Re: You Know the Best Thing about George Bush and Big Tex? If my memory serves, (and it does), Gore VOLUNTEERED for the Army after
graduating from Harvard, and served in Vietnam.
Hmmm?
So did Kerry.
And Jimmy Carter was a Naval Academy grad serving in Rickover's nuclear
submarines.
Lessee? Clinton managed to avoid the draft, but then again so did
Cheney, Limbaugh, and a whole slew of right wingnut neocons ...
Why do republican chicken-hawks insist on making smear attacks against
Democratic VETERANS?
Just a little comparison:
Prominent Democrats
Representative Jack Murtha (D-PA) - distinguished 37-year career in
the U.S. Marine Corps, Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, retired from
the Marine Corps Reserve as a colonel in 1990.
Representative Richard Gephardt, former House Minority Leader -
Missouri Air National Guard, 1965-71 (the FULL 6 years).
Representative David Bonior - Staff Sgt., United States Air Force 1968-72
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle - 1st Lt., U.S. Air Force SAC 1969-72
Former Vice President Al Gore - enlisted August 1969; went to Vietnam
January 1971 as an army journalist, assigned to the 20th Engineer
Brigade headquartered at Bien Hoa, an airbase twenty miles northeast of
Saigon.
Former Senator Bob Kerrey... Democrat... Lt. j.g., U.S. Navy 1966-69;
Medal of Honor, Vietnam
Senator Daniel Inouye, US Army 1943-'47; Medal of Honor, World War Two
Senator John Kerry, Lt., U.S. Navy 1966-70; Silver Star, Bronze Star
with Combat V, and three awards of the Purple Heart for his service in
combat
Representative Charles Rangel, Staff Sgt., U.S. Army 1948-52; Bronze
Star, Korea
Former Senator Max Cleland, Captain, U.S. Army 1965-68; Silver Star &
Bronze Star, Vietnam -- Triple amputee from wounds received in Vietnam
Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) - U.S. Army, 1951-1953.
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) - Lt., U.S. Navy, 1962-67; Naval Reserve,
1968-74.
Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) - U.S. Army Ranger, 1971-1979; Captain, Army
Reserve 1979-91
Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC) - served as a U.S. Army officer in World
War II, receiving the Bronze Star and seven campaign ribbons.
Representative Leonard Boswell (D-IA) - Lt. Col., U.S. Army 1956-76;
two tours in Vietnam, two Distinguished Flying Crosses as a
helicopter pilot, two Bronze Stars, and the Soldier's Medal.
Former Representative "Pete" Peterson, Air Force Captain, POW,
Ambassador to Viet Nam, and recipient of the Purple Heart, the Silver
Star and the Legion of Merit.
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-CA: Staff sergeant/platoon leader with the 173rd
Airborne Brigade, U.S. Army; Purple Heart.
Bill McBride, Democratic Candidate for Florida Governor - volunteered
and served as a U.S. Marine in Vietnam; awarded Bronze Star with a
combat "V."
Gray Davis, former California Governor, Army Captain in Vietnam;
received Bronze Star.
Pete Stark, D-CA, served in the Air Force 1955-57
Wesley Clark, Democratic Presidential Candidate - lengthy military
career (NATO Supreme Allied Commander - 4 star GENERAL).
Chuck Robb, US Senator from Virginia, served in Vietnam ... A Marine
Corps veteran who finished first in his class at Quantico, Robb became a
White House Honor Guard. It was there that he met and eventually married
Lynda Johnson, the daughter of former U.S. President, Lyndon B. Johnson.
Robb went on to serve two tours of duty in Vietnam, where he led a rifle
company in combat, and was awarded the Bronze Star. And despite some
scandals, appears to be still married to his "first" wife (unlike
Reagan, Dole, Gingrich, et al).
Howell Heflin... Democrat... Silver Star
George McGovern, famous liberal, awarded Silver Star & Distinguished
Flying Cross, B-24 pilot, 35 missions during WWII.
Former President Jimmy Carter, most recent recipient of the Nobel
Peace Prize, seven years in the Navy.
"Except for his fellow service-academy graduate Dwight Eisenhower,
no President of the twentieth century spent more years in uniform than
Carter." (New Yorker Magazine)
Former Vice President Walter Mondale, U.S. Army 1951-1953
Former Senator John Glenn, D-OH (1974-1999) - Served in WWII and
Korea; extensive military commendations include the Distinguished Flying
Cross on six occasions, and the Air Medal with 18 Clusters. Astronaut,
first American to orbit the earth.
