Vietnam Avoider John Edwards Calls Swiftvets 'Liars'

NewsMax.com ^ | 8/24/04 | Carl Limbacher

[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.

[kellynla]

You cannot legitimately call people who chose not to enlist when there was no draft "draft dodgers."
well guess what, if you knew your history, you would know that there indeed was a draft during the Viet Nam war and Edwards "dodged the draft" somehow...let me know when you catch up on your history... off to lunch...enjoy the rest of your day

[clamper1797]

Don't feel bad ... My lotto number was 7 and I got my draft notice 2 weeks AFTER I had left for boot camp.

[Howlin]

I lived that "history" so I know what I'm talking about.

Edwards was subjected to the 1972 draft; his number was 178.

Only around 700 men were called that year.

Now are you insisting on calling him a "draft dodger?"

[MeekOneGOP]

See this group of Swift Boats patrolling together? They are NOT SERVING together!!! Only the ones on the SAME BOAT are serving together! Each group of personnel on each boat know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the personnel on the other boat, PERIOD !! If they say they do, they are Republican LIARS !! Unless the one talking is a DemocRAT. Then he is telling the truth, of course.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Cheney was in his thirties in 171 he would not have been drafted.

[justshutupandtakeit]

1971

[kellynla]

so I know what I'm talking about
evidently not since on your previous post you stated that there was no draft...

you're really wasting my time...
cya

[Howlin]

My point was, he wasn't a DRAFT dodger.

I can see I'm wasting your time; on your agenda. Go right ahead and judge everybody.

[RVN Airplane Driver]

I don't believe Cheney called the Swifties liars...that is the difference....

[ZChief]

I, too, dreaded the draft lottery. I was born June 30, '53 and my lottery number was 142. I remember my buddy calling me on the phone to tell me that lottery was being broadcast on the radio. I had missed some of the program and after listening to the remainder I realized I had missed hearing my number drawn. I had to wait until the next day for the afternoon newspaper (we didn't get the morning edition). Needless to say I was waiting by the mailbox for the paper boy to arrive. When I opened and read the results I discovered that I was number 12. Man, did that hit me hard. I knew I was going to be drafted and go off to war. I dropped the paper and walked like a zombie to my bedroom and laid down staring at the ceiling. My uncle came in a few minutes later with the paper to point out there were 2 dates with the number 12. I had to wait til the next day to call the paper about the discrepancy. They were a little puzzled by my concern until I pointed out how important it was to me personally. Needless to say it was a misprint. They left out the 4 in 142. I don't know about everyone else but I had tracked the draft orders close enough to figure that I was pretty safe with little fear of getting drafted. I, too, was scared to death about the war. The single thing that I feared the most was the punji (sp?) sticks.