News
August 7, 2008
McCain visits MU players
Presumptive GOP nominee recalls POW ordeal, stresses teamwork

HUNTINGTON - Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain harkened back to his days enduring a North Vietnamese prison to stress teamwork at a brief Wednesday appearance during Marshall University's football practice.

The seven-minute pep talk featured his oft-told story of the fellow prisoner of war who defied beatings to fashion American flags from rags. The Arizona senator also recounted how he was shot down and captured before his five-year ordeal as a prisoner of war.

"It was a long time ago, and I don't expect you to remember it,'' McCain told the dozens of jerseyed Thundering Herd players huddled around him on one knee, the oldest of whom were born in the late 1980s.

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Marshall University Athletic Director Bob Marcum presents Sen. John McCain with a Marshall football jersey on Wednesday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington.
Speaking after watching practice drills from midfield and chatting with coaches and a few players, McCain also invoked the 1970 plane crash that killed most of Marshall's football team.

"I'm proud of a unique institution, an institution that went through a great tragedy and came out of it enhanced, a greater institution with a tradition of courage, a tradition of victory and a tradition of winning,'' he said.

McCain arrived in Huntington late Tuesday, phoning supporters at a town hall-style meeting in Pennsylvania from his hotel. After his 23-minute appearance at the Marshall practice field, he headed to Ohio by bus.

McCain did not ask for votes during his pep talk, nor did he allude to any of the issues framing the ongoing race with Democrat Barack Obama. Though players were invited to meet with McCain afterward, most if not all appeared to move on to their post-practice sessions with coaching staff.

Wednesday's visit was McCain's third to West Virginia this year, and the second to be closed to the public and with limited press access. And like last month's stop at the nearby Tri-State Airport, the latest appearance preceded larger campaign stops in the neighboring battleground of Ohio.

A noisy knot of about two dozen Obama supporters waved signs outside the stadium during McCain's visit. Though relegated to a far corner of the parking lot, their chants could be heard faintly during the senator's pep talk.

"His bus says 'Straight Talk Express,' but straight talk is not glad-handing football players,'' said state AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue, who helped lead the supporters.

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Posted By: Whynot (7:43am 08-08-2008)
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MARSHALLRULES
In reference to your answer about who is suppose to be any good. Oh I don't know South Florida, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, I mean all are either on the top 25 or on the verge of breaking the top 25 so check your facts. i mean I pull for Marshall when they dont play WVU and to me the whole rivalry thing is horse crap. We have two major schools in this state in two different conferences what is the point of hating either of them, Its like Flordia fans hating UCF I mean whats the point of it. Both represent the state so why not pull for both

Posted By: Heybooger (7:34am 08-08-2008)
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What right does any Marshall fan have to call any WVU fan fairweather. Apparently you havent seen the stands in your own stadium not to mention Marshall cant even sell out a game. I dont understand anything your comment even said who said anything About RR leaving WVU to get away from Marshall. Marshall couldnt beat WVU even when they had their best team of Moss and Pennington.

Posted By: Anthony.Tharp (12:57am 08-08-2008)
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Earned_My_Degree must not have his degree in economics. Look up the Laffer curve to see how taxes really work. I hate high gas prices like everyone else, but here are some facts. Look at irs.gov. The five largest oil companies paid nearly 4 BILLION dollars more in TAXES than the first 50% of wage earners in this country. Tax them more? Liberal democrats like Senator Byrd have done nothing to bring our state up, but kept it poor. Rich with handouts for votes, that's all. And you want a Hugo Chavez-type socialist in office? More handouts. I'm not voting for McCain, I'm voting AGAINST Obama. I like to keep MY money. Hey degree, if you want to give your money away, just send it to me. I could use it!

Posted By: Earned_My_Degree (10:23pm 08-07-2008)
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Let's see, McCain stopped to use the restroom in Huntington and grab a cup of coffee on his way to Ohio. I'll tell you, West Virginians will believe absolutely anything you tell them. John McCain has no use for us whatsoever, except our 5 electoral votes. You had better wise up folks and fast. McCain is the one who will do anything and say anything to win. With him, its more tax breaks for the rich and oil companies and more incentives for American companies to move overseas. Be smart, send him packing.

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