Congressman Tom Lantos, D-CA - Did not serve in the US military; did
serve in the Hungarian anti-Nazi underground in WWII. Saved by Raoul
Wallenberg, is the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress.
James Carville, a.k.a. "Corporal Cueball" - Served in the United
States Marine Corps, 1966-'68.
Markos Moulitsas, a.k.a. "Kos" (leading liberal blogger) - Served in
the United States Army, 1989-'92.
Back from the front lines, and running for Congress in 2006. Why did
almost all of the veterans coming home from Iraq run as Democrats?
MAJ Paul Hackett, USMC - U.S. Senate - Ohio
Volunteered in 2004 for active duty in the Iraq War, spending
seven months as a civil affairs officer with the 4th Civil Affairs Group
of the 1st Marine Division. Assigned to Ramadi and supported the
Fallujah campaign and reconstruction efforts there.
LTC Charles Brown, USAF - California 4th District - 26-year career in
USAF; jet and helicopter pilot; recently retired as Lt. Colonel
CPT Patrick Murphy, US Army - Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District
West Point professor, airborne and air assault qualified, a JAG
Corps attorney, served two deployments after 9/11 - the first to Bosnia
in 2002 and the second to Baghdad, Iraq in 2003-2004 as a paratrooper
with the 82nd Airborne Division. Bronze Star, Presidential Unit Citation.
1LT Bryan Lentz, US Army - Pennslyvania's 7th Congressional District
Third generation Army veteran, served with distinction in the Iraq
War and with MFO and NATO peacekeeping missions in the Sinai Peninsula
and Bosnia. Bronze Star. Commanded civil affairs unit in Iraq
responsible for rebuilding the infrastructure in Mosul.
CPT David Harris, US Army - Texas 6th Congressional District
12 years active duty. Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader, Company
Executive Officer, Support Platoon Leader, Division Operations Officer,
and Infantry Company Commander. Earned Bachelors degree in Government
from the University of Central Texas (now Tarleton State University)
while stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Assistant Professor of Military
Science and Training Officer for the Department of Military Science at
the University of Texas at Arlington and graduate of the U.S. Army
Ranger and Airborne schools. Transferred into the Army Reserves in
October 2002 and was stationed with a Military Police Battalion in Grand
Prairie, Texas. Alerted for Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom
January 2003. Mobilized to go to Iraq with my Army Reserve unit in
January, 2003. Deployed 14 months as a Logistics Officer.
CPT David Ashe, USMC - Virginia's 2nd Congressional District
Served in Kuwait in Operation Enduring Freedom for most of 2002.
Deployed to Iraq in 2003, attached to an infantry battalion assigned to
the Al Muthanna province. Sole coalition legal representative assigned
to restore the judicial system in an area roughly 20,000 square miles
with a population of more than 315,000 Iraqis. He traveled overland to
Basrah, Baghdad, Al Nasiriya.
CPT Andrew Duck, US Army - Maryland 6th Congressional District
Served 20+ years in the United States Army, three tours in Bosnia
and a tour in Iraq in 2003. Army career began as a Private First Class,
working as a Company Clerk. He worked his way up to Administrative
Non-Commissioned Officer, was trained as a Korean Linguist, and was
commissioned as a Military Intelligence Officer. Assignments included:
* Platoon Leader, Joint STARS Platoon, Mostar, Bosnia
* Assistant S3 and Chief, Counter-Intelligence Operations Cell,
103d Military Intelligence Battalion, Multi-National Division (North),
Bosnia Commander, D Company, 103d Military Intelligence Battalion, 3d
Infantry Division
* Intelligence Liaison Officer to 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Iraq
* Intelligence Staff Officer, Combined Forces Land Component
Command, Kuwait.
Eric Massa, USN (Ret) - New Yorks 29th District
Graduate from the US Naval Academy at Annapolis Maryland, 24 years
active duty serving in every operational area that the Navy sailed in.
Deployed for many months off the coast of Beirut in direct support of
our Marines ashore (1983). On station during the Iraqi invasion of
Kuwait and throughout the opening of Desert Storm. Capstone military
assignment was Special Assistant to General Wes Clark, in Panama and
when he became Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces. Former
Republican Congressional Staffer who broke with party because "As a
Professional Staff Member I expressed grave concerns to the Republican
Party and wrote several dissenting documents about the plans to invade
Iraq. When I saw what was happening to our returning Veterans, I again
documented my concerns to the Republicans ... left my position on the
House Armed Services Committee over the plans and strategies dealing
with the Iraq war and its aftermath and have not looked back since.
