Opinion: John McCain’s own “band of brothers” gets a shout-out in St. Paul

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John Kerry, at the 2004 Democratic National Convention that nominated him for president, made much of his ‘band of brothers’ -- veterans who had served with him in Vietnam.

Tonight, as the Republican National Convention kicked fully into gear following its session that was abbreviated on Monday because of Hurricane Gustav, a small group of John McCain’s military comrades were introduced (and loudly applauded) -- men who shared imprisonment and torture with him at the infamous Hanoi Hilton during the war in Vietnam.

McCain wasn’t there; he arrives Wednesday in Minnesota’s Twin Cities for the gathering that will officially make him the GOP’s presidential nominee. Instead, introducing the POWs was one of their other fellow captives: Orson Swindle (who shared a cell with McCain).

Swindle’s name may ring a distant bell for some -- in the 1992 presidential campaign, he served as a spokesman (as much as anyone could) for third-party candidate Ross Perot.

-- Don Frederick