Merrill McPeak "speaks out for Howard Dean.
"Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak, the former Air Force chief of staff who endorsed George W. Bush in 2000, has left the Republican fold and is backing Democrat Howard Dean in the 2004 race for president."
"(Republican strategist Dan)Lavey noted that McPeak isn't well known among the public"
I'm sure that old Dan wouldn't want the public to remain ignorant, so let's see if we can help out and maybe enlighten the public a bit, shall we?
Search results for McPeak on poor-attitude.org.
I'm also going to include the full article from the Oregonian, since they tend to disappear things behind a firewall.
Former Air Force chief backs Dean candidacy
Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak of Lake Oswego helps bolster the presidential hopeful's military credentials
11/18/03
JEFF MAPES
Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak, the former Air Force chief of staff who endorsed George W. Bush in 2000, has left the Republican fold and is backing Democrat Howard Dean in the 2004 race for president.
McPeak, who lives in Lake Oswego, joins a small but growing list of top military veterans who have parted ways with the president at least partly because of the war in Iraq. McPeak's decision could be an important boost for Dean because critics have accused the former Vermont governor of lacking the experience and knowledge needed to be the nation's commander-in-chief.
On Monday, Dean also picked up the endorsement of U.S. Rep. David Wu, D-Ore., during an event sponsored by the Asian American Action Fund, a Democratic political action committee.
McPeak, who headed the Air Force during the Persian Gulf War in 1991, criticized the Bush administration's policy toward Iraq before the invasion in March. He also said he has become disenchanted with the president's economic policies.
"I don't think the younger Bush has put a foot right since he entered the White House," said McPeak, who changed his registration from Republican to independent in April.
When it comes to Iraq, "we couldn't have sat around a kitchen table and designed a policy that was stupider," McPeak said. He argued that there was no evidence of a connection between Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida, "absolutely zero evidence of weapons of mass destruction, and the planning of the formation of the coalition (to support the war in Iraq) was very clumsily done."
Tracey Schmitt, a Bush-Cheney campaign spokeswoman, said campaign officials would have no comment on McPeak's endorsement of Dean. But she said, "We do enjoy the support of a dynamic and active group of veterans."
Dick Klass, a retired Air Force colonel from Virginia who is working with Dean's campaign to attract former military officers, said endorsements from McPeak and other veterans could play an important role in the race.
"This is basically an exercise to let people know that Dean isn't a wild, lefty, antimilitary" person, said Klass, adding that he wouldn't be surprised to face such attacks from Republicans if Dean becomes the Democratic nominee.
Klass also said the endorsement might help in the primary, since retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark, the former military commander of NATO, has become one of the nine candidates in the Democratic race.
Klass, who also helped find former top military officers to support Bill Clinton in the 1992 presidential race, arranged for McPeak to spend two days with Dean last month while he campaigned in Seattle and Boise.
McPeak said he spent several hours talking with Dean on his campaign airplane and in vans traveling to events. Although Dean did not have a "deep understanding" of national security issues, McPeak said, "his intuition is right, (and) his gut instincts are right."
In addition to McPeak, Dean has been endorsed by retired Marine Gen. Joseph Hoar, who once headed Central Command, which is in charge of all military operations in the Mideast. Klass said that retired Adm. Stansfield Turner, who headed the CIA under President Carter, also supports Dean and that several other retired military officers are informal advisers and might endorse him.
Former Oregon Congressman Denny Smith, who was co-chairman of Oregon Veterans for Bush-Cheney in 2000, said he was disappointed but not surprised by McPeak's endorsement of Dean. But two Republican strategists in Oregon, pollster Bob Moore and consultant Dan Lavey, said they didn't think it would carry much weight.
"I don't think it has a whole lot of impact unless a lot of generals start signing up for Dean," Moore said.
Lavey noted that McPeak isn't well known among the public and that Democratic voters impressed by military credentials would be more likely to gravitate to Clark. Jeff Mapes: 503-221-8209; jeffmapes@news.oregonian.com
Posted by dglynn at November 18, 2003 08:23 AMMay 14,2004
I judt heard the rant og Gen. Merrill McPeak on the John Gibson progran on Fox News Chanel and want you to know that McPeak is a jerk. It is no surprise that he supported Howard Dean ( THE GIG LOSER) for President. I trust ahat the audience will voice their opinions on this.
