Posted on 08/31/2004 1:54:33 AM PDT by kattracks
Roger that. And though I'm not going to hold Dubya up as a war hero, I'd like to note a few things for the record:
There are 15 F-102 pilot's names on that big black Wall in DC.
Bush's unit could have rotated to Nam (like another Texas ANG squadron before them) but didn't. Kerry's Naval Reserve unit could have stayed stateside, but didn't. Twists of fate...
My Dad served in the Air National Guard in the Vietnam era. His civilian job was running into burning buildings when everyone else ran out. He is no coward, and I'm tired of the smear that he and men like him are. I'm also tired of the idea that military aviation is nice and safe if nobody's shooting at you. I and the people I served with put their lives on the line every time the wheels came off the runway, ad these attacks on the President by the draft-dodging, troop-loathing girlie-men of the Democratic party really tick me off. I'm looking for payback opportunities every day until Nov. 2nd.
Me too. Panama, Gulf War, Somalia, Haiti...All that happened while I was in, but Inever got anywhere near any of it. And I only volunteered for the Gulf War because I was one of two guys in my shop who weren't married, otherwise I just would have accepted the luck of the draw. I would have gone to any of those hellholes if they'd sent me, but they never did.
He is, isn't he? At least Dukakis stood for something.
Actually I think the real purpose of the Democrats for trashing President Bush's National Guard service was to bait him (or his supporters) into making some sort of comment that it was 35 years ago, and did not matter today. After all they gave Clinton a pass, they do not really care about someones military service.
I don't think they expected him to respond by giving them everything they asked for, and standing up and taking the abuse they hurled at him.
Fast forward to today. Kerry tries to run for President based on four months in Viet Nam, and stories come out that all may not be what they seem.
I am sure the Kerry camp wanted President Bush on record asking for relief from the charges against him, or saying it was too long ago to be relevant.
By standing up to those that tried to get him into the gutter to fight, President Bush makes the contrast between the way he handles criticism and how Kerry handles criticism more stark.
Kerry's response to the Switftys allegations is as much responsible for his drop in the polls as the allegations are.
The American voters have watched as their President has been charged with one vile crime after another, and has responded with grace and answers never accusing his accusers of having an ulterior motive.
The first time Kerry faced real opposition he falls back behind his barricades demanding that they stop and leave him alone.
Is this the man we want to lead the fight against terrorism?
Rangel was a driver with the 503rd Artillery Battalion. I found this on the web:
Chinese gunfire rained down on the American troops, destroying their trucks and killing drivers. As the Americans fought to clear the roadblock set up by the Communist forces, darkness closed in. The 503rd artillery battalion of the Second Infantry Division was an intact, cohesive unit. A wounded corporal continued to lead his men forward, moving the dead from the road and loading the wounded into trailers. When orders were given to abandon the area, that young corporal led the troops over mountainous terrain to safety. His heroism saved many lives.
The year was 1950, the place Korea, and the 503rd was a segregated battalion of African-American soldiers. The young corporal hailed from Harlem and not only won a purple heart and a bronze star for his valor but went on to be a member of the U.S. Congress. He is gravelly voiced Rep. Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat.
And I'd be willing to bet some really good poll analyst could point to the beginning of the "Kerry strikes back personally" phase and show us how that was the real beginning of Kerry's slide. I mean, I could raise money and run ads tomorrow saying that Kerry molests girls scouts, and the public won't care, but if he starts acting like it's a real charge, well then...
Rangel's heroism is just more proof that Dubya's ANG service is irrelevant. Heroes turn into conservative icons, heroes turn into liberal icons. Draft dodgers become Vice President, Draft Dogers become President. If we look at Dubya's character we find a man quite different from the boozing flyboy he once was. Whe we look at Kerry he's still the same troop-loathing girlie-man he was in '71.
I wonder if this will anger vets who really earned their medals.
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