Jim,

It was not McCain's status as a former-POW that makes him a "war hero", but rather his actions while a POW - specifically his refusal to accept parole from the enemy and his support of fellow POWs while a prisoner.

While I would agree one's actions in a Vietnamese prison camp do not have a great bearing on one's qualifications for President, they at least give one insight into the character of a person when the chips are down.

Ken