Bill & Eva Mosley
Fresno,CA
Ex-Gen McPeak is a disgrace to the nation ... when a former military member totes his rank into the political arena, he should ensure his armor is thick enough. McPeak could fly jets when he was younger but unfortunately he was no military strategist himself. Don't listen to a man who describes the carribean as an "american lake" or didn't think women belonged in the military, much less flying fighters. The military is better off with him retired but the nation is worse to have to endure his personal and economically motivated political comments. Get a real military commentary from someone at least respected by the military even is we don't agree with them?
Posted by: D Lee on May 15, 2004 03:17 PMhummmmm.....as I see it,
McPeak was for President Bush BEFORE he was for Howard Dean BEFORE he was for John Kerry.
One good flip flopper derserves another!
Posted by: Don Scott on June 3, 2004 10:31 PMI served in the Air Force with General McPeak. Throughout his entire career, whether as Israeli and Middle East strategist in the Pentagon, as leader of the famous Misty flight group in Vietnam, as lead solo pilot with the Thunderbirds, as the consummate handball competitor, or as chief of staff, he was known as an intellectual who was a natural leader of military men, and a serious analyst of international geo-military politics.
While I do not agree with his conclusions, his logic cannot be faulted, and he certainly is no jerk - by any definition.
Posted by: John DeBlanc on July 18, 2004 11:46 PMI still say "Juice" is no Kim Il Sung!
Posted by: 800 on July 20, 2004 08:47 AMI had the fortune of meeting General McPeak just yesterday, and I have to say I am impressed by him. He has weighed the issues, drawn conclusions, and decided who would be the best cantidate for himself to support. Most people simply vote how they're told, and it is refreshing to find a person, former military member or not, who has actually decided based on what he sees in each of the cantidates. Now, whether he made the "correct" choice depends on how a person believes. Those who lean to the left obviously believe in the General's choice, and those who lean to the right will likely denounce his choice. But at least he made a choice.
I also have a question for Mr. Don Scott: if General McPeak had supported the Democrats first and then switched to supporting President Bush, would you still consider him a "flip-flopper"?
Posted by: Andrew Riley on July 23, 2004 11:00 AMit is always interesting when a senior commander with combat experience criticizes a major foreign
policy. mcpeak is unusually straightforward by any standard. he thought about his stand and made it public. i find him very admirable. we are not a nation of kamikazes. we need good thinking and courage. we are not getting either from this administration. its focus seems to be to stay in power regardless of cost, denial of responsibility and always favoring any policy, no matter how anti-intellectual, which pleases its base. well, there have to be consequences for this kind of appeasement. mcpeak sees quite clearly that the iraq war is now a quagmire which our precipitancy has created. we do not understand the enemy as well as he understands us, and we have played into his hands. mcpeak sees that bush must be removed.
gordon a. cronin p.o. box 716 northampton ma 01061
My ex-husband, Bill Walsh(now deceased), went to college with Tony McPeak whom he described as one of the most gifted individuals he ever met and whom he felt sure would succeed at whatever career he chose. When a lifelong registered Republican makes a party switch (as I did with the first Bush), it means there has been such a fundamental change that there is no turning back. I applaud General McPeak for making an intgelligent choice.
Posted by: Leslie Walsh on July 29, 2004 02:31 PMMcPeak is looking for something....a job...an appointment. He doesn't come across as sincere at all.
I must agree. I think he is a jerk. I have a cousin (deceased) that served with him, and he thought he was incompetent.
Amazing how he was a nobody, and the lib media makes him a "somebody" because he supports their BOY....... I have no respect for the "new" JFK....
PBA
PO Box 401
Elyria, OH
44036
PROUD CONSERVATIVE.....PROUD LOVER OF AMERICA
Posted by: Peter Aldrich on July 31, 2004 02:55 PMMcPeak is looking for something....a job...an appointment. He doesn't come across as sincere at all.
I must agree. I think he is a jerk. I have a cousin (deceased) that served with him, and he thought he was incompetent.
