Greenfield: Kerry Has Unbeatable "National Defense & National Security Record

IMUS | 02/18/04

[Williams]

Jeff Greenfield on Imus this morning was discussing Edwards' chance of beating Kerry. Greenfield said repeatedly that Edwards lacks John Kerry's experience and record in the "National security and defense areas." He also said Kerry has found the way to exploit this against Bush, such as by saying "I know something about aircraft carriers, for real."

Democrats are so truly delusional (and deceitful). Kerry's record is one of slashing defenses, and he still believes the Cold War was a terrible mistake. So they obviously plan on saying the two months in combat is the same as a great "national defense" record.

It seems preposterous to me that Kerry knows more about aircraft carriers when President Bush has been leading the military (including aircraft carriers) around the World. It is also presumptuous to assume Kerry has somehow beaten Bush on the national security issue. I think the polls say just the opposite.

Imus was challenging Greenfield on whether Edwards served in Vietnam. Greenfield immediately said Edwards is 50, and "I believe the draft was ended before he became 18." Maybe, but I am 48 and the draft was ended just before I turned 18. Also, that would have nothing to do with volunteering, would it? In fact, Edwards would have a slightly better situation if he was subject to the draft and would have gone, but just didn't get called.

It was striking that while they criticize President Bush, the democrats and reporters (same thing) are so quick to assume a reason for why Edwards didn't serve. And of course it's a reason with no logic behind it.

[EllaMinnow]

You were born in 1954, my husband and John Edwards were born in 1953 - I think that's the difference.

I'm younger than that, and no one in my class was drafted - Viet Nam was over long before I graduated, but I well remember my sisters' boyfriends having to plan their lives around the fear of being drafted.

For John Edwards to just brush off the Viet Nam question as if it had nothing to do with him is ridiculous. He was lucky, he had a mid-range lottery number at a time no one was being called up. But he was in the lottery.

[EllaMinnow]

This morning, Imus asked David Gregory about John Edwards and Viet Nam, and Stretch just laughed it off, like "HaHa, you old kidder, Edwards is too young for that ancient history!"

The media folks are a pack of fools.

[Mo1]

Imus was challenging Greenfield on whether Edwards served in Vietnam. Greenfield immediately said Edwards is 50, and "I believe the draft was ended before he became 18."

The draft ended in 1973 .. at that time Edwards would have been 20 years old

Edwards went off to college on a scholorship .. he thought he had

But when he got there .. the scholorship fell through

Why it fell through ???? .. I have no clue

[Mo1]

Can someone set that straight? Did John Kerry actually ever serve or go on an aircraft carrier during Vietnam?

I don't think this was ever addressed .. maybe he was on an aircraft carrier when he was sent over to Vietnam??

But I'm not sure because I don't remember reading anything about this

Hon .. do you know this answer?

[Hon]

All I know is that he served on a guided missile frigate (USS Gridley) and two PCF ("Swift") boats.

I've never seen any mention of anything else.

[kcvl]

He enrolled at Clemson University but dropped out in his first year, after a football scholarship fell through and he didn't have the money to continue. The next year he started at North Carolina State, graduating in 1974. That was quickly followed by a law degree from the University of North Carolina in 1977 and marriage to felow lawyer Elizabeth Anania. The young couple moved to Nashville, Tenn., where Edwards spent the next five years working for Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander's former firm, defending big companies. In 1981 he returned to North Carolina and started working for a plaintiffs' firm, Tharrington, Smith, and Hargrove, where he discovered he had such a gift for trial law that he soon went on to found his own firm, Edwards & Kirby, LLP, with a law-school classmate. Over the years, Edwards would win judgments of more than $152 million in 63 cases, according to The Washington Monthly. Plaintiffs' lawyers typically keep about a third of what they win.

[miloklancy]

I don't know what Greenfield has been smoking, no pun intended, but Kerry's National defense record is deplorable. It's curious how this coincides with a new CNN/Gallup Poll showing Kerry ahead of Bush, while in contrast the latest Zogby poll, shows Bush edging ahead of Kerry.