While I was not on the House Floor when the vote to invade Iraq took
place, I voted with my feet by joining the Wesley Clark for President
Campaign in New Hampshire. ... After the campaign, I returned home and
watched the outcome of the 2004 elections. I grew even more concerned
about the future as I saw a small group of right-wing partisan
politicians, highjack the party I had left the year before. Vote after
vote in both the House and the Senate results in legislation that
continues an unending assault on the very backbone of our nation - the
hard working families of America that form our Middle Class." ... aha!
There's that mythical "good republican".
LTC Tim Dunn, USMC (Res) - North Carolina's 8th Congressional District
Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Kosovo and Iraq. In Iraq Dunn helped
prepare the legal case against Saddam Hussein. Bronze Star.
So then you have ...
Former President Bill Clinton - avoided the draft through student
deferments; in the autumn of 1969, Clinton entered the draft but
received a high number (311) and was never called to serve. (CNN
article.) "...it was his doubts about the morality of the war and the
Selective Service system that led him to abandon the ROTC idea and to
subject himself to a draft lottery. Only the luck of the draw - a high
lottery number - kept him out. " (Jeff Greenfield, ABC News, quoting
Gov. Clinton.)
Which you then have to balance against these prominent Republicans and
Neo-Con punditocracy ...
GW Bush - decided that a six-year Nat'l Guard commitment really means
four years. Still says that he's "been to war."
(Yeah? Where? When? He won't even tell you where he was in 1972.)
Dick Cheney - several deferments, the last by marriage (in his own
words, "had other priorities than military service")
Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert - avoided the draft, did not serve.
Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey - avoided the draft, did not
serve.
House Majority Leader Tom Delay - avoided the draft, did not serve
"So many minority youths had volunteered ... that there was
literally no room for patriotic folks like himself."
House Majority Whip Roy Blunt - did not serve
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist - did not serve.
Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-KY - did not serve
Rick Santorum, R-PA, third ranking Republican in the Senate - did not
serve.
Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott - avoided the draft, did not
serve.
Former Att'y Gen. John Ashcroft - did not serve; received seven
deferment to teach business ed at SW Missouri State
Jeb Bush, Florida Governor - did not serve.
Karl Rove - avoided the draft, did not serve, too busy being a Republican.
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich - avoided the draft, did not serve
Phil Gramm - avoided the draft, did not serve, four (?) student deferments
Senator Richard Shelby, did not serve
Senator Jon Kyl, R-AZ - did not serve
Senator John Cornyn, R-TX - did not serve.
Senator Tim Hutchison, R-AR - did not serve
Rep. Christopher Cox, R-CA, (formerly) fifth-ranking Republican in the
House - did not serve.
Rep. John T. Doolittle, R-CA, sixth-ranking Republican in the House -
did not serve.
Rep. Saxby Chambliss, Georgia - did not serve due to a "bad knee" (yet
somehow feels he has a right to attack triple amputee, Vietnam Vetran
Max Cleland's patriotism)
Former Representative JC Watts - did not serve
Jack Kemp, did not serve (4-F because of a knee injury; continued as a
NFL quarterback for another eight years)
Eliot Abrams, did not serve
Paul Wolfowitz, did not serve
Former Representative Vin Weber, did not serve
Richard Perle, did not serve
Douglas Feith, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy - did not serve
Rudy Giuliani, did not serve
Michael Bloomberg, did not serve
George Pataki, did not serve
Spencer Abraham, did not serve
John Engler, did not serve
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-CA, did not serve
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-CA/49th, there were some problems with his
service (apparently inflated his resume ... ok, he's made a LOT of
inflated, unsubstantiated claims about his military service).
Rep. John M. McHugh, R-NY - avoided the draft, did not serve
Rep. Todd Platts, R-PA - did not serve
Arnold Schwarzenegger, CA Republican Governor - went AWOL from his
Austrian army base to enter a body building competition
George Will, did not serve
Chris Matthews, Mediawhore, did not serve.
Bill O'Reilly, did not serve
Paul Gigot, did not serve.
Bill Bennett, Did not serve
Pat Buchanan, did not serve
Rush Limbaugh, did not serve
(4-F with a 'pilonidal cyst' - He had a pimple on his asshole that
made him unfit for service ... [see "The Rush Limbaugh Story" by Paul D.
Colford, St. Martin's Press, 1993, Chapter 2: Beating the Draft.])
Michael Savage (aka Michael Alan Weiner) - did not serve, too busy
chasing herbs and botany degrees in Hawaii and Fiji
John Wayne, did not serve
Bill Kristol, did not serve
Sean Hannity, did not serve.
