Veterans give the thumbs down to McCain

Republican presidential nominee John McCain has failed to score with the veterans issues, while Democratic rival Barack Obama has fared better.

New York, Oct.8 : Republican presidential nominee John McCain has failed to score with the veterans issues, while Democratic rival Barack Obama has fared better.

The New York-based national veterans advocacy group graded every member of Congress on how he or she voted on major issues affecting 1.7 million vets from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. McCain got a 'D' while Obama got a 'B'.

The veterans group isn't officially endorsing a candidate in next month's election, but said the report card "speaks for itself," reports the New York Daily News.

"Now every American can find out who in Washington really supports Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and who is just full of hot air," said the group's founder and executive director, Paul Rieckhoff.

Rieckhoff said McCain scored so low because he missed six of nine major votes on veterans issues in the Senate.

He also pointed out that McCain ardently opposed the new G.I. Bill, which finally passed both the House and Senate in June.

Obama missed four of the nine Senate votes. In Obama's favor was that he was an early supporter of the G.I. Bill and helped bring both sides of the aisle together on it, Rieckhoff said.

"It's a blueprint for how you can get things done in Congress," he said.

ANI