Amazing how he was a nobody, and the lib media makes him a "somebody" because he supports their BOY....... I have no respect for the "new" JFK....
PBA
PO Box 401
Elyria, OH
44036
PROUD CONSERVATIVE.....PROUD LOVER OF AMERICA
Posted by: Peter Aldrich on July 31, 2004 02:55 PMYou have got to be kidding me. I served in the USAF when this individual was chief of staff. We are still trying to fix some of his horrible policies. This man is nothing more than a blowhard who used his authority to bully the USAF into his own twisted vision. Ask any airman what they thought of his uniform changes or quality. It is my humble opinion this man should be ignored until he finally decides to shut up.
Posted by: jim mcclure on July 31, 2004 06:17 PMSee www.throughmyeye.blogspot.com for my full remarks. McPeak may have been a hot pilot and an intellectual, but using his personal vision created at least one loss-of-life avoidable disaster at Pope AFB and his uniform and organization changes, much of which had to be reversed as soon as he retired, wasted millions of taxpayers dollars and cost individual airmen considerable chunks of their paychecks.
Posted by: Charles Griffin on August 7, 2004 07:19 AMLet me say this about McPeak, he is a total loser. He used the Air Force as his own laboratory in trying many things that changed the Air Force for the worse. His first and lasting disaster was a program called the "Quality Air Force", basically treating it like a corporation. Then he changes the Enlisted and officer rating systems which became even more inflated and his attempts at uniform changes were a total disgrace. I consider McPeak nothing more than an elitist who never had anything on his mind but himself. I am retired active duty Air Force who put up with his crap for years. I say Merill, it is time to bow out gracefully, find a mirror and just keep looking at yourself for a long time!!
Posted by: Jim H on August 20, 2004 06:26 PMMcPeak has endorsed John Kerry, a traitor, fraud, and compulsive liar, and has become a traitor himself. Kerry committed serial acts of treason during the 1970s and led the Vietnam Veterans Against the War at a meeting in Kansas City in 1970 in which they actually voted on a plan to assassinate members of congress who supported the war. He then made numberous speeches, radio, and television appearences with the likes of Jane Fonda and other traitors. All of these acts gave aid and comfort to the enemy during war, the definition of treason.
Posted by: Wayne Trieschmann on August 21, 2004 05:00 PMI assume General McPeak is not stupid since he could make it as a general in the military. Therefore, there are only a couple of reasons why he would support a creep like John Kerry. He either has something "invested" such as a political appointment should (God forbid) Kerry get elected, or he is a rank fool. I suspect that he is the latter since even Kerry wouldn't consider him for any real administrative authority.
Posted by: Levi Henderson on August 24, 2004 09:23 PMMy strongest theory is that McPeak got a SecDef job offer from Kerry, if Kerry wins in November. A SecDef McPeak would be a disaster for our military. Someone should query the General about the following:
a. The disastrous "consolidation" of numerous critical AFSCs (Air Force Specialty Codes) during his reign of terror.
b. The "Year of Training," which resulted in a slowdown in available class seats for needed mission readiness courses for numerous Air Force enlisted members.
c. The careers of countless officers he personally terminated in Saddam-like fashion at his whim... just because he could do so.
In concert with Bill Clinton, McPeak destroyed a good portion of a great Air Force through his actions. One can only count on him to do the same if he were to become Defense Secretary.
Posted by: Scott Hyland on August 26, 2004 05:37 PMOne more thing... the upside to this is McPeak is no longer in the Republican Party. Good riddance, jerk.
Posted by: Scott Hyland on August 26, 2004 05:41 PMA retired General Officer should have the good sense to keep his mouth shut regarding political matters. It is most unprofessional to politicize the military.You are an embarrassement to many of those who served under you.
Posted by: Jack Burns on August 28, 2004 03:00 PMA retired General Officer should have the good sense to keep his mouth shut regarding political matters. It is most unprofessional to politicize the military.You are an embarrassement to many of those who served under you.
Posted by: Jack Burnes on August 28, 2004 03:01 PMThe McPeak McUniform was a McDisaster. It removed the collar brass and the epaulets from the dress uniform jacket. If McPeak had any honor, he would have turned down the post of Chief of Staff after Gewneral Dugan was removed by SecDef Dick Cheney. General Fogleman was an infinitely better Chief of Staff than McPeak.
