Kerry now calling Bush a Deserter

[John Redcorn]

Once again the Democrat campaign reeks of hypocrisy. Kerry is now publicly calling Bush a deserter, but Clinton got a free pass on blatant draft-dodging. The liberal media is blasting all Republicans over a few GOP staffers cracking Democrat memo files, but it was OK for Clinton to illegally procure over 900 FBI personnel files for use against his political opponents. Slick Willy had his bootlickerWesley Clark intervene in a civil war, bomb Yugoslavia into a parking lot, create 500,000 refugees, and destroy the country's infrastructure (all without the blessing of the UN, I might add), but the war in Iraq is immoral. These people make me sick.

[Delta-Tango]

For those who are determined to run him down, no explanation will matter. Maybe you are one of those people. For the rest of us, the truth shows that the charge of desertion is just a partisan, Democrat lie.

No, I am not one of those. Just a disabled vet who wanted a reasonable -- and reasoned -- answer to the original question. You are the first person to provide that and I thank you for it. I know it would be a LOT more exciting if I was some sort of left wing mole sent to the site, but truth is my only sin [from what I can tell from the tenor of this site] is that I was a big McCain supporter in 2000. I DO plead guilty to that, and my resignation will be on your desk in the morning. By the way, I have forwarded the main parts of your post to colleagues of mine. It truly is the best explanation of this issue I have seen. Thanks again.

[xzins]

A deserter is someone who goes AWOL and NEVER comes back unless caught. That's simply a fact. I used to visit such prisoners at Ft Knox, KY in my capacity as a chaplain. They'd spend a couple months in the jail and be discharged with a dishonorable.

It is a fact that George W. Bush has an honorable discharge.

If he had in fact gone AWOL (whatever that means with the Nat'l Guard), then it must be recognized that he had to at least have come back the last day to pick up his honorable discharge.

In other words, "desertion" is a stupid charge.

At least they would be a world more accurate if they'd say he had been awol for some specified period of time.

The truth is, though, that we're simply talking about a record-keeping gap in a military record that was kept by hand in those days.

Incidentally, there's even record of those drills being made up WHICH WAS AND IS legal.

[WFTR]

Delta-Tango,

I hope you're around long enough to read my reply, and I'm sorry if I seemed to imply that you were one of those simply determined to smear the president. When I wrote that maybe you were one of those people, I truly meant the "maybe" aspect. I couldn't tell whether you were sincere or whether you were baiting us. Likewise, when I spoke of "the rest of us," I wasn't trying to be exclusive of you but to draw a line between those who have looked into the matter and those who wouldn't care what the truth was.

It is unfortunate that concise explanations of the president's prior service have not been made more public. The story that I wrote came from reading several fairly long online articles and I think from the president's campaign autobiography. It's still my paraphrase, and it would be nice to have a similar paraphrase from someone who could speak with more knowledge and authority than a regular guy like me who has tried to research it on the web.

I don't think your rough introduction to Free Republic came from your support of Senator McCain as much as from the way you phrased your initial comments. I'll admit that I have serious reservations about Senator McCain, but at times, I have also been a strong critic of President Bush. There are Bush supporters on this forum who have said some pretty hard things to me during and since the 2000 election. I've become angry and said some pretty hard things in return. We all get pretty passionate, and when someone says something that sounds similar to liberals' attacks against us, we sometimes respond pretty hard. Your post had that feel to it, and that led to our suspicions.

Whether Free Republic is a place that would be worth your time is for you to decide. I hope you'll check out some other threads and see how things go. You may be one of those people who is frequently at odds with the prevailing opinions, but if you can be tactful when tact is needed and play rough when you must without breaking the rules, you might find it an interesting place.

All the best,

Bill

[Delta-Tango]

You may be one of those people who is frequently at odds with the prevailing opinions, but if you can be tactful when tact is needed and play rough when you must without breaking the rules

Gee... I don't know, Bill. This is exactly how Howard Dean describes himself! However, I guess if I can make it through a year in Vietnam, I can survive Free Republic. This is more scary (and has more landmines) but I'll try. Thank you for a generous and classy reply. Appreciated more than you know.

--Bob

[meandog]

Unfortunately, most Guard and Reserve component records were made and kept by administrative types servicing the Guard and Reserve...I ought to know, I'm a retired Naval Reservists.
These records are notoriously inaccurate due to sloppy record-keeping, and it is incumbent upon each member affected to ensure that his/her record of service is maintained and up to date.
I can clearly see how President Bush, trusting in the admin system, could not have proof of his service upon his unit moving to the Alabama ANG...but there, IMHO, IS a way to prove his service during the time. He could resurrect old tax returns from those years (if he has them) or demand them from the IRS. The returns should indicate the pay he recieved for the drills that are in dispute...

[sweetliberty]

Hypocrisy, thy name is democRAT!

