File under: 'Omission Accomplished' (Ann Coulter exposes truth about Sen. Cleland, answers critics)

WND.com ^ | February 18, 2004 | Ann Coulter

[perfect stranger]

Liberals are hopping mad about last week's column. Amid angry insinuations that I "lied" about Sen. Max Cleland, I was attacked on the Senate floor by Sen. Jack Reed, Molly Ivins called my column "error-ridden," and Al Hunt called it a "lie." Joe Klein said I was the reason liberals were being hysterical about George Bush's National Guard service.

I would have left it at one column, but apparently Democrats want to go another round. With their Clintonesque formulations, my detractors make it a little difficult to know what "lie" I'm supposed to be contesting, but they are clearly implying – without stating – that Cleland lost his limbs in combat.

It is simply a fact that Max Cleland was not injured by enemy fire in Vietnam. He was not in combat, he was not – as Al Hunt claimed – on a reconnaissance mission, and he was not in the battle of Khe Sanh, as many others have implied. He picked up an American grenade on a routine noncombat mission and the grenade exploded.

In Cleland's own words: "I didn't see any heroism in all that. It wasn't an act of heroism. I didn't know the grenade was live. It was an act of fate." That is why Cleland didn't win a Purple Heart, which is given to those wounded in combat. Liberals are not angry because I "lied"; they're angry because I told the truth.

I wouldn't press the point except that Democrats have deliberately "sexed up" the circumstances of Cleland's accident in the service of slandering the people of Georgia, the National Guard and George Bush. Cleland has questioned Bush's fitness for office because he served in the National Guard but did not go to Vietnam.

And yet the poignant truth of Cleland's own accident demonstrates the commitment and bravery of all members of the military who come into contact with ordnance. Cleland's injury was of the routine variety that occurs whenever young men and weapons are put in close proximity – including in the National Guard.

But it is a vastly more glorious story to claim that Cleland was injured by enemy fire rather than in a freak accident. So after Saxby Chambliss beat Cleland in the 2002 Georgia Senate race, liberals set to work developing a carefully crafted myth about Cleland's accident. Among many other examples, last November, Eric Boehlert wrote in Salon: "[D]uring the siege of Khe Sanh, Cleland lost both his legs and his right hand to a Viet Cong grenade."

Sadly for them, dozens and dozens of newspapers have already printed the truth. Liberals simply can't grasp the problem Lexis-Nexis poses to their incessant lying. They ought to stick to their specialty – hysterical overreaction. The truth is not their forte.

One of the most detailed accounts of Cleland's life was written by Jill Zuckman in a lengthy piece for the Boston Globe Sunday magazine on Aug. 3, 1997:

Finally, the battle at Khe Sanh was over. Cleland, 25 years old, and two members of his team were now ordered to set up a radio relay station at the division assembly area, 15 miles away. The three gathered antennas, radios and a generator and made the 15-minute helicopter trip east. After unloading the equipment, Cleland climbed back into the helicopter for the ride back. But at the last minute, he decided to stay and have a beer with some friends. As the helicopter was lifting off, he shouted to the pilot that he was staying behind and jumped several feet to the ground.

Cleland hunched over to avoid the whirring blades and ran. Turning to face the helicopter, he caught sight of a grenade on the ground where the chopper had perched. It must be mine, he thought, moving toward it. He reached for it with his right arm just as it exploded, slamming him back and irreparably altering his plans for a bright, shining future.

Interestingly, all news accounts told the exact same story for 30 years – including that Cleland had stopped to have beer with friends when the accident occurred (a fact that particularly irked Al Hunt).

"He told the pilot he was going to stay awhile. Maybe have a few beers with friends. ... Then Cleland looked down and saw a grenade. Where'd that come from? He walked toward it, bent down, and crossed the line between before and after." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 5, 1999)

"[Cleland] didn't step on a land mine. He wasn't wounded in a firefight. He couldn't blame the Viet Cong or friendly fire. The Silver Star and Bronze Star medals he received only embarrassed him. He was no hero. He blew himself up." (Baltimore Sun, Oct. 24, 1999)

"Cleland was no war hero, but his sacrifice was great. ... Democratic Senate candidate Max Cleland is a victim of war, not a casualty of combat. He lost three limbs on a long-forgotten hill near Khe Sanh because of some American's mistake ..." (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sept. 29, 1996)

The story started to change only last year when the Democrats began citing Cleland's lost Senate seat as proof that Republicans hate war heroes. Indeed, until the myth of Republicans attacking Cleland for his lack of "patriotism" became central to the Democrats' narrative against George Bush, Cleland spoke only honorably and humbly about his accident. "How did I become a war hero?" he said to the Boston Globe reporter in 1997. "Simple. The grenade went off."

Cleland even admitted that, but for his accident, he would have "probably been some frustrated history teacher, teaching American government at some junior college." (OK, I got that wrong: I said he'd probably be a pharmacist.)

Cleland's true heroism came after the war, when he went on to build a productive life for himself. That is a story of inspiration and courage. He shouldn't let the Democrats tarnish an admirable life by "sexing up" his record in order to better attack George Bush.

