has to be rescued by Huckleberry Graham and Holy Joe.

Hopefully we'll see the press pursue this question in the future. John McCain has made his service the central focus of his campaign, he should be able to provide specifics. If he's this sensitive to the issue then we could be looking at a long-term tactical win for Obama. All it takes is McCain losing his temper (as he is well known to do) on camera one time and this whole issue becomes a net win for the Obama campaign.

I've thought from the beginning that this was a smart tactical move by the Obama campaign (assuming they knew in advance that Clark would push this issue) with an assist from Bob Schieffer who unwittingly put the "got shot down" meme out there. Until this week John McCain has been able to run on his military record while at the same time denying that he was running on his military record and avoiding any and all questions about how that military record actually translates to the presidency. Given McCain's infamous thin-skin and well known temper it's not at all surprising that he would get angry at any who pressed him for specifics.

Steve Benen has more.