   NIXON ORDERED ME ON A CHRISTMAS EVE MISSION TO KOHNBOATIA IN 1968  |
   
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Posted on 08/24/2004 10:12:24 AM PDT by kattracks
Vice presidential candidate John Edwards, who avoided service in Vietnam, had wisely stayed out of the debate over John Kerry's Vietnam war record - until this past weekend, when he started depicting Swiftboat veterans who have criticized Kerry as "liars."
"They are saying that John Kerry's service in Vietnam was not honorable. That's a lie," Edwards told a town hall meeting in West Virginia on Saturday. On Sunday he repeated the allegation, saying in a conference call to reporters, "First, the claim that John Kerry didn't serve his country honorably is a lie. Second, those attacks are being financed by friends of George Bush."At a Monday campaign stop in Virginia, Edwards picked up the theme again, charging, "The argument and the claim that John Kerry did not serve this country honorably and proudly and courageously is a lie."
Not a difference of opinion from men who also served honorably in Vietnam. Not a conflicting account. Not a disputed version. But a lie.
Of course, Edwards himself hasn't always been forthright about his own military record - or rather, lack thereof.
In April, NBC "Today Show" host Katie Couric asked him where he was during Vietnam. The exchange went like this:
COURIC: Your military service, before we go?
EDWARDS: I - I did not serve in the military.
COURIC: You had a high lottery number, is that right?
EDWARDS: I did, and I came after - after the time that they were actually drafting from the lottery, Katie. I'm 50 years old. And because at the time I came along and graduated from high school and then - and then went to college, I was not drafted. [END OF EXCERPT]
A high lottery number? Not exactly. Pulling number 178 in the February 1972 Selective Service lottery drawing, Edwards' number was lower than more than half of those picked.
And what about the claim that he "came after the time that they were actually drafting from the lottery."
That's not strictly true either. The year Edwards became eligible for the draft, the military drafted 49,514 men, according to Selective Service records - tapping draftees who had lottery numbers as high as 95. The draft was abolished in July 1973.
But even that year, 646 young men born the same year as Edwards were inducted into the military.
His draft availability aside, Edwards could have enlisted in the military, following the example of the men he now calls liars. Or sign up for the National Guard, the way George Bush did.
John Edwards, however, did neither, enlisting instead in Clemson University, where, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri, "He had a little fun . . . drinking beer with buddies . . . smoking marijuana a few times."
"His campaign would not provide more specifics other than to say Edwards' occasional marijuana use continued through law school but stopped after that," the Charlotte Observer reported in July.
To at least one Democratic consultant, the failure to serve in Vietnam constitutes a betrayal of America.
"He betrayed them when he didn't fight in Vietnam," Democratic strategist Maryanne Marsh said Monday night on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes." "When he had a chance to serve his country, he didn't."
Of course, Marsh was talking about George Bush, not John Edwards.
Pulling number 178 in the February 1972 Selective Service lottery drawing, Edwards' number was lower than more than half of those picked.
What Limbacher is trying to say is that there were 365 lottery numbers chosen (from 1 to 365), and that Edwards' 178 means that there were a total of 365 - 178 = 197 dates with higher draft numbers than his, therefore "Edwards' number was lower than more than half of those picked".
Well, Duh! While it may be "true", it is certainly a silly thing for Limbacher to be using in an attempt to discredit Edwards. Even if there had been people drafted from that pool, Edwards would indeed have had a comfortably high number.
THANKS for the link
YEs, I guess that's right. "Picked" was a bad word to use, in my opinion. Maybe he should have just focused on the fact that Edwards was calling these men liars and left the issue of the draft alone.
I don't recall that Edwards was actually in Kerry's boat...
Bush enlisted
If Edwards were smart (don't rush me, I'll get to it!!), given his record, he would stay out of this. He has no dog in this fight.
The fact that Edwards is a Democrat AND a lawyer strongly explains why he is saying anything at all - he isn't smart!!!!
If you would like to help the Swift Boat Vets ( as I have, and I urge all to do-- even a few dollars will help ) kindly click on this logo:
If, perchance, the top "click the pic" link is not visible, click here:
-John Kerry- some selected, informative links...--
I want you to help the SwiftVets-- here's how:
1st download the videos and burn them onto a CD or DVD and HAND THEM OUT! Take lots of extra copies.
( Kudos to Fuzzy! )
You seemed to be clearly speaking about enlisting to go to Viet Nam.
So you're really only calling Cheney and Edwards yellow cowards?
"Pulling number 178 in the February 1972 Selective Service lottery drawing, Edwards' number was lower than more than half of those picked."
Are you sure of your facts? As I recall they never went above #103 in any of the years the lottery was in effect. I had #300 in the first lottery (1970), I'm 56 and graduated that year - Edwards probably had a Student deferrment for the 1972 and a few after that by which time the Vietnam war was winding down.
If you're going to throw stones at Edwards, you should include Cheney in your shots.
Just when I thought I had heard it all, this comes along, this woman should be forced to listen to Streisand sing feelings for 24 hours a day for one full year! If she survives that then she should be sent to Iraq for sensitivity training by the senior ayatollah! If she escapes that then I think we ought to get rough on her.
John Podesta not only never served a minute in the military even though he was of draft age (he graduated from college in 1971), he also protested against the war. It didn't stop him from referring to Bush as being AWOL!
Did Johnny Edwards just violate the rules of professional conduct for lawyers?
I don't have a problem with people who chose not to go; I have a problem who trash people who chose not to go -- when they did the same thing.
He could have volunteered.
Looks like Edwards smoked more loco weed than Gore...
"John Edwards, however, did neither, enlisting instead in Clemson University, where, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri, "He had a little fun . . . drinking beer with buddies . . . smoking marijuana a few times."
"His campaign would not provide more specifics other than to say Edwards' occasional marijuana use continued through law school but stopped after that," the Charlotte Observer reported in July. " "
Cheney did not call the swift boat veterans liars.
You cannot legitimately call people who chose not to enlist when there was no draft "draft dodgers."
LOL
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