[The KG9 Kid]

"... This all reminds me of Bill Clinton, who always had to put himself in the midst of some life-altering event, even if he had to make it up on the spot."

Like John Edwards (D - Trial Lawyers) who makes up stories about imaginary little boys suffering with cancer who ask him why his single-parent mommy cries at night because she can't afford his radiology treatments.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

WND has started to put ads on the INTERNET with pop up audio. This is bad, if you are streaming and a pop up destroys your data stream. I always liked wnd but I will quit going there, until they get rid of it.

[TN4Liberty]

Actually she was quoting the Baltimore Sun re: the silver star. Further, it appears that the liberal assertion that Cleland was combat wounded is simply a lie. That you have not refuted in any way.

Welcome to the big leagues, lib.

[Paul Atreides]

Have you ever noticed how many people, who are constantly wailing about the financial inequalities of this nation, are the same ones who have mansions, boats, expensive cars, and multi-million dollar bank accounts? Yet, they never seem to care enough about those poor, downtrodden souls enough to live a modest life and give away the bulk of their largesse.

[hotpotato]

I believe she said much the same thing in her first article.

Actually, there was one important difference. In this article, Coulter comments (to which I strongly agree):

"And yet the poignant truth of Cleland's own accident demonstrates the commitment and bravery of all members of the military who come into contact with ordnance."

While in her previous article Coulter stated:

"There was no bravery involved in dropping a grenade on himself with no enemy troops in sight."

I think this article was toned down quite a bit and got the message across much better (an important message, I might add).

[perfect stranger]

I've had no problems (using WND and RadioValc).

[anncoulteriscool]

An excellent column....Game...Set....Match...Miss Coulter!

[spodefly]

Yum.

Sure, she has brains and beauty. But looking at that picture, I sense a certain emptiness in Ms. Coulter ... a missing element ... a longing that only spodefly can fill.

(And don't be tryin' to tell me otherwise, cause I know better ... )

[perfect stranger]

"I sense a certain emptiness in Ms. Coulter ... a missing element ... a longing that only spodefly can fill."

Good for you and your senses.

Don't elaborate. And if you do don't address it to me. LOL

[stylin_geek]

Incendiary as her first article was, I don't see where she lied in it. Brash and in your face, yes, but lies? No. What she said was correct, and certainly not the same as Paul Begala calling Katherine Harris a crook and a political hack, along with a few other names.

My point being, she committed verbal assault with facts, which drives the left nuts, because the left only knows character assassination through name calling and innuendo.

Someone has to carry the fight to the enemy, and Ann does it very well. One cannot always allow the enemy, and believe me, the left is our enemy, to attack, one must at some point hit hard and hit first.

[RonDog]

"He told the pilot he was going to stay awhile.
Maybe have a few beers with friends. ...
Then Cleland looked down and saw a grenade.
Where'd that come from?
He walked toward it, bent down, and crossed the line between before and after."

(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 5, 1999)

Ann is VINDICATED!

Of course. :o)

[nopardons]

BTT

[perfect stranger]

bump

[an amused spectator]

Of course, then we always have the Left-wing version of Cleland's service:

It's hard to imagine any recent Democratic senator less soft on national security than Max Cleland, a reflection on the unlikely path he took to the U.S. Senate. In 1967 he volunteered for combat duty. The next year, during the siege of Khe Sahn, Cleland lost both his legs and his right hand to a Viet Cong grenade. Two years later, at the age of 28, he became the youngest person ever elected to the Georgia state Senate. In 1977 President Jimmy Carter appointed him to head the Veterans Administration. He later became Georgia's secretary of state. And in 1996, Georgia voters sent Cleland and his wheelchair to the Senate.

By Eric Boehlert, Salon, Nov. 21, 2003

===============================

At least we get to discuss more than one side of the story here on Free Republic, unlike Republic.com (DU & the Smirksters). :-)

[RonDog]

"Sadly for them, dozens and dozens of newspapers have already printed the truth.
Liberals simply can't grasp the problem Lexis-Nexis poses to their incessant lying.

They ought to stick to their specialty – hysterical overreaction." - Ann Coulter

See also these PREVIOUS threads:

Coulter Attacks Cleland's War Record (ann coulter)
			Posted by anncoulteriscool On News/Activism 02/13/2004 8:34:37 PM PST with 171 comments 11Alive web site ^ | February 13, 2004 | John Shirek
Ann Coulter: Cleland drops a political grenade
			Posted by alloysteel On News/Activism 02/11/2004 11:11:19 PM PST with 223 comments Universal Press Syndicate ^ | February 12, 2004 | Ann Coulter

[annyokie]

Sorry, Ron. Ann is all wet on this one.

[an amused spectator]

Among many other examples, last November, Eric Boehlert wrote in Salon: "[D]uring the siege of Khe Sanh, Cleland lost both his legs and his right hand to a Viet Cong grenade."

I see that Ann must have liked my little research piece on Eric Boehlert. ;-)

[Rummyfan]

Three (four actually!) for one!