John McCain Endorses Tom Cotton in Arkansas 4th District Congressional Race
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: May 8, 2012
A Dardanelle Republican running for Arkansas' 4th District congressional seat has announced a major endorsement.
Tom Cotton posted the following announcement on his campaign website today:
Senator John McCain of Arizona, war hero and 2008 Republican presidential nominee, today announced his endorsement of Tom Cotton for the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas.
"Tom Cotton volunteered to fight for our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan when he could have continued a promising legal career," said Senator McCain. "We badly need this kind of courage and selfless service in Congress - particularly to address our economic challenges. I'm asking the voters of the Fourth District to send Tom to Congress so he can join the fight for freedom there."
Tom Cotton served nearly five years on active duty in the U.S. Army. He left his law practice because of the 9/11 attacks, declining a JAG commission and volunteered instead to be an Infantry officer and Army Ranger. Tom deployed to Baghdad with the 101st Airborne, where he led an infantry platoon in daily combat patrols. Tom also deployed to Afghanistan as the operations officer for a provincial reconstruction team. Between those combat tours, Tom was a platoon leader with The Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. Tom's military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and Iraq Campaign Medal.
"I am deeply honored to earn Senator McCain's endorsement," said Tom Cotton. "He was an American hero before he ever put his name on a ballot. Few Americans have given--or could give--as much to their country. I will work hard to represent the people of the Fourth District with the same courage, service, and dedication to spending restraint that Senator McCain has shown throughout his distinguished career."
Tom Cotton posted the following announcement on his campaign website today:
Senator John McCain of Arizona, war hero and 2008 Republican presidential nominee, today announced his endorsement of Tom Cotton for the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas.
"Tom Cotton volunteered to fight for our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan when he could have continued a promising legal career," said Senator McCain. "We badly need this kind of courage and selfless service in Congress - particularly to address our economic challenges. I'm asking the voters of the Fourth District to send Tom to Congress so he can join the fight for freedom there."
Tom Cotton served nearly five years on active duty in the U.S. Army. He left his law practice because of the 9/11 attacks, declining a JAG commission and volunteered instead to be an Infantry officer and Army Ranger. Tom deployed to Baghdad with the 101st Airborne, where he led an infantry platoon in daily combat patrols. Tom also deployed to Afghanistan as the operations officer for a provincial reconstruction team. Between those combat tours, Tom was a platoon leader with The Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. Tom's military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and Iraq Campaign Medal.
"I am deeply honored to earn Senator McCain's endorsement," said Tom Cotton. "He was an American hero before he ever put his name on a ballot. Few Americans have given--or could give--as much to their country. I will work hard to represent the people of the Fourth District with the same courage, service, and dedication to spending restraint that Senator McCain has shown throughout his distinguished career."
Comments
There are some concerns and controversy on Tom Cotton%u2019s military credentials. Questions of integrity and honesty have been brought up about his campaign overstating his military experience or record by claiming to be a US Army Ranger. This first showed up in printed material and in his last two video commercials Why someone would choose to only highlight his graduation from a two month army school can only mean he hoped to confuse viewers and give himself special operations credentials. With his real military record there was no reason to do this. At best it is an error in judgement and at worst an integrity issue.
Now it appears the commercials have been deleted from his campaign site and are under a privacy wall on youtube. A new commercial exactly like the one below but with the words US Army Ranger deleted had reappeared.
A nerve must have been struck for this to be changed. Veterans don't take kindly to overstating ones qualifications and members of the special operations community frown on someone who tries to cover oneself with special ops credentials. One can watch the full commercial here. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/campaign-ad-2012-sponsored-by-cotton-tom/2012/04/26/gIQARgfgjT_video.html
Update: The videos have been reworked and the words Army Ranger have been deleted.
This is borderline stolen valor and needs to be addressed and answered by Tom Cotton.
http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/04/18/the-fierce-race-for-arkansass-4th-district
Zeus T.
May 4, 2012 at 2:57 pm
There are some concerns and controversy on Tom Cotton%u2019s military credentials. Questions of integrity and honesty have been brought up about his campaign overstating his military experience or record by claiming to be a US Army Ranger. This first showed up in printed material and in his last two video commercials Why someone would choose to only highlight his graduation from a two month army school can only mean he hoped to confuse viewers and give himself special operations credentials. With his real military record there was no reason to do this. At best it is an error in judgement and at worst an integrity issue.
Now it appears the commercials have been deleted from his campaign site and are under a privacy wall on youtube. A new commercial exactly like the one below but with the words US Army Ranger deleted had reappeared.
A nerve must have been struck for this to be changed. Veterans don't take kindly to overstating ones qualifications and members of the special operations community frown on someone who tries to cover oneself with special ops credentials. One can watch the full commercial here. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/campaign-ad-2012-sponsored-by-cotton-tom/2012/04/26/gIQARgfgjT_video.html
Update: The videos have been reworked and the words Army Ranger have been deleted.
This is borderline stolen valor and needs to be addressed and answered by Tom Cotton.
http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/04/18/the-fierce-race-for-arkansass-4th-district
Zeus T.
May 4, 2012 at 2:57 pm