[sweetliberty]

Kerry must have a real short memory. Wonder where he was when it came to light that Clinton was a draft dodger. Of course, since Kerry himself showed contempt for his own military service (I hear he was in Vietnam), I suppose it was okay that Clinton was a draft dodger. But then, given Kerry's own history, I hardly think he has room to be criticizing anybody else.

There is no doubt in my mind that Kerry is a lying, self-serving SOB and thinks it is perfectly acceptable to dupe the gullible and get himself elected based on that "end justifies the means" philosophy. Deliberate deception and dishonesty is a despicable characteristic in any person, but exponentially moreso in one who would be the leader of the free world.

[xzins]

One thread on this last week says that the Pres. made lost drills up in accordance with rules in effect in the ANG at that time. They provided the dates of make-up drills. I believe they either provided 3 dates or 3 sets of dates. I'll have to look for the article.

In any case, my memory says there was a period of time when make-up dates provided points but no cash. The IRS would not then have a record because retirement points for ANG were also kept by clerks, and therefore, by hand in a handwritten file jacket.

[wardaddy]

you're a re-entry here...witty but this is not your cherry.

you write familiar.

[Rosie405]

What is Kerry's religion? Is he a Catholic or a Protestant? Teresa is wife #2 too, right? What happened to wife #1 - divorce or death?

[Impy]

He's Catholic, although not really of course since he's pro-abortion and pro-gay.

As to his fisrt wife http://www.newsmax.com/showinside.shtml?a=2003/5/12/120519

[GigaDittos]

Unfortunately there's nothing we can do about this.

[GigaDittos]

I understood you from the start. I'm also outraged at the border policy, but apparently there is no cut and dry method of fixing a problem that goes back at least 20 years. California could have done a lot more to solve its own problems. Bush should settle the issue of the supposed year away, and needs to be careful of Kerry on this. I believe Kerry will play this for all its worth. Nevertheless, Kerry has some weaknesses on military issues as well. Like voting for the use of force and then trying to backpedal. Like joining an unpopular veterans movement that may have cost morale and lives in RVN. Like possible ties to socialist organizations during his time protesting the Viet Nam war. Maybe Bush has made mistakes in policy, but no one can criticize his leadership ability. He is a leader and it is apparent to everyone. I believe he can say he fulfilled most of his campaign promises. Kerry talks about a steady hand while waffling on his past voting record. Bush is the steady hand, and Kerry won't win on that point. Does Bush have political motivations, of course, who doesn't? It ain't easy with a lame 50/50 Senate, with moderate leadership. I always thought Frist and Lott were lamers. They are wusses. Hastert has given Bush what he wants, Frist has not. Kay basically stated that the war was justified and that Bush received junk intelligence, like every other world leader did. No one world leader came out and said there were no WMD. They all believed it. The UN hold outs were for business interests, not for principle. I can tell you that Kerry will not make the intelligence better. The Dems have the biggest reputation for screwing up the intelligence community, remember the Senate during Carters presidency. They shamed and gutted the CIA's ability to work; and then of course there was Clinton. I think Bush is holding his own for someone who hasn't even started campaigning yet. People like Bush, and believe he is well grounded. Kerry is a Washington insider with Kennedy ties. Who likes a Kennedy; answer, no one. No one knew Bush from Adam when he first campaigned, but he's showed he can lead and make decisions (right or wrong). People like that in a man and president. Look out for Kerry's message, it will be negative and likely his biggest problem. The Dems have nothing to say, no issues, no plan and nothing positive to say to America. They never have since JFK.

[Delta-Tango]

My brother lives in Madison County and loves big game fishing out of Biloxi. But I just can't say God Save the Colonel. He's a Bulldog all the way.

[Delta-Tango]

Mega dittos! Well said, well written, well reasoned.

[wardaddy]

Thank God, your brother lives in one of the only inhabitable spots left in the greater Jackson area....where I grew up.

The area around the resevoir or Annandale are quite nice.

All my extended family are there, I'm 7th generation Miss.

Prep 75, Ole Miss 80.....about as Mississippi as it gets. I still deer hunt in Copiah.

[jstolarczyk]

OK..Red.... take a chill pill and get the facts straight, I have 15 years Active and 10 years in the reserves. In the Reserves and Guard, you can get what we in the Navy call Authorized Absences where you do no drill for up to 6 months. Further he did not miss a year, he drilled during the fiscal Quarter in question, but he drilled away from his command because he was working on a campaign. This is allowed even today, in fact it is more the rule than the exception. I live in Illinois and drill in Virginia, I do not go to Virginia every month. I was out the country for 6 months, I did not drill, I was on "flex-drill" program. So unless you understand the Reserves and Guard which has many unique rules, do not make assumptions. Further more, I am tired of this he crap about he was only in the Guard. (not that you made that statement, dems are) As if that makes us less dedicated!!!! OK, I am off my high horse.

[jstolarczyk]

This issue was settled, Bush was excused from drilling at his command, drilled at an alternate site during the fiscal quarter in question, he did not miss a year. The internet gives us access to unprecentended access to facts as well as BS, it is incumbent on us to seperate the two before we speak.