Kerry slams 'refusal to serve'

http://www.theaustralian.news.com ^ | 04sep04 = 07 October 2004 rerun reprint ? | AP, AFP old status quo {ghost author}

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Kerry slams 'refusal to serve'
AP, AFP
04sep04

NEW YORK: Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry declared he had taken enough "incoming" yesterday and blasted back at his Republican antagonists by suggesting George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney were draft dodgers.

In his toughest counter-punch of the campaign, the decorated war hero said he was not going to have his military qualifications questioned by "those who refused to serve" in the Vietnam War.

"For the past week, they attacked my patriotism and my fitness to serve as commander in chief ... well, here's my answer," Senator Kerry said in Ohio.

"I'm not going to have my commitment to defend this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they could have and by those who have misled the nation into Iraq.

"Let me tell you in no uncertain terms what makes someone unfit for office and unfit for duty. Misleading our nation into war in Iraq makes you unfit to lead our country.

"Doing nothing while this nation loses millions of jobs makes you unfit to lead this country. Letting 45 million Americans go without health care for four years makes you unfit to lead this country.

"Letting the Saudi royal family control the price of oil for Americans makes you unfit to lead this country."

Mr Bush spent the Vietnam War in the Texas Air National Guard, and had faced accusations that even then he was absent without leave for long periods. Mr Cheney received five deferments and once explained that he had "other priorities".

[R. Scott]

That is one of the myths about the Viet Nam War. Several were called up.
My brother in law changed his PMOS and guard unit twice when his unit was called up to avoid going over. We had several individual replacements from guard units.

[reformedliberal]

Every one got a deferment every year of undergrad studies. Kerry would have gotten 4 of them. If Kerry had requested another year for a Master's somewhere in the US, he actually might have gotten it. I am female and I don't recall details, but good grades and references could get it done, in some cases.

Kerry applied to go overseas (France) for grad school. I don't recall what sort of program/time.

From 1966-67 onward, male university students got the benefit of the doubt in grading. If you were in a pre-professional program that demanded a B to stay in good standing, the guys got Bs. In a few months after this began, it was extended to women, too. It was discussed openly and everyone was aware of it. It was the beginning of grade inflation and cynicism about courses that weren't hard science.Liberal arts and art school (art school actually had the *B required in studio courses* up to 1966. In my school, that was quietly dropped in 1966.

The media doesn't point out that Cheney was older than Kerry and Dubyah, when talking about this issue. He had dropped out of school and was working. By the time he was back in school, his age would have been a factor. Then, if Lynn was pregnant, that was eligibility for a further deferment (minor dependents).I'm not positive, but I think the sole surviving son deferments were still around, too.

Then came the lottery and everyone with a high enough number just forgot about the draft. If you were older, it also wasn't an issue. Again, my memory is hazy on this, but I think 26-28 might have been the cut off age.

I would love to see the SATs, grades and GREs of those in the media who are of the right age and who actually went to university, let alone got a grad degree.

From my reading, this slamming of others' service record is the classic Kerry campaign ploy when he was losing at the end. It may be where the *good closer* myth began.

[Salamander]

I aim to please....:)

[TheSpottedOwl]

It's called "projection". Sociopaths, narcissists and other personality disordered people practice it. These folks accuse another person of the very thing they're "guilty of".

I'm getting real sick of Kerry. I can't imagine how VN vets feel when they listen to this traitor talk out his ass. November 3rd can't come fast enough for me.

Don't bother emailing the jerk. His butler would probably just delete your letter.

[Salamander]

Might wanna rephrase that....;))

[Smokin' Joe]

One thing everybody needs to be reminded of is that joining the navy was one way to reduce the chances of going to vietnam.

You it it on the head, and it wasn't until after he requested to be assigned to the swift boats that their mission tasking was changed and they were sent upriver.

My bet is that he was going to try to get his 'command ticket' punched and never see combat. Oh well, didn't work, did it?

[An.American.Expatriate]

"Letting the Saudi royal family control the price of oil for Americans makes you unfit to lead this country."

Does this mean that Kerry is going to allow the US to drill its own oil in the ANWR? Or is he going to "take" the oil the old fashioned way???

[Smokin' Joe]

Corpsman is the wrong Navy MOS to avoid combat. Many were assigned to Marine units in the field.

[Smokin' Joe]

Naval Reserve.

[reformedliberal]

Don't forget that his first *deployment* was a WesPac cruise.

I have a friend who spent his time on a WesPac ship peeling potatoes.

Career officers, especially from the Academies, volunteered immediately. They saw it as career advancement. It was very difficult for them if they couldn't also make the cut to the various advanced placement schools. I knew someone who failed to make it on jets, for example and knew he didn't have the chops to go to Columbia (?) for grad school in international affairs. He knew he wasn't going all that high in the Navy. He served honorably on choppers and then flying cover for people like Kerry on the River.

[Gone_Postal]

Just for the hell of it I went to Kerry's site and sent him an email pasting the line about "refusing to serve"
Then I wrote "Sing the 180 prove us wrong"
which I saw posted from another freeper and thought it would fit just right

[SwinneySwitch]

Seems kerry wanted to "continue his studies,"

In PARIS!

[Smokin' Joe]

You mean you don't want to see all the indentations in his butt from the rice he blew up?

Why is the Rice-a-Roni jingle going through my head?

"...the San Francisco treat.."

I'll pass on the view, thanks. (ICK!)

[bad company]

My friend spent a lot of time "experiencing" the 60's. Cognitave thought was a distant memory for him at the time.

[EEDUDE]

It has been stated before, but bears repeating:

Flying F-102 supersonic, all-weather interceptors took guts. They were inherently dangerous machines.

Ask any pilot who flew them. Ask the widows of those who died in them.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Nice job.

[bad company]

Btw, that's exactly what he ended up doing.

[tomnbeverly]

Lets hear all about your service John... Lets listen to all those that served with you.... Our President taught us well with his actions against Saddam...

Do you think we would take the Word of a Madman about his version of events ? and You Senator are losing it big time..

I think if you would ask Vice President Cheney's Daughter, who is a LESBIAN.... LESBIAN .... LESBIAN...

[Casloy]

.0035 percent to be exact.

[dennisw]

John Kerry served then proceeded to stab in the back. A perpetual self seeker. His Swift Vet peers reject him same as the US Senate does, where he was unliked and known chiefly for his love for the TV cameras.