Dean admits using deferment to skirt draft (Dean the draft dodger)

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | Nov. 24, 2003 | David Rennie

[respectful]

WASHINGTON -- Howard Dean, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, has admitted dodging the Vietnam draft, obtaining a medical deferment for a back condition and then spending 10 months skiing.

Asked if he could have served 33 years ago despite his back condition, Dean told the New York Times: "I guess that's probably true. I mean, I was in no hurry to get into the military."

Dean's candor may not have been wholly voluntary.

With his campaign under intense scrutiny from Democratic rivals, it was only a matter of time before attacks focused on his remarkable recovery from spondylolesthesis, a painful condition caused by a misalignment of the spine.

The condition was diagnosed while Dean was a teenager, and the candidate says he still suffers from occasional back pain.

He insisted that skiing did not bring on the condition, but that running did.

The "draft dodger" label may have little impact on Dean's hard-core supporters.

But it will raise fresh fears among members of the Democratic Party's national establishment, who fear that the former governor of Vermont would be ballot box poison in a national election.

Daily Telegraph

[PhiKapMom]

ROFLOL!!!!!!!! That's a good one! Hair color makes them crazy -- you might be on to something there!

[glorgau]

If only i could be said that Hilary dodged the draft. Darn.

[geopyg]

"Dean admits using deferment to skirt draft"

I thought I heard that Dean wore a skirt to avoid the draft.

[jmaroneps37]

Think about what basic scum the rank and file primary rat voter is! how-odd? admits he dodged the draft to get votes and he will. The evil donkey at his worst!