Kenneth Starr, did not serve
Antonin Scalia, did not serve
Clarence Thomas, did not serve
Ralph Reed, did not serve
Michael Medved, did not serve
Charlie Daniels, did not serve
Ted Nugent, did not serve
Country Singer Toby Keith, did not serve.
Radio Host Phil Hendrie, did not serve.
OTOH, I'll give at least partial credit to ...
Former Senator Bob Dole - an honorable man, even if he did leave his
first wife of 24 years to marry the wicked witch of the west! Two purple
hearts & Bronze Star with "V".
Chuck Hagel - two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, Vietnam.
Duke Cunningham - nominated for the Medal of Honor, received the Navy
Cross, two Silver Stars, fifteen Air Medals, the Purple Heart, and
several other decorations Recently entered plea bargain on felony
charges of bribery, etc. etc.
Senator Jeff Sessions U.S. Army Reserves, 1973-1986
Colin Powell. What are we to make of Powell? On the one hand, a long
career as a military manager. On the other hand, accused of covering up
the My Lai massacre. Back on that first hand, one of the seemingly sane
voices in this administration when it comes to Iraq (or at least he used
to be). On the other hand, a clear hypocrite ("I am angry that so many
of the sons of the powerful and well-placed... managed to wangle slots
in Reserve and National Guard units...") And then there's his UN speech
where he made all those claims regarding our "intelligence" and a lot of
specific certainties regarding Saddam's WMDs ... all of which turned out
to be so much moon dust.
[note: I know from personal experience Powell is a liar, because I
watched his testimony before Congress after Desert Storm and heard with
my own ears when he told lies about the unit I served with ... Don't get
me started.]
Representative Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), served in USMC in Vietnam;
wounded in action.
George Herbert Walker Bush, pilot in WWII. Awarded Navy Cross. Shot
down by the Japanese; lone survivor from the airplane's crew of 3.
Representative Sam R. Johnson, combat missions in both Korea and
Vietnam, POW in Hanoi from April 1966 to February 1973
(don't ever run for president Sam, they'll spread rumors that you're crazy)
Senator Ted Stevens, R-AK, WW II pilot, two Distinguished Flying
Crosses, two Air Medals, and the Yuan Hai medal awarded by the Republic
of China.
Sen. John Warner, R-VA - Served in the Navy 1945-1946 as a RM3;
reenlisted in the USMC 1950, 10 years service in Marine Corps Reserve,
retired as Captain.
Congresswoman Heather Wilson, R-NM, served in the Air Force 1978-1989
Former President Gerald Ford, served in the Navy, WWII
Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld - served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57)
as an aviator and flight instructor.
Also served as President Reagan's Special Envoy to the Middle East
while working for Bechtal Corp. and met with Saddam Hussein twice in
1983 and 1984. Sold Saddam the chemical plant used to manufacture
the chemical weapons Saddam used against the Kurds and Iranian army
during the Iran/Iraq war.
"B-1" Bob Dornan - avoided Korean War combat duty by enrolling in
college acting classes (Orange County Weekly article). Enlisted AFTER
the fighting was over in Korea.
Former President Ronald Reagan - due to poor eyesight, served in a
noncombat role making movies for the Army in southern California during
WWII. He later seems to have confused his role as an actor playing a
tail gunner with the real thing.
Former Vice President Dan Quayle, avoided Vietnam service, got a slot
in the journalism unit of the Indiana National Guard when the unit was
at 150% capacity (although at least he showed up for his duty, unlike
GWB). The way I heard the story, his daddy called a friend who called
around and found there was a unit with a legit vacancy & no waiting
list. Ol' Danny boy hied himself down there the same day and joined up.
No strings pulled, no one "jumped over", no family influence ...
Former Senator Strom Thurmond - apparently believes, along with Trent
Lott, that America should have been a segregated society. Still, he served.
Pat Robertson - claimed during 1986 campaign to be a "combat veteran."
In reality, was actually the "Liquor Officer"; a REMF.
Ollie North - Convicted in the Iran-Contra scandal, at least he served.
Charlton Heston - served in WWII, but went AWOL when Michael Moore
asked him some tough questions.
And last but not least:
Senator John McCain - POW. McCain's naval honors include the Silver
Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished
Flying Cross. Why did the Bush campaign smear him so?
And why did DEMOCRATIC Senators Max Cleland (D-GA), John Kerry (D-MA),
Bob Kerrey (D-NE), and Chuck Robb (D-VA) (veterans all) come to his defense?
Pudentame
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