Cleland Drops Political Grenade... On Himself [Did you know He Blew Himself Up In Vietnam?]

Townhall ^ | 2/12/04 | Ann Coulter

[Huck]

War is dangerous. I don't care if a soldier gets hurt changing a tire or using the latrine, if they put themselves in harm's way, they deserve our respect, and if they get hurt while serving, they deserve it even more.

[Hatteras]

The story, Lloyd said, was wrong. Lloyd said the blast was caused by another soldier’s grenade — not Cleland’s.

Of course, there's proof of that because...?

Lloyd said he knew because after Cleland was loaded onto the helicopter, another soldier, who had been hit by shrapnel, was crying. Lloyd tried to console the soldier, who said he had dropped the grenade.

Obviously we will need the name of this soldier, they DO have his name, right?

The grenade exploded when its cotter pin had fallen out, activating the explosive, said the 57-year-old Lloyd. The soldier told Lloyd that he had straightened the pins so it would be easier to pull them when he had to throw a grenade.

Lloyd’s revelation, which checked out, changed Cleland’s life, Cleland has written. For 30 years, Cleland had blamed himself for his injuries.

Checked out? By who? Where's the proof? Will they release the records? How can a soldier accidently blow the arm and legs off a guy and just walk away without anyone not even knowing his name?

Maybe they can meet again at another JOHN KERRY RALLY to go over the details...

[donozark]

I doubt if there were many "beer parties" being held along Highway 9 in April 1968. It was post Tet. Khe Sanh Combat Base was just down the road. Lang Vay SF Camp (or what was left of it.). Old French Fort. Quang Tri Province was just behind Thua Tien Province in terms of total number of US KIA.

Cleland probably assumed the grenade fell from his web gear or pouch. As for the GI who straightened the pin on the grenade? What more needs to be said....?

[G.Mason]

"Friends don't let friends drink and detonate."

Darwin Award nominees don't, as a rule, have any friends.

[hobbes1]

Ooops, Ping!

[Loyal Buckeye]

Will Lloyd make his dental records available to us? We would like to verify his story.

[Republican Red]

I worked for the State of Georgia at the same time Cleland was Ga Sec. of State. He was hated by his department. I heard such terrible stories about what a miserable human being he was. People wanted to like him and tried to like him but it was impossible.

I have heard many versions of how he lost his limbs. My supervisor at the time, a big-shot department head, told me his own troops did it to him.

Personally, I don't care how it happened. The man gave service to the US. However, I have never given him my vote.

[anniegetyourgun]

And could you blame him?

[FlipWilson]

I love Ann Coulter, but this is a bit of a hit piece. Cleland lost his limbs while serving. nuff said.

What Coulter is absolutely correct about, however, is attacking Cleland's sense of entitlement. This guy believes he was entitled to be Senator for life because he was a triple ampute and Vietnam Vet. He comes accross to me as being bitter. It really loses him some credibility.

It also shows how yet another Democrat Urban Legend has been foisted upon us, namely, Cleland lost because his patriotism was attacked. This just shows the elist nature of the Democrap Party. If one of their candidates is defeated, it can't be because the voters rejected him or her. That would NEVER ever happen!!! Nope, it was a conspiracy of the highest order. Cleland's Patriotism was attacked, not his judgement. No way a Democrat should ever be held accountable for voting a certain way. Stupid voters of Georgia, wake up!!! Don't you know that Max knew what was best for you?

As for this entire National Guard issue. I hope the Democrats keep bringing it. The more they do, the more they alienate the military, the more they look petty (think Wellstone funeral) and the more the "Main Stream" media looks biased and angry.

[11th Earl of Mar]

I agree that ANY veteran, especially a disabled vet, deserves our respect.

But my question was, "I wonder how the libs would respond if Bush had crashed his own jet on the runway on take-off and sustained injuries."

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[buzzsaw6]

On "Hardball," Cleland testily remarked: "I just know a whole lot of veterans who would have loved to have worked things out with the military and adjusted their tour of duty." (He knows one--Al gore)

He knows two: Kerry got out early, too, to run for congress.

[surrey]

No, don't bring forth the former Mrs. Kerry. She has only nice things to say about him.

[quantim]

(And nine times more than Bill Clinton, Barney Frank or Chuck Schumer did during the same period.)

Well, not exactly.  9 x 0 = 0, not 9!   But we get the point, LOL.

[Momto2]

My brief glimpse of Max Cleland left me with the same opinion. I had him on a flight to D. C. (from Atl) in first class. He was obnoxious - drinking heavily - and making inappropriate comments to me and the other flight attendants. Before this incident - I had respected him for his service and accomplishments. After that - I lost respect for him as a person and considered him pathetic! And I agree - I never voted for him and never will....

[NotchJohnson]

Ann has more balls than any Republican Senator. Sure she is preaching to the choir but she is always right - and smart.

[ClintonBeGone]

Wow. This is certain to be explosive. Gotta love Ann, she's got one hell of a pair of grenades!

[mattdono]

Perhaps? Perhaps not? Hatteras raises some interesting points that would have to be answered.

But, it doesn't change the fact that Mr. Cleland didn't "leave his limbs on the battlefield", which is what the demoCREEPs have said over and over and over and over since the 2002 election.

So, it wasn't his gernade? It was still an accident. A tragic accident, but an accident nonetheless.

Mrs. Coulter points out that he wasn't injured in combat. The demoCREEPs use Mr. Cleland and a completely made-up story about leaving limbs on the battlefield for the mere imagery of a hero. In this case, the left is proven AGAIN to make things up out of whole-cloth.

Once again, there is no substance to what they say.

Compare these two...

DemoCREEP Story	Reported Truth
Max Cleland left three limbs on the battlefields of Vietnam	Max Cleland dropped a grenade on himself and lost 3 limbs
Max Cleland left three limbs on the battlefields of Vietnam	A fellow soldier dropped a grenade near Cleland and lost 3 limbs

Take your pick, the demoCREEPs are still liars.

[ClintonBeGone]

Of course, they would have Molly Ivins to suggest that he was "too stupid to fly."

Max actually cited Ivins when, after he made some comment about how Bush's father got him into the national guard, Chris Matthews asked him if he had any proof.

[ClintonBeGone]

Wasn't the war over by January 1973? Essentially America was reducing its role in Vietnam big time by during the period Bush was in the Guard.

Yes, Jan 15, 1973 was the cease fire.