[onyx]

Well, thank you, kcvl. Edwards has some 'splainin' to do, but we'll have to pose the questions the media won't.

[Mo1]

Insteresting ... And we thought it was only Kerry that was going for the Kennedy look


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43151-2004Feb15.html

Hoping for a House of Fun: Elizabeth Edwards

First ladies in waiting: Checking in from the campaign trail.

• When reached en route to Sheboygan, Wis., Elizabeth Edwards immediately points out that calling her a first lady in waiting assumes she has no "independent existence" beyond being the wife of Democratic candidate John Edwards. "I want my husband to be the president, and being the first lady is a necessary evil attached to having your husband be president," she says, but explains it's not an original quote. A former bankruptcy lawyer, Elizabeth, 54, is always precise, but hardly stuffy. "I made a joke earlier that it appeared to me that first ladies had to wear church clothes every day, and I certainly hoped that wouldn't be so."

How would she be different from her East Wing predecessors?

"I don't like hypotheticals, but I have a big difference, of course, which is just because of who I am and because of who my family is. I have young children." By Inauguration Day, Jack and Emma Claire will be 4 and 6, respectively, she points out. (Elder daughter Cate is at Princeton.) "Attending to their issues and their lives, attending school plays and sporting events, making sure that they grow up happy and healthy, that obviously makes me different. I think it probably makes me more attuned to what's happening in young families every place. I also think it's probably going to be good to hear unrestrained giggling in the halls of the White House. I think that makes us all feel better."

Would there be Camelot-esque scenes of kids scampering around Daddy's desk? "We're not going for that photo op. I'm pretty sure that one's been done," Elizabeth chortles. "They're more likely to be jumping on the bed in the Lincoln Bedroom. We may have to stop 'em from that, don't you think?"

Nah. Might be fun to join in.

[onyx]

Oh Lord. Every damn one of these democrats make me gag.

I tell you, Mo, come November I am going to be pencil thin again, and THAT is the only redeeming thang about this election season.

[EllaMinnow]

"They're more likely to be jumping on the bed in the Lincoln Bedroom."

Hey, Liz, that photo op has been done, too! Remember Markie Post?

[EllaMinnow]

The High-Anxiety diet. I remember that one!

[Iron Eagle]

Fire Imus ... that is actually in the top five of truly nutty things I have ever read on this site. (Which includes the AQ thread)

[Mo1]

LOL .. Well I've been wanting to shed a few more pound .. summers coming up *L*

BTW .. Mrs. Edwards remind me a bit like Hellary .. seems she wears the pants in her family too

[Howlin]

What was Edwards' number in the 1971 draft?

[leadpenny]

If you go to the link at my post #9 here is what it says: (There is also a chart with all the number for that lottery and further links for the same info on the first three lotteries during Vietnam.)
_________________________________

RESULTS FROM LOTTERY FOR MEN FACING THE DRAFT IN 1973
The lottery drawing held February 2, 1972, determined the order in which men born in 1953 were called to report for induction into the military.

How to read this chart: This chart shows all the birth dates in a given year and the lottery numbers assigned to those dates. Read this chart like a multiplication table. At the top of the chart are the months of the year. On the far left are the dates of the month. The numbers in the center represent lottery numbers. For example: To find the lottery number assigned to July 15, look down from "July" till it matches up with the number "15" on the left side of the table. The corresponding number in the middle is "359." This means that all men born on July 15, 1953, were assigned the lottery number 359.

This lottery was conducted for men who would have been called in 1973; however, no new draft orders were issued after 1972.
________________________

This is the only lottery he would have been effected by. His birthday was 10June53. I misread the chart and thought his number was 89. I corrected that at post #11. His was 178. As you can see it was a mute point because they didn't take anyone from that lottery.

[Poohbah]

Greenfield: Kerry Has Unbeatable "National Defense & National Security Record

This guy must be smoking crack.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I didn't but they probably did.

CG