In the middle of the NYT article on the "cone of silence" came a gem of a denial from McCain spokeswoman Nicole Wallace:
"The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous."
This, folks, is called playing the POW card. And it's EXACTLY like playing the race card.
Think about what Nicole Wallace is suggesting here. Because John McCain is a former POW, he would never have cheated. Now I don't understand the connection between surviving a horrible POW ordeal and never cheating. Perhaps it has something to do with believing the language of honor too much. But we already know John McCain has gone back on his word regarding the style of campaign he runs. His honor is a mirage and has been exposed as such all summer long.
But to actually hide behind his POW experience as a deflection of charges that McCain saw the forum questions beforehand is disgusting. He is throwing the POW card like it's some sort of talisman that protects him from all criticism. He is prostituting his admirable service to the nation.
The best comparison is to those who "play the race card." Think about what playing the race card does. It discredits all criticism on the ground that the critic is a racist. It irks people to no end because it cheapens the very real pain of racism and it serves as a kind of intellectual bullying.
Despite what many people say, Obama's race is an advantage. Yes, there are many people who won't vote for him because he's black. But there are many more who are drawn to him precisely because of the historic possibility of his candidacy - and race has a lot to do with that.
Similarly for John McCain, his POW experience is a critical component in his appeal. If Obama's race implies change and fresh ideas, McCain's POW experience suggests service and sacrifice.
But in both cases the candidates have to be careful about not overplaying their hand. And that is clearly what McCain is doing by throwing up his POW experience as a reason never to challenge his honesty.
Just as most McCain supporters are not racist, most Obama supporters are not anti-military. But just as Obama has no right to falsely imply racism, John McCain cannot hide behind his POW experience to shield him from legitimate questions.