Being an ex-POW no qualification for president, former navy midshipman of McCain

Washington, Sept.16 (ANI): Reminding everyone repeatedly that you have been a former prisoner of war does not qualify you to be the president of the United States, says a former Naval Academy midshipman of John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee.

Phillip Butler, the former midshipman, who was also a prisoner of war along with McCain in Vietnam, said being a prisoner of war is not a good prerequisite for being president in an advertisement produced by Brave New PAC, a liberal political action committee affiliated with Brave New Films.

Butler said McCain was a "very volatile guy" and someone he would not like to see "with his finger near the red button."

Leighton Woodhouse, communications director for both Brave New Films and the PAC, said two days of national air time has been purchased on cable news channels CNN and MSNBC to get the message out.

Woodhouse said that they will re-evaluate whether to continue running it if "it seems to be resonating."

The ad, which is in the vein of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, who used former comrades of John Kerry to knock down the idea that his military service qualified him for the presidency, is part of a new effort by "527? groups to lend an assist to Barack Obama.

According to a report in The Atlantic last week, Obama's campaign has shut down its criticism of outside groups individually contributing to the campaign message as it goes up against a Republican Party that has reached fundraising parity. (ANI)