( CNN ) -- Retired U.S. Gen. Wesley Clark , a supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama , on Sunday questioned whether Sen. John McCain 's military experience qualified him to be commander-in-chief . Retired Gen. Wesley Clark , who ran for president in 2004 , questioned John McCain 's qualifications Sunday . The McCain campaign called for Obama to condemn the remarks . The dust-up began with Clark 's appearance Sunday on CBS ' `` Face the Nation , '' where moderator Bob Schieffer asked him about his interview with the Huffington Post earlier this month . In the interview , Clark said McCain , the presumptive Republican nominee , was `` untested and untried . '' When Schieffer asked to explain the comment , Clark said he was referring to McCain 's experience , or lack thereof , in setting national security policies and understanding the risk involved in such matters . `` I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war . He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces , as a prisoner of war . And he has traveled all over the world . But he has n't held executive responsibility , '' said Clark , a former NATO commander who campaigned for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 . `` He has n't been there and ordered the bombs to fall . He has n't seen what it 's like when diplomats come in and say , I do n't know whether we 're going to be able to get this point through or not , '' Clark said . Schieffer noted that Obama did not have any of those experiences , nor had he `` ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down . '' `` Well , I do n't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president , '' Clark said . In a statement released by the McCain campaign Sunday afternoon , retired Admiral Leighton `` Snuffy '' Smith criticized Clark 's comment . `` If Barack Obama wants to question John McCain 's service to his country , he should have the guts to do it himself and not hide behind his campaign surrogates , '' Smith said . `` If he expects the American people to believe his pledges about a new kind of politics , Barack Obama has a responsibility to condemn these attacks . ''
Retired U.S. Gen. John McCain 's questions John McCain 's executive experience . In Barack Obama interview , John McCain 's says McCain has n't `` ordered the bombs to fall '' McCain campaign calls for `` Face the Nation '' to condemn the comments .