Article published May 22, 2008
Veterans, union call for better health care, more help from McCain
By TOM TROY
BLADE POLITICS WRITER
Some local military veterans and a national health workers' union teamed up in Toledo yesterday to demand more spending on veterans' health care and to criticize Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain's record of support for the Veterans Administration.
The event, held across the street from the VA clinic on Glendale Avenue in South Toledo, was a stop on a bus tour of election-year battleground states to campaign for universal health care.
Republicans contend Mr. McCain has been a stalwart supporter of the Veterans Administration.
Vietnam vet Robert Stewart, 57, of Oregon said he's had to fight to get his service-connected medical treatment, and still falls short. He said he suffered hearing loss related to being shot in Cambodia, but the Veterans Administration is disputing that.
"John McCain, thank you and God bless you for your service," he said, referring to Mr. McCain, who was a Vietnam prisoner of war. "We never gave up hope of getting you back. Please don't steal our hope as disabled veterans."
The Service Employees International Union has endorsed Democratic U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois for president.The bus tour has stopped in Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and is going to Michigan, SEIU spokesman Sara Howard said.
The union cited several "no" votes in Congress by Mr. McCain on legislation that would have authorized more spending for the Veterans Administration.
Robert "Rocky" Newbold, 56, an officer of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in East Toledo, told of being sent to the VA hospital in Ann Arbor last year to have a painful stomach condition looked at and waiting eight hours without being seen.
He said he had to go back the next day and then was hospitalized for five days.
"I've taken numerous of my members to that hospital and heard their stories of the months and months they've had to wait to get care. It's only getting worse as these veterans come back to this country," Mr. Newbold said.
He said he supported Mr. McCain in 2000, but since then, "he forgot the veterans that he left behind and he's leaving us behind like he was left behind in Vietnam."
Toledo City Councilman Frank Szollosi also spoke, saying the Veterans Administration provides "top-notch care," but is underfunded.
"John McCain has repeatedly voted against fully funding the Department of Veterans Affairs," Mr. Szollosi said, adding that Mr. McCain wants to dismantle and privatize the VA.
Crystal Benton, a spokesman for Mr. McCain's campaign, said he "has fought for increased and improved access to veteran care."
Ms. Benton said he does not want to dismantle the VA. She said he has proposed a card that would let veterans who don't live near a VA hospital to get treatment at another area hospital.
"They're misrepresenting what he's trying to do with the card," Ms. Benton said.
"The SEIU campaign against John McCain isn't about veterans. It's about partisan politics," she said.
Contact Tom Troy at:
tomtroy@theblade.com
or 419-724-6058.
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