Mike McCalister, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate, violated U.S. Army regulations by wearing his uniform to a political fundraiser a move that further fuels the criticisms of veterans and service members who say he's misleading voters to seem like more of a soldier than he ever was.
A retired colonel in the Army Reserve, McCalister has made his military record central to his campaign, which has launched the political newcomer into the top tier of a crowded field of Republican candidates.
But his website and campaign speeches have been full of so many strong-sounding claims that he's now drawing fire from former subordinates, a high-ranking general at U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa and the veterans group Stolen Valor. The group obtained photographs of McCalister wearing his ceremonial uniform at a Feb. 16 fundraiser, the Highland County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner.
McCalister, 59, has refused to answer specific questions from reporters and Stolen Valor about his record. His campaign called Stolen Valor a "front group," but failed to provide any evidence.
After vets complained, his campaign changed his website to no longer say he was a "special operations colonel" a non-existent title that could lead someone to believe he was in the Special Forces. He wasn't.
McCalister had also claimed he once "testified before Congress" on a national-security matter. He then claimed he never said he testified.
After the Miami Herald noted the misstatement by producing video, he issued a letter to supporters saying he was being nitpicked.
For instance, McCalister has repeatedly said he was involved in "black ops" and has seen "scary things." But he never served in combat and was really a "paper pusher," said Jeffrey Shera, a former sergeant major who served in Special Forces. Shera said he worked with McCalister from about 2001 to 2003.
"Anything he said associated with black ops is not the truth," Shera said.
He said McCalister was in charge of a team evaluating fire-and-training range capacity and "most of that work was done by a Marine reservist major who worked for him. McCalister spent most of his time going to the MacDill Air Force Base gym and sitting at the juice bar at the time."
#3
he thinks that if Harkin, Richardson, Kerry, et al, can get away with it, he should be able to. Problem is the "R" behind his name. We don't play that game
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/27/2011 13:51 Comments ||
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#2
Nope. It completely went around us here in the south. If you are around us here, it' is now business as usual. Proud of you taking this storm serious as it could have been HERE. But... (Always a but),
Pray for our large population centers. The storm surge could make havoc on the Hudson. Do not let your guard down in New York. Need you safe and play acting like it is serious.
Weather Nerd is good to watch.
Even if this does not look serious, it may have a right hook.
#3
We saw a pine cone fall to the ground and a pine needle stuck in the screen on the porch. But on the scanner,There is a downed power line. Not to mention there is an alligator on the road.
#6
Here in Connecticut we're takin' the under... but putting the lawn chairs in the garage and picking the half ripe tomatoes just in case.
Posted by: regular joe ||
08/27/2011 9:15 Comments ||
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#7
Beavis - don't forget the crack in the Washington Monument and the earthquake in Virginia [that was the Founding Fathers (Washington, Jefferson, Madison, et al) rolling over in their graves].
#8
For those in the south here, don't get over-confident and start mulling about. Most deaths occur when people think the storm as passed and they go outside and meet with a pool of water and a downed power-line. etc etc. Leave the roads clear for emergency personnel if at all possible.
After all, if you were a messiah and God the weather screwed up your vacation, you'd be pissed too.
Posted by: Barbara ||
08/27/2011 13:07 Comments ||
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#11
Current forecast here is 2-5 inches of rain, 40-50MPH guts. Worst of it about 2PM tomorrow.
Currently, very muggy, occasional showers. No wind at all.
#14
tu, why are they walking together? I thought the plan was to go in separate planes in order to maximize their carbon footprint.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
08/27/2011 15:00 Comments ||
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#15
Crap. We just had 2 power blinks (which kicked off the computer) and then it went out completely for a minute. Guess I'd better get offline before I get kicked off again. :-(
Posted by: Barbara ||
08/27/2011 15:22 Comments ||
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#16
Well, Governor Erkel is panicking, so that's a good sign. He's never right...
#17
The T's (transit system)shutdown for tomorrow. Two planes just went over though, so I guess Logan's still open. Heavy rain this afternoon for a few hours, then intermittent showers of varying intensity since. Still no winds yet. The big stuff's supposed to show up around dawn.
[Iran Press TV] The New York City Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, has ordered the evacuation of the city to keep citizens safe ahead of Hurricane Irene.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/27/2011 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
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#1
why are they acting like it's New Orleans when New York doesn't have a Lake Pontchartrain hanging over it's head, with levies only built to withstand a Cat 4?
Also as i understand this is not as violent a storm
#4
I believe that people would be taking his evacuation orders a lot more seriously if Nurse Bloomberg hadn't gone to war against Transfats and Salt in the past.
#5
I suspect they'll have a different set of problems in New York. Flooded subways, power out for days, and the eventual lack of supplies and overabundance of garbage.
I suspect the mayor is acting on the advice of the cops and the power guys who don't want to deal with looters and such while they try to get the place running again. It is a weekend, if you've got a place to go might as well get out of the way.
#8
Also as i understand this is not as violent a storm
It is not the wind that get you, it is the storm surge and flooding from heavy rain. Think about living Coastal Anywhere with a 3 metre high tide (OK, anywhere but the Bay of Fundy, you pedantic nerds)
Hurricanes (and cyclones) are huge low pressure areas that suck up a big-ass pile of water and drag it along as they move.
#9
Won't take much wind to turn those Manhattan streets into wind tunnels. And, even though it's a CAT1 at ground level, go up a hundred feet and it's a CAT2. It could be raining glass down there.
