This is kind of interesting because it's been Kerry's m.o. to accuse his opponents of being unpatriotic and un-American and now he's trying to turn the tables.
The Dems recently have restarted these accusations that Cleland was accused of being unpatriotic or some such. It's a Carville talking point these days and a typical Dem tactic: Reach into the past and make an obscure (GA's only one state of 50) accusation. Responding is difficult, because even if the facts can be recalled, responding to the accusation is just distracting.
But then history gets changed in the telling.
Personally, my perception of it is Cleland always cries "You can't criticize me, I was injured."