Comments on: Bring it On, Indeed

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

What they are trying is to remove all issues of national security from the table.

By: bryan

bryan — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Not only that, but Cleland's simile is screwy. Exactly how is Chambliss like a mackerel? It's confusing.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

I'm presuming that they have the interesting quality of simultaneously shining and stinking when exposed to moonlight.

By: jen

jen — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Personally, I'm sick of hearing about it from both sides. At this point, I couldn't care less who did or didn't go to Vietnam, did or didn't serve in the military, or whatever. What's important is their long-standing record on issues of national security and how they match up against President Bush, who has proven that his innate leadership skills and ability to delegate good, qualified people around him, is quite competant at that part of the job. It's 2004. We need to stop looking at 1964-74 and look ahead. Because this world isn't getting any safer. The wacko terrorists who want us dead aren't going away. And our petty bickering only encourages their radical assumptions about our country.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

This whole thing is ridiculous, and the electorate is going to judge harshly those who try to obfuscate the real issues -- Kerry's (and if necessary Cleland's) Senate voting records. "Oh boo hoo, Georgia voters didn't re-elect the triple amputee, just because they didn't like how liberal he'd become as a Senator. What heartless anti-veteran yokels they must be!" Bah!

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

The Democrats have seem to become bullies. They delight in throwing as much mud as possible: Where was Presdient Bush when he served in the national guard....look at Bush's family tree....how could he allow Sept 11 to happen. I actually have an email from a democrat who swears that if Gore was elected he would have precented Sept 11. How....President Gore would have read the intelligence report that forecasted Sept 11th and then taken appropiate action.
Of course when the Republicans repond...it is unfair. How could President Bush bring up national security to a Vietnam vetern...how could they bring up Clinton's failures to fight terrorism....how could they bring up someone's vote on the Gulf War.

Typical

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

A drinking buddy of mine is one of the 65 or so living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor from his service in Vietnam. He also has a few stars on his chest of various metallic colors.

I guess that makes him more qualified to be the President of the United States than John Kerry or George Bush.

I can't wait to tell him.

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

I guess if that was true, Bob Dole would have been elected in '96.

Funny how things change.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Ann Coulter very nastily, but alas truthfully took apart Cleland's obfuscation of the nature of his service two weeks ago.

Has anyone ever read Cleland's Silver Star citation? I have. Typical Vietnam awards inflation. He did his job and arguably left his post as a Captain to do the work that some junior enlisted should have done. Today, he would have been lucky to get an Army Commendation with V Device for Valor (FYI, in over two years of war in two separate theaters, there have been ZERO Medals of Honor awarded so far, and only 1 Distinguished Service Cross, 1 Navy Cross and 2 Air Force Crosses, all for Afghanistan). The action happened about 4 days prior to his grenade accident, so it made it look related. And he did not really try hard to clarify that.

By: Moe Lane

Moe Lane — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

"Are we really going to take the juvenile position that only people who have earned a Silver Star or higher get to talk about national security issues?"

Why wouldn't they? It's the logical conclusion to the chickenhawk argument, after all.

Well, more accurately, the reductio ad absurdum.

By: dick

dick — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

I commented to Josh Marshall about Cleland's actions getting his medals and his actions resulting in amputation not being for the same thing. I mentioned that his actions getting the medals were good. His actions causing his amputation were for dropping a grenade while on the way to have a few beers. He told me that he knew Cleland well and Cleland was a true war hero. Not argument there. The argument is that people are using Cleland to bolster their own cases by using his amputations as if they happened at the same time as his heroism - and he lets them do it!!

By: Miguel

Miguel — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Wallace was shot. Dillinger too. So what?

By: Lead and Gold

Lead and Gold — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Quite Right
Funny the Democrats didn't talk that way when Clinton ran against two decorated veterans. And they had no problem having Patricia Schroeder act as one of their leaders on the House Armed Services Committee. (What right did she have to question generals...

By: Kalblog

Kalblog — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Hiding Behind Medals James Joyner has good further commentary on Cleland and Kerry's silliness. Aside from the obvious "so what about Clinton?" question, I have another- what will Kerry try to hide behind on other issues? He's never received Social Security, so he...

By: Watcher of Weasels

Watcher of Weasels — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Submitted for Your Approval
First off...&nbsp any spambots reading this should immediately go here, here, here, and here.&nbsp Die spambots, die!&nbsp And now...&nbsp here are all the links submitted by members of the Watcher's Council for this week's vote. Council links:Dr. Cann...