#10
Shows how much the Iranians know about New York.
AFAIK, the mandatory evacuations are for the Rockaways, which are on the beach. Manhattan/Brooklyn/Queens/etc.-proper are NOT under evacuation orders (though they're shutting the transit systems down).
Having lived in Manhattan (many years ago), I can tell you that that in itself will be a royal PITA.
Posted by: Barbara ||
08/27/2011 12:55 Comments ||
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#11
Sorry, tu, didn't see your link until after I'd commented. As I said, the mandatory evacuation zones are small change compared to the population of NYC as a whole.
Transit's gonna be a problem....
Posted by: Barbara ||
08/27/2011 13:01 Comments ||
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5:26 PM Celeste Katz Breaking from Gov. Cuomo: ""We have reports of a 2.9 magnitude earthquake just west-southwest of Altamont, New York. Although this was a mild earthquake, out of an abundance of caution, I have ordered immediate inspection of nearby infrastructure, including a NYPA inspection of the Blenheim-Gilboa Dam in Schoharie County."
#16
It is a wise decision (though I think the guy is a jerk. The storm surge could indeed cripple the city for a long, long time. All the electrical, sewage, gas mains, and subways underground and only a 3 foot barrier to protect a possible 7 foot surge. Weathernerd explores this.
Besides being unsanitary, it could be electrical hazard and yes, the trash so it is better safe than sorry in this case.
There are still 80 MPH sustained winds which could play havoc on the upper floors of buildings so most of what was said here is right.
TORNADO WATCH in NYC until 5 a.m. for the following counties: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Westchester.
TORNADO WARNING in ATLANTIC CITY until 9:15 p.m. National Weather Service radar shows a thunderstorm that could produce a tornado near Longport, seven miles south of Atlantic City.
What's Chinese for 'Whoops!' 大叫！
BEIJING -- The main Chinese state television network has deleted from the Internet a video that some foreign military and Internet security analysts say implies China has engaged in hacking attacks on Web sites in the West. An online article published on China SignPost on Wednesday by two military analysts, Andrew Erickson and Gabe Collins, said there were questions as to whether the television program was using a mock-up to demonstrate cyberwarfare, or whether it revealed real hacking software and an actual attack. "it is significant that an official Chinese state television channel showed even a symbolic representation of a cyberattack, particularly one on entities clearly located in a foreign sovereign nation," they wrote.
[Bangla Daily Star] Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan yesterday stepped down as president of the ruling party, paving the way for the selection of the disaster-hit nation's sixth new premier in five years.
Kan's resignation comes after nearly 15 turbulent months in power during which his response to the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear plant accident drew fierce criticism and sent his approval ratings plummeting.
"I propose to you that I resign as the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan today," Kan told party politicians yesterday.
"Once a new leader is elected, I will resign promptly as prime minister and my cabinet will resign."
A leadership election for a new party president, who would then become prime minister, is expected on Monday. Parliament will then vote the leader in as premier on Tuesday.
On his time leading Japan during its worst post-war crisis, Kan said: "I believe I did my best and did what I had to do in severe conditions."
After surviving a no-confidence vote in June, Kan said he would quit on condition that three key bills were passed -- a second budget, a budget financing bill and legislation promoting the use of renewable energy.
The budget for reconstruction in quake-hit areas was approved in July, while the final two bills were passed Friday, clearing the way for him to depart.
At least five candidates are jockeying to succeed Kan, including former foreign minister Seiji Maehara, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda and fiscal policy minister Banri Kaieda.
Maehara, 49, who stepped down as foreign minister in March over a donations row, could become the nation's youngest post-war prime minister. He is against raising taxes to ease Japan's fiscal woes.
Noda -- who recently courted controversy with statements supporting war criminals -- has softened his earlier stance on hiking taxes.
But standing between candidates such as Maehara and the premiership is party kingmaker Ichiro Ozawa, who controls the DPJ's biggest political faction.
Ozawa, a divisive figure who faces a criminal trial over a different donations scandal, leads up to 130 politicians out of the 398 who can vote on Kan's replacement.
He made waves yesterday by saying he would support economy minister Banri Kaeida as opposed to the perceived people's favourite Maehara, throwing the race to replace Kan into uncertainty.
During his tenure, 64-year-old Kan struggled amid low support ratings, a power struggle within the DPJ and a divided parliament.
He was accused of mishandling the response to the March quake and tsunami that left more than 20,000 dead or missing and sparked the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident that forced tens of thousands to evacuate.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/27/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
IIRC CNN NEWS PM > ECONOMIST = argued that the resignation of NATO KAN, as complemented by the on-going Fukushima Crisis i.e. NIPPON GOVT'S STRUGGLE TO EFEC CONTROL SAME = SPREAD OF RADIATION, FINALLY PROVES THAT THE POST-WW2 NIPPON PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE IS "BROKEN". + HENCE BECAUSE OF SUCH GOVT. INSTABILITY THE JAPANESE ECON IS THOROUGHLY UNABLE TO EXPERIENCE ANY SORT OF GROWTH???
JAPAN = "DEBT DEAL" USA = GOVT. POLITICIANS AS A CLASS HAVE NO LT OR STRATEGIC, ETC. VISION OTHER THAN GETTING SELFISHLY RE-ELECTED, via the perenial making of promises they know they can't keep, + spending $$$ that they know the Govt-Nation can't afford???
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
