Veterans from both sides of the Bong Bridge came together at the Richard I. Bong World War II Heritage Center on Thursday afternoon to announce their support for Sen. Barack Obama's, D-Ill., bid for the presidency.
The Wisconsin Veterans for Obama Steering Campaign local chairs invited veterans to announce their support of the Democratic candidate.
The veterans hailed Obama for his commitment to change and his international popularity.
They shamed Republican candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for his voting record on veterans issues while honoring him for his service during the Vietnam War.
McCain opposed the 21st Century GI Bill of Rights, and supported limiting veterans affairs care to only combat wounded veterans, said Minnesota committee chairman Scott Cameron.
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Obama represents change, he said.
"He knows who the enemy is," Cameron said. "I feel the enemy is in Afghanistan not Iraq."
Veterans are disappointed in McCain's voting record on veterans issues since the 2000 primary, said Superior committee chairman Pete Moran, a Vietnam veteran.
McCain follows President Bush's policies now. Obama supports veterans and military families. He's committed to changing the country's foreign policy, ending the war in Iraq and tackling other international challenges, Moran said.
Besides veterans issues, international relations and the economy are also on veterans minds.
The country is going down hill and U.S. citizens need good jobs, said Bob Kelley, a Vietnam veteran.
"I would like to see the world look upon us in a positive manner. We've been argumentative and hard to deal with," said World War II veteran Bernie Hughes of Superior.
"We want the best man for the job," he said.
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Both Hughes and Duluth Vietnam-era veteran David Blomberg also plan to show their support for Obama through a financial donation to his campaign, they said.
State Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, a Vietnam veteran, joined his fellow veterans Thursday.
Veterans' support of Obama is not about being liberal or conservative. Obama's values are the values veterans fought for, Jauch said.
Several of the veterans supported Sen. John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election, they said.
Chris Garrett, a Vietnam veteran from Duluth, said he's been watching Obama's career for six years.
"I like how he's able to work with everyone to get the job done," he said.
Garrett said veterans issues aren't his only concern during the election, but it's a large one. His son also is a veteran who fought in Iraq.
He said supporting Obama is an easy decision for him even though he is a former McCain supporter. McCain changed to voting against veteran's interests after the 2000 election, he said.
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McCain did not vote on the GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions; the Defense Authorizations Bill, which increased pay for service men and women and touched on health care and prescription drug issues for veterans; or the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, according to the Project Vote Smart Web site.
The Republican candidate voted against the Tax Rate Extension Amendment, which dealt with veterans compensation and pensions; Additional Funding For Veterans Amendment; and the Health Care for Veterans Amendment, according to the Vote Smart site.
Obama did not vote on the Defense Authorizations Bill or the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. He voted yes on the other four veteran-related bills, according to the Project Vote Smart.
Call Anna Kurth at (715) 395-5019 or e-mail akurth@superiortelegram.com .
