For whatever reason, I feel the need to interject my thoughts on this.  When Patrick first shared the videos of McCain talking about his bracelet, I replied with this:

I think its a shame that he chooses to do that. There are troops who have fought in those wars on both sides of the aisle, some who believe in Obama, and some who believe in McCain. Some who believe that going to Iraq was right, and some that believe it was wrong.

I have a hard time with what he does because it creates this idea that somehow if you support the troops, you have to support him… when the fact is, not even all the troops support him. And that doesn’t change anyone’s patriotism.

Fundamentally I still believe this to be true, and am dissapointed that McCain brought it up again during the debate as if it were another stump speech.  It's a losing battle for both sides to use this as an issue, and I wish they'd both just drop it.  You will find plenty of troops in Iraq re-enlisting because they feel the mission is that important.  God bless them for their service and dedication.  You will also find many who either don't re-enlist because they've become disheartened, or because they've been injured and don't feel the sacrafice was worth it.  Are you going to call them unpatriotic?  I also found it almost laughable that both McCain and Obama were busy as hell jumping over each other to make sure they said how much funding they'd give to veteran's benefits.  We get it... nobody wants to screw veterans.

Which makes the bracelet battle even more unworthy of debate.  And the fact is, this particular battle is not all that cut and dry either.  The article that everyone seems to be quoting is from a radio show where the mother's ex-husband was talking about the issue:

Brian Jopek: Because of some of the negative feedback she’s gotten on the Internet, you know Internet blogs, you know people accusing her of… or accusing Obama of trying to get votes doing it… and that sort of thing.

Radio Host Moberg: Yeah

Jopek: She has turned down any subsequent interviews with the media because she just didn’t want it to get turned into something that it wasn’t. She had told me in an email that she had asked, actually asked Mr. Obama to not wear the bracelet any more at any of his public appearances. Which I don’t think he’s…

Couple of things here.  First of all, this is being spun by many people to make it sound like she wanted him to stop wearing the bracelet because she didn't agree with Obama's stance on the war.  That's clearly not true.  In fact, if you read Jopek's comment there, it sounds like she was worried simply about negative feedback from blogs and people supporting McCain... though he stops himself just short of saying that (though not short enough).  Here is the original JSOnline story about the mother giving the bracelet to Obama where she is clearly thrilled that he even mentioned it during a speech.  And her reaction to the debate is here:

"His response in the debate was exactly that, a response, after John McCain put it out there first," she said. "I think it was an appropriate response - he was just saying there's another side to the story, there's two different viewpoints."
...
Tracy Jopek said she didn't hear the interview but that her ex-husband, who is currently stationed in Cuba, mischaracterized her viewpoint. An e-mail message sent to Brian Jopek through his daughter on Sunday was not immediately returned.

"I think he knew my intention, he understands it was a gesture between me and Sen. Obama," she said. "It was just little piece of peace for us. I don't understand how people can take that and turn it into some garbage on the Internet."

Clearly the father feels differently about this than the mother.  But should the ex-husband's feelings overrule that of his ex-wife?  Of course not.  She had the bracelet made, and she gave it to Obama.  Her choice.  The point I'm trying to make here is that it's not only foolish, I believe it's simply wrong to put individual troops in the middle of this debate.  This isn't about what the troops want, or what the veterans want.  They get one vote like everyone else.

Tell us what you plan to do, why you think it's beneficial, and let the voters decide.  Stop putting the troops in the middle of a debate where they don't belong... both of you!  In the end, whether any one mother, father, or veteran believes in your stance doesn't matter.  Trying to prove otherwise is emotional grandstanding that does nothing to help your case.