No good deed shall go unpunished. Cindy McCain, wife of presumptive Repulican presidential nominee John McCain, was in Vietnam last week on a charity trip to support Operation Smile. The anti-communist listservs lit up with accusations that she’s pro-commie.
In the picture above (by the AP’s Chitose Suzuki, who’s been in Vietnam for years and has made friends with loads of Vietnamese photojournalists), Cindy went to visit an Operation Smile mission in Nha Trang, at the Khanh Hoa provicial general hospital where she met with Le Thi Phuoc and her father Le Van Tan. In 1997, Cindy McCain helped Phuoc come to Phoenix, Arizona for surgery to repair her facial deformity.
Operation Smile, based in Norfolk, Virginia, is a not-for-profit medical service organization that provides cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide. A number of Vietnamese-American physicians and surgeons who have worked with Operation Smile in the communist country have been critized as well.
The humanitarian nature of Cindy’s trip didn’t save her from the wrath of the right-wingers. 
And we’re not just talking about the fringe anti-communists. Some of the harshest words came from some of the central figures in those listservs. The screen cap to the right (click to enlarge), for example, is of an email sent by Matthew Tran, a prolific and very popular contributor to the several email groups. The highlighted part translates to: “John McCain must have thought that 99% of Vietnamese-Americans are communist when he let his wife go hand-in-hand with the communists.”
“Let his wife” go to Vietnam? Hmmm.
Anyway, McCain has not always been enamored by the Vietnamese-American conservatives. McCain was the Republican face in support of the Clinton administration’s normalization of relations with the communist government of Vietnam.
For years, McCain has aligned himself with his close friend and fellow Vietnam vet John Kerry to block the Vietnam Human Rights Act, a bill that would condition economic aid to Vietnam on the country’s improving freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Like Kerry, McCain believes that economics should not be conditioned on politics.
In 2005, Vietnam’s then-Prime Minister Phan Van Khai visited Washington DC. During a reception where Khai was sitting with McCain, Vietnam veteran and POW/MIA activist Jerry Kiley threw red wine (supposedly representing blood) on Khai’s seat (not on Khai; on his seat after he had gotten up to speak at the podium). The wine splashed on McCain. The stunt got Kiley prosecuted for assault. The case was later dismissed.
Now if anything’s true, Vietnamese-American conservatives have long memory. That explains their reaction to Cindy McCain’s humanitarian trip to Vietnam.
Bolsavik,
I don’t subscribe to these listservs, so I don’t know what’s going on there, and of course you have a much better ear for these things than I do, but somehow I think these ARE the fringe, not mainstream Vietnamese-Americans. Look at this clown “Matthew Tran, a prolific and very popular contributor”. Come on, “popular” with whom, the illiterate? The dude can’t even write! Sounds like a third-grader, don’t you think? If many Vietnamese-Americans actually pay attention to clowns like that, then we’re in much more serious trouble than I thought!
“Like Kerry, McCain believes that economics should not be conditioned on politics.”
I’m not sure if that’s entirely correct; that makes it sound like all they care about is making the big bucks. I think McCain, rightly or wrongly, believes in the goal of democratizing Vietnam, and that economic liberalization would lead to political liberalization.
Now, people may agree or disagree with that proposition, and there’s reasonable ground to doubt it, at least in certain cases (e.g. China), but that doesn’t mean McCain believes that economics and politics are entirely unrelated.
Dear VietPundit,
I stand corrected. It may be more accurate to say: “Like Kerry, McCain believes that economic issues should be de-coupled from political pressure.”
Kerry and McCain do talk to the Vietnamese about human rights issues, but they believe in doing so separately from any talk of economic liberalization or aid.
Anyway, about the fringe or non-fringe — I agree with you that a lot of these listservs sound like the fringe of Vietnamese-American politics. If so then what I meant is that we’re not talking about the fringe of the listserves (fringe of the fringe, so to speak) we’re talking about the main characters in that movement.
The listservs have been the main vehicle behind some important activities in the community. Most call-out for protests are carried through that medium. The vaunted Declaration against Nguoi Viet (“Ban Len Tieng”) gathered strength and its 400+ signatures from these mail groups. And 60% of the contents of Take2tango.com come from emails sent around these listservs.
