[bullseye1911]

and former Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.), who lost both legs and his right arm in the Vietnam War, went ballistic.

Max Cleland went to Vietnam, played with a grenade, got his limbs blown off and yada, yada, yada, became a "war hero" and Senator.....

[CGASMIA68]

Sounds lik he was A Ballistic

[RedEyeJack]

Following the War Between the States many politicians ran for years on the basis of their service. Most apparently were true heroes (Joshua Chamberlain, for example). What we have with the Democrats this is is a very poor attempt to follow that model, known as "waving the bloody shirt".

Kerry's wounds were superficial and as best I can tell from what I have read he probably wrote his own award recommendations. His arch defender, a "bloody shirt" waver cum laude, former Senator Cleland, for whom I have much sympathy, was not injured engaging the enemy but from accidental circumstance and an apparent lack of basic situational awareness. He did not receive a Purple Heart for his wounds as I understand it. (Wonder how he really feels about Kerry's 3 PH's?).

Between them they are making way too much of the thirty year old events in which they were involved. As a Viet Nam era Vet (Two ARG Alpha pumps off the coast) with many, many friends who have multiple PH's earned the "hard" way, I resent both of them acting so proud of their service... Cleland, I feel sorry for, he had had a serious physical struggle all his life (I have met him and talked to him and remember him as a kind and generous person long before he became a Senator) but he chose to be a Democrat and to vote for their socialist, anti-defense agenda as a Senator. Kerry is just a arrogant poseur and an opportunist who got nominated because he was the least wacko in a field of losers.

[Redbob]

"...former Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.), who lost both legs and his right arm in the Vietnam War..."

They keep trying to gloss over HOW Cleland suffered his wounds: someone dropped a grenade, he went to pick it up, discovered the pin had been misplaced...
It could just as easily have happened at Fort Benning, and it still would have been "during" the Viet Nam War.

But that doesn't make it a combat wound, and Max Cleland is no "hero."

[RobbyS]

Cleland deserves much praise for making a career after losing his limbs. but he was no war hero.