Posted by: Tad Poll on August 28, 2004 04:11 PMYou people do realize that nobody reads this blog, right?
I mean, you are talking to no one with your arguments.
If you would like to argue that McPeak searches on Google brought you here, it's only because no one else is writing about McPeak.
I've watched y'all post for a month and a half, and didn't want to tell you about your(and my) invisibilty, partly because it was funny, but also I thought you had a right to your opinion.
But this has just gotten said, and I thought you all should know the facts of life. Your wasting your time here, no one reads this blog.
Good luck, boys(and thanks for doing the service other people avoided). If any of you get to Urbana, IL drop me some mail and we'll burn some meat and have a few beers, on me.
Posted by: dglynn on August 30, 2004 03:47 AMJohn Kerry and Tony McPeak are very much alike. They are both like fish out of water. They both flip flop all over the place.
Posted by: Robert Owen on August 30, 2004 10:53 PMThe media does it again - the big news as of 8/31 for the democrats is that McPeak supports Kerry. Whoopee-doo.
I do a websearch on 'McPeak' and what do I find but this website with an article from last November with McPeak endorsing Howard Dean! There's nothing wrong with associating with Howard Dean, but only if you're willing to accept that you are guilty by association for anything that person says. When you endorse someone, you endorse their positions, plain and simple.
The media reports the news of today like this is some sort of major revelation, but if the media would actually help the readers connect the dots to the recent relationships made between McPeak and the Liberal consortium of the Democratic Party (and not just the endorsement of Kerry), then the newspiece would not be all that relevant.
I won't say the media is slanted all that leftist as some would like to convince me, but I do think the mainstream media is more of a sensationalized gossip center, than it is a responsible journalistic enterprise - Profits first, facts if you can afford to squeeze them in at the end of the article where only people who are not diagnosed with deficit disorders (which is only about 10% of the American population these days) can manage to turn the back pages of a paper to fish reading. If anyone wants to get mad, we should be mad about the dumbed-down tabloid rags like the New York Times that were once serious and trusted compilations of world and national issues. The downworld sprial of journalism has alot to with our education, our ethics and our nationalism - all of which have gone to the dogs. You break the link on one, and you lose them all!
Posted by: Robert Weisenburn on August 31, 2004 11:10 AMI too join the long line of those who served in the Air Force under the "reign" of Tony McPeak. Never had I seen moral lower or disenchantment within the Air Force higher! Being a "no-personality intellectual" and a "leader" are not one in the same. It was only through a series of unique events, i.e. the unfortunate firing of Gen Dugan, that McPeak ever became Chief of Staff of the Air Force! It is a testament to the stamina of the Air Force that it has fixed all the glass Tony McPeak broke while executing countless military operations!!! I suspect that the majority of those former military that support McPeak were part of the "single seat fighter pilot club" which is all Tony McPeak every really was concerned about!!!!!
As for politics, this reminds me of the few senior officers that came out in support of Bill Clinton, interesting that some of them received Ambassadorships following his winning the election!!
Posted by: D. Faulkner on September 1, 2004 06:54 AMRetired General McPeak is the LAST person who should be talking about integrity, honor, and military service. I served under McPeak during the time he practically destroyed the Strategic Air Command. Almost everyone despised him for his irrational changes to the structure of SAC, and the Air Force is still continuing to undo his marks on the Command. Unfortunately, he didn't realize his mistakes because everyone was afraid to confront him. He is/was arrogant, snippy, unwise, and a bad commander. This guy's words should be totally disregarded.
Posted by: Ern Wyatt on September 1, 2004 04:37 PMAs an Air Force member who served during McPeak's time as Chief of Staff of the Air Force, it is my opinion that he was the WORST Air Force Chief of Staff!!!!! I had no respect for the man, and never will!!! He was not a leader of our Air Force, he was out for McPeak, and McPeak only. I hope a lesson was learn from his ineptness, and total disregard of those under his command (a term I use very loosely), and we NEVER have another like him.
Posted by: Michael J. Rigney on September 1, 2004 09:58 PMMcpeak is commie maggot. We will meet in hell and it's gonna be fun.