So, if we start with the assumption that there’s a “mainstream fringe” and there’s a “fringe of fringe” then Matthew Tran belongs to the “mainstream fringe.”
I appreciate Mrs. McCain for supporting our little children with medical needs.
Thank you Mrs.McCain!
>> McCain has not always been enamored by the Vietnamese-American conservatives
>> Now if anything’s true, Vietnamese-American conservatives have long memory.
Matthew Tran and his group do not define the “Vietnamese American” political identity nor the “conservative” brand. I think you gave more influence than needed to this character whom you seem to despise.
I am quite puzzled by that.
I wonder who else these ultra conservative gooks gonna vote for in this coming election, if they bash McCain?
VietPundit,
Good observations. I was about to say the same things.
Kerry and McCain may oppose the Vietnam Human Rights Act back then but just because they took the same position does not mean they share similar values/rationale. Kerry might believe that “human rights dialogue should be separate from any talk of economic liberalization or aid” but McCain, besides his BIG HEART (forgiving those who tortured him), is an American leader and he must think far beyond Vietnam. There are strategic considerations at play here: having Vietnam as our ally to balance China’s growing influence in East Asia, supporting and growing pro-American forces within the VCP, etc. Not as simple as the Bolsavik speculated.
The Vietnamese American vote plays a significant role in his campaign strategy (battleground Virginia, potential upset in California) and we will do our best to bring important community issues to his attention and ensure our voice is heard in his foreign policy approach toward Vietnam.
As for the mainstream fringe v. the fringe of the fringe, what is the point?
>> the Vietnam Human Rights Act, a bill that would condition economic aid to Vietnam on the country’s improving freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
Correction: the bill seeks to condition * further increases * in economic aid to Vietnam on the country’s improvement in freedom and human rights.
Meaning: If Vietnam makes no progress, it still receives the same aid packages like the years before. So, this is not sanction as many pro-trade groups have falsely labeled the bill’s purpose.
Tuan,
While it’s understandable for the “straight-talker” McCain to called those Viet Cong “gooks” for torturing him for 5.5 yrs and breaking almost everybone in his body. Any of us would call them with the most despicable terms because they were such low level animals.
However, it is a different story for you, or any other clueless liberal out there, to take advantage of this incident which McCain has publicly apologized for (unnecessary in our eyes), and use that term to call your fellow Vietnamese whom you disagree with.
Matthew Tran and those in his company play little significance in community affairs. The only people where they exerted the most influence are those who give attention to this group.
looks like the Commies already have McCain eating out of their palms
Someone needs to tell McCain that the votes comes from the Vietnamese here in the US, NOT the commies in VN. He’s always been somewhat of a liberal to me and not quite the Republican or the anti-commies that he wanted us to believe…
Arthur Tran YOU tell someone not to help these children with medical needs YOURSELF!
Even if you were a commie I would still appreciate someone who is giving medical help to your children because I believe kids are innocent !
Jung Kim, then you should go home and tell your boss Van Tran that he should stop with calling everyone a communist sympathizer… also ask him… would he also considered McCain a communist sypmpathizer…
Contrary to most people’s belief, John McCain is not a VN war hero as US mainstream media have been drumming up. To many Vietnam Vets, especially the POW’s, John McCain was a lying skunk or a “song bird.” Check out the video link below, you will know something most people have missed. You may not believe in any accusation from any source, but for the other Vietnam POW’s, their stories should make you think twice about McCain.
http://www.youtube.com/user/VETSAGAINSTMCCAIN
Asians rule?……………in what ? I may ask.
Mathew Tran’s language sounds very much like that of uneducated Viet Communists during the war. This person’s attitude is one of many reasons that have diminished the sympathy and appreciation the American public used to have for the Viet refugees.
Shup up , all of you , fake anti VC ! You are all insane to criticize Mrs Cindy Mc Cain for coming to Viet Nam for her charity activities , Operation Smile !!! Don’t you think that you deserve a place in this great and generous country of decent and freedom loving people ??!! You must be ashamed of your stupid comments !!!!!
I mean SHUT UP !!!
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