[demlosers]

Kerry aides told TIME last week that they were worried their candidate had already come close to crossing the line. "There were a lot of people cringing around here when John let himself get engaged in this thing," said one. "It could backfire...."

Yes push the issue Kerry you pinko. The liberal press thinks this story has legs. I doubt it.

[VOA]

Over the next three months, Bush returned to his original Texas Guard unit and
crammed in 36 days of active duty, apparently fulfilling the Guard's demands.
In October 1973 he received an honorable discharge—nearly eight months early—
so he could attend Harvard Business School.

Case dismissed!

[VOA]

Turnipseed said he was so busy checking out new airplanes outside Alabama
and training, "I couldn't even follow football."

He may not have been a Tide fan...
but when a guy is forced to ignore football...
he probably wouldn't remember lots of things, like his kids' age and his
wedding anniversary!

[Cicero]

Very carefully written. They must have had their lawyers and political advisers go over it with a fine tooth comb. It says nothing, but careless readers will assume that it does.

I don't think it will go far, either. But it adds one more negative to the pile of slimy innuendos and lies that the liberal press has been throwing at Bush ever since he declared his candidacy for president.

[ClintonBeGone]

"There were a lot of people cringing around here when John let himself get engaged in this thing," said one. "It could backfire...."

It will. It would be no different than them battling us on the tax cut ground. Both is our home turf. It just baffles my mind why they would attack a sitting President on his military record. A sitting President who has led us to two astonishing military victories in 3 years in office.

People want to know about a candidates service so they'll know if they can trust him as Commander in Chief of their kids in times of war. He's passed that hurdle tenfold.

[sinkspur]

In the latest TIME/CNN poll, 60% of voters say John Kerry did his duty for the country during the Vietnam War, while only 39% make that same assertion for President Bush.

Did he? As someone else pointed out here, he shot a child, a woman, and two South Vietnamese soldiers.

Then, Kerry came home, linked up with Jane Fonda, and lied like hell about his fellow soliders still on the ground over there.

His record, upon close examination, is despicable.

[ambrose]

Turnipseed ping

[Welsh Rabbit]

Didn't one of Kerry's campaigne managers step down some months ago, in part, because Kerry wouldn't take his advice about trying to over hype his war record?

[Joe_October]

The real question is where Private Kerry was during the Iraq war.

He joined up voluntarily in the beginning of the war by voting yes. Then, when he was needed at the end, he voted no.

He wasn't in any jeopardy during the war and he didn't get any medals.

We'll see what his discharge says.

[NYCVirago]

Wow, this is actually a semi-fair article from Time about the subject! They even include the Kerry quote denigrating the National Guard, and point out that 48 National Guard soldiers have died in Iraq.

[mass55th]

"ecause he had earned three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star during 11 months in Vietnam."

I thought he had only been in 'Nam for 4 months when he received all of these. Can anyone verify?

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Many of us avoided the draft by getting student deferments or joining the Guard.

What Americans should be looking at is what these two public fugures have done in their public lives.

Did they stand with America or stand with America's enemies at crucial times in our recent history?

For me that question is answered clearly, as again today F'ing Kerry prefers to aid our enemies as our soldiers die on the battlefields.

He first votes the politically correct vote and then changes his tune when it is politically correct again.

A man who has no core values will wilt in time of crisis.

There should be absolutely no doubt that President Bush has passed the test of leadership.

[Servant of the 9]

REcords and memories may be spotty now, but I guarantee they were clear at the time, or there would have been no Honerable Discharge.

It also seems Kerry aranged to get out 6 months early by telling a lie about running for office.

So9

[PROUDAMREP]

Kerry got out early so he could come home and march with Jane and her gang.

[Finalapproach29er]

Bush should sue Kerry. Slander.

Knowingly false statments with malice. Honorable discharge says it all & Frenchie knows it.

[ATCNavyRetiree]

Kerry is scumbag...sure, he served, but lost his Core Values when he came home, threw his medals away (which means he feels he didn't earn them), became a hippie-boy and ran with Hanoi Jane.
The American people need to know this.

[KellyAdmirer]

Kerry aides told TIME last week that they were worried their candidate had already come close to crossing the line.

LOL, that's rich. Are they also concerned that he has "come close to crossing the line" about exploiting his war experiences? Why would we want to elect a President based on what the man did in about a five-minute time span 35 years ago? Marrying filthy rich widows (Republican to boot!), becoming Senator, national notoriety at 25 - this long-faced Brahmin has gotten more mileage out of less than just about anyone else in history. I think it's about time to stop the gravy train.

[88keys]

Senator John Kerry, the Democratic front runner, received an early discharge from military service too—because he had earned three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star during 11 months in Vietnam...

OK...I wouldn't normally ever have a bad word to say about a record like this, but on a "private forum" I might as well ask a few questions about the good Senator's record, since he's worked very hard to disparage the good President's record (as well as the National Guard servicemen in general)...

Might one ask whether Senator Kerry's "chestful of medals" resulted from extremely hazardous duty, or whether he might have been a tiny bit inept at avoiding harm's way? (very nasty to say, I know, but I'm talking Kerry here, and not medal-earners in general)...

Might one also ask how the Senator was deemed eligible for "early discharge", since to all appearances (?) he was not too grievously injured, despite the horrifying combat experiences? (at least, he seemed well able to spend the "last year of service" for which he acquired an "early release" organizing anti-war protests, throwing other people's ribbons over Washington walls, testifying before Congress against his comrades-in-arms who were still deployed, and doing his best to aid and abet Hanoi Jane and her ilk)...

And finally, just as a general observation, while the specific record of Sen. Kerry bears much more scrutiny than it's received so far, why is it people don't understand that a 20-year voting record on diverse issues, including defense and the military, must carry more weight in choosing a President or any other legislator, than 11 months of heroism 30 years ago??

(one last note...I'm quite sure no one ever called Sen. Cleland "unpatriotic"...it's possible that his voting record as a Senator was characterized as such, if he consistently voted against funding for defense and/or the military, but no one would ever question his service to his country as a soldier...this confusing of the issues via a constant drum-beat of half-truth "sound-bites" is the hallmark of the "new" Democrat party, and I'd urge every person, liberal or conservative, to stand up to the "lies and the liars that tell them"!!

/ rant, but I get so sick of hearing this "innuendo", if not outright "disinformation"...there are too many disengaged "sheeple" out there who hear one campaign ad, and then rush out to vote for their "candidate of choice" based on that "informed opinion". < sigh >

[anncoulteriscool]

After seeing what this issue did for Wesley Clark it seems pretty silly for Kerry to involve himself in this issue. I think the president should do 2 things. First, ONLY respond to accusations made by Kerry (not mcauliffe or any other scum) and simply forse John Kerry to state FROM HIS MOUTH exactly what his charge is. Put up or shut up Mr.Kerry!

[anncoulteriscool]

*****It was not until a week before Election Day in November 2000 that Gore surrogates accused Bush of having gone AWOL*****

Gee, I wonder if waiting till the last week or two was by design. HMMMM!

[speekinout]

Kerry told Fox News. "I've never made any judgments about any choice somebody made about avoiding the draft, about going to Canada, going to jail, being a conscientious objector, going into the National Guard."

How outrageous! I hope he repeats it often. Then everyone who has ever served in the National Guard or is a Conscientious Objector will vote for Bush. (I include Conscientious Objectors because many of them have arranged for alternative service. Their service is honorable)