What happens when John McCain fields a question at a town hall meeting that isn't scripted as usual? Well, he lies of course.

MCCAIN: I've received every award from every major veteran's organization in America. I received every organization in America their awards. ... The reason why I have a perfect voting record from organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and all the other veterans service organizations is because of my support of them. [...]

VETERAN: You do not have a perfect voting record by the DAV and the VFW. That's where these votes were recorded. These votes were proposals by your colleagues in the Senate to increase health care of the VA in 2003, 4, 5, and 6 for troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. And you voted against those proposals. [...]

MCCAIN: I've been endorsed in every election by every veterans organization that do that, I've been supported by them, and I've received their highest awards from all of those organizations. So I guess they don't know something you know.

Does McCain's record support his rhetoric?

Not only has he refused to support the 21st Century GI Bill, which the Veterans of Foreign Wars endorsed last June, he has consistently voted against increasing funding for the Veterans' Administration, which oversees all medical care for veterans:

• Voted AGAINST an amendment providing $20 billion to the VA's medical facilities. [5/4/06]

• Voted AGAINST providing $430 million to the VA for outpatient care "and treatment for veterans," one of only 13 senators to do so. [4/26/06]

• Voted AGAINST increasing VA funding by $1.5 billion by closing corporate loopholes. [3/14/06]

• Voted AGAINST increasing VA funding by $1.8 billion by ending "abusive tax loopholes." [3/10/04]

And as far as "receiving the highest awards" from all Veterans' Organizations, well that's not so true either:

McCain's so-called "perfect" record has been roundly criticized by prominent veterans groups: He received a grade of D from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and a 20 percent vote rating from the Disabled Veterans of America; Vietnam Veterans of America noted McCain had "voted against us" in 15 "key votes."

How's that for "straight talk"?