Quote from Error 404:
You are asking the wrong person. I don't know anything about it. Except what I hear from those who are latching onto this issue as an "anti-Kerry" cause.
The good news for you and me both is this: the issue will certainly become part of the campaign. It will be addressed and resolved to the public's satisfaction one way or the other.
Keep in mind; Kerry is not yet the nominee. If he is "guilty" of anything in the way you and AAA perceive him to be, then he will NOT be the Democrat's nominee in November. It is far too important not just for the Democratic Party, but for America itself to have an honest, and capable and responsible man in the Whitehouse. Therefore, GWB HAS to be un-seated.
If Kerry has issues in his past that are at all serious, if Kerry has anything that is REAL that would hurt his chances to be elected, someone else will be drafted to run. There is still a lot of time between now and the convention.
I am amazed that the Republican Party does not have some opponents campaigning for the nomination of their party.
Isn't is rather obvious that as of right now, if Kerry comes through with a "clean bill of health" that Bush will lose? This "Hanoi John" nonsense seems to be a big issue. THE big issue. (Yeah, AAA, I know about the special interest stuff....not a good can of worms for the Bush people to open any wider).
This Vietnam protest issue remains the centerpiece....the photo of Kerry and Jane Fonda at a podium together was proven to be a fake? LOL!!!!
Seems to me that the Republicans...(I correct myself...the Bushies) have been grasping at straws. Calling the kettle black. Kerry was given preferential treatment so some poor kid from the ghetto could take his place on "The Wall"? Come on! GWB didn't use his family's influence to go into the reserves?
Cdbern, you sound like you are around my age. You should know that the three years between Kerry's age and Dubya's age was HUGE. In 1965, virtually ANYONE could have gone into the reserves and stayed out of Vietnam. But Kerry went.
By 1968, there were huge waiting lists to get into the reserves. I tried VERY HARD to get into a reserve unit. I was on "the list" when I got called. But somehow, Dubya just waltzed right into OCS as a reservist. Now certainly it may have been easier to get into the reserves in Texas than it was on Long Island. But nonetheless, I NEVER KNEW OF ONE SINGLE GUY who was able to go to OCS and then get assigned to a reserve guard unit. NOT ONE!!!! I guess I should have registered in Texas when I turned 18!
Peace,
RS
I'm not going to stick up for Pres. Bush over the National Guard except to remind you the military takes a very dim view of having sons of US Congressmen among their ranks. They don't mind having rich kids there, but children of high ranking/important government officials, now way. Can't blame Bush for that. Look around, you won't find children of government officals among the commoners. Too risky. Were they to get captured, the enemy would have a field day. Don't try to hang Pres. Bush for that. Remember you can't choose your family, just your friends.
Kerry and the Navy. Since he ask the draft board for permission to study in Paris for a year and the request was denied, he obviously had to do something. JFK was a family friend and he wanted to emulate him so what better way than join the Navy and skipper a boat. Can't fault him for that, John Kennedy was our generations hero for the most part, as was Robert.
So I don't fault either man for their military service. Its what has happened since that I look at.
Ever been to a Democratic Convention? They have rules you know. Kerry is going to be the nominee. Only way to avoid it is for Kerry himself to withdraw and he'll never do that. He's to convinced of his electability and supporters are too convinced he's the man.
Contacts in the South are telling me a lot of Democrats there have decided to vote for Bush. They don't like the liberal leaning of the Party and would rather have Bush for another 4 years. This will be interesting.
