During the presidential debate tonight, John McCain took a question from a member of the audience who identified himself as a retired Navy chief.
The senator began his response with the line every politician gives to every vet: "Thank you for your service to the country."
But he didn't stop there. "I want to say," McCain added, "everything I ever learned about leadership I learned from a chief petty officer."
Now, that's the straight talk I've heard so much about.