John McCain recently got in some political trouble because he couldn't remember how many houses he has (that's when you know you're really rich). What was his excuse? He was a POW! If you're wondering what the connection is, you're not alone.

Rudy Giuliani couldn't stop talking about 9/11. Now, McCain is the equivalent for his POW record. As Joe Biden would say, every sentence has become "A noun, a verb and POW."

Listen to all the different times McCain has resorted to reminding people he is a POW to get out of a tough spot:




Watch The Young Turks Here

That's a heavy charge. McCain's POW record is the one shining moment of great courage in his record. It's what put him in the national spotlight in the first place. And the ordeal he went through was so horrific that you can't question his valor. But now, he has gone and done something that was so unnecessary -- apparently embellishing a story during his stay at the POW camps.

There was absolutely no need for this. His perseverance through five and half years of the prison camp was plenty heroic. He didn't need to add anything to it. But it looks like he did:





Here is the original ad McCain ran about this story. Here is a post with more details on this story, where you can see the whole Solzhenitsyn quote (and the possible Chuck Colson quote where it actually originated from) and get all of the background on how McCain came up with this story in 1999 and in fact might have even changed it in 2000 from it happening to another soldier to it happening to him. This is beyond the pale. You want to talk about a character issue. This is about character.

I know some of you won't believe me, but I am actually disappointed in McCain. I didn't think he would do something like this. Remember I voted for him in the 2000 primaries when I was still a Republican. He was a guy I believed in. To see him make up things about something so important and personal, it makes you lose faith in all politicians to some degree. Is there anything they won't stoop to?

Watch The Young Turks Show Here

Everyone has been lambasting General Wesley Clark today over his comments about John McCain, including Barack Obama who rejected his comments. But has anyone watched the comments? Not only does General Clark not disparage John McCain's war record, he calls him his "hero" for how courageous he was in his service.

The only point General Clark is making is that this does not translate to having experience in executive responsibility. That point is not only uncontroversial, it is indisputable. Is everyone who got shot out of a plane or spent time in a POW camp qualified to be President of the United States? Of course, not.

Does that experience and how he handled it speak to John McCain's courage? Absolutely. His service to the country? No doubt. But does it speak to whether he has the national security or foreign policy experience necessary to be president? Absolutely not.

Watch General Clark's comments here and judge for yourself whether he said something outrageous or perfectly rational:




Watch The Young Turks on You Tube