WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), a
former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called an ad criticizing John Kerry
(news - web sites)'s military service "dishonest and dishonorable" and urged
the White House on Thursday to condemn it as well.
The White House declined.


"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me," McCain said in an
interview .....

"When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry," one of the
veterans, Larry Thurlow, says in the ad. Thurlow didn't serve on Kerry's
swiftboat, but says he witnessed the events that led to Kerry winning a
Bronze Star and the last of his three Purple Hearts. Kerry's crewmates
support the candidate and call him a hero.