Posted by: Darrell Sparks on September 2, 2004 01:14 AMGen. Merrill “Tony” McPeak is crying in his beer, he lost his influence with the Bush Admin, He wants back in power so he can continue to screw things up again. like he did in the Air Force.
Posted by: Joe Ping on September 2, 2004 02:05 PMAs a Viet Nam vet I find the current political ad for Kerry by General McPeak a national disgrace. Kerry is a traitor, an America hater and a communist sympathizer. Under the UCMJ Kerry should be tried for treason and sentenced to life in prison for providing aid and comfort to the enemy. The additional loss of American lives in Viet Nam and the misery and cruelty visited upon those true heros in the Hanoi Hilton are the responsibility of "Kommie Kerry." To call Kerry a hero and his service honorable is a slap in the face of those of us who served not for self but because we were called to duty. Kerry never deserved a medal he was awarded, he wrote his own citations and defrauded the military. A glaring example is the "V" for valor on his citation for the silver star which has never been connected to the silver star. Kerry will go to hell and McPeak the freak will join him. Any vet who votes for Kerry is in my eyes a sellout to all true patriots and are themselves traitors.
Posted by: Al Berlat on September 4, 2004 12:45 AMMcPeak was an absolute disaster as the USAF
Chief of Staff. He never had the respect of
those under his command because he had no
respect for them. People ARE known by the
company they keep. McP is an eltist snob who
has found his mate.
Bob Rushing
Msgt(ret) USAF
I think that Tony McPeak is a great guy!
Posted by: speedster on September 6, 2004 04:31 PMGen McPeak is a disgrace to the uniform now, just as he was when I served under him in the USAF. He did not have the respect of his men, because he followed the Clinton Administration wishes to gut the AF and promote the "don't ask don't tell" policy. The man is a disgrace, and would like to spit in his face. He is a traitor and should be hanged.
Posted by: Bruce on September 7, 2004 06:44 PMI served under Gen McPeak in the 80's. I respected him then and now I really respect him! It's truly a treat to see a high profile military leader that's not totally brain washed by republican bullshit!
Posted by: Gary Beckwith on September 9, 2004 07:47 PMBruce!! I'd like to spit in your face!!!!
Posted by: Gary Beckwith on September 9, 2004 07:49 PMHey Beckwith, are you a general too? I served under McPeak's reign of terror too, he is a total disgrace and should just keep his damn mouth shut.
OUT
Posted by: Jim H. on September 13, 2004 02:04 AMJUST WHO IN THE HELL DOES MCPEEK THINK HE IS? JUST WHAT PROMISE DID KERRY MAKE HIM. KERRY IS IN QUESTION, MAYBE MCPEEK SHOULD BE IN QUESTION ALSO. SIT DOWN MCGEEK
Posted by: CLARK on September 15, 2004 08:28 AMI just heard what you said about President Bush on TV. Let me make this absolutely clear general. You are a pathetic liar, just like Kerry and all that bunch. I would like to slap your face and kick your ass, you worthless communiust bastard.
Jackie Allen Minton
Chief Petty Officer USN, Retired
2804 Plymouth Road #3
Johnsonb City, Tn 37601
Hey just a reminder in case everybody forgot..McPeak is a giant elitist ASSHOLE!!
Posted by: Jim H. on October 9, 2004 12:18 AMHere I am, another retired USAF senior NCO that thought McPeak was a scumbag. I served under his PACAF command and his CINC command. He was hated by every officer in my chain of command and all the enlisted troops I worked with. He was a Clinton puppet hell-bent on turning the Air Force into a social experiment. I retired in 93 thankfully, and escaped more of his crap. His endorcement of Kerry is no surprise.
Posted by: Randy K. on October 25, 2004 05:33 PMI am one more retired USAF senior NCO who thinks Merrill McPeak was a disaster as Air Force Chief of Staff. The Air Force is still paying a high price for his incompetence. He never met a camera he didn't like. His initial choice for Democratic nominee (Howard Dean) speaks volumes about his support for the military. His later support for John Kerry is not a substantial improvement. McPeak sit down, shut up, and color.
Posted by: George Salter on October 29, 2004 08:55 PM