Missing the Point Again

While Hillary has mistakenly claimed she dodged sniper bullets during a visit to a turbulent part of Europe, Obama claimed that his uncle (veteran of World War II) had liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp during service. What Obama did indeed mean was that his great uncle liberated concentration camps at Buchenwald, as it was the Soviets that liberated Auschwitz in 1945, not the Americans. This was, however, mentioned in the context of aiding veterans. Apparently this mistake is enough to solicit the following comment from Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant; Obama’s comments "raise questions about his judgment and his readiness to lead as commander in chief." Personally, I see no “judgment” problems, but rather a case of severe pressure on a democratic nominee at the end of a bitter democratic battle—pressure, which the McCain campaign has not needed to withstand.

Flukes aside, Obama meant to address the lack of proper care for veterans, particularly in reference to his great uncle who suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome upon returning from service after World War II. Memorial Day became an opportunity for Obama to share his family’s service in the American military, even if this did mistake one concentration camp for another—point one: the veterans need to be better taken care of, point two: there is a history of honorable service.