Posted on 08/24/2007 8:52:03 AM PDT by meandog
Mitt Romney has five strapping sons, and not one of them has ever served in the military. When asked about this in Bettendorf, Iowa, the Republican presidential hopeful said that "one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected." He noted that his boy Josh had driven a Winnebago to all of Iowa's 99 counties — all 99 of them!
There's been a lot of back-and-forth over this tactless comment. Jim Geraghty wrote on National Review Online that he's "tired" of the "chickenhawk line of attack." These are the accusations, usually from the left, that politicians who cheerlead for neo-con wars, but always leave the fighting to other people and their children, are hypocrites.
Though unhappy with Romney's response, Geraghty characterized the question as "rude" and the candidate's answer as merely "off-key."
Lisa De Pasquale of the American Conservative Union avoided the question and instead went after the questioner. She dismissed Rachel Griffiths as an "antiwar Daily Kos diarist," which is a bad thing in her circle. Griffiths is that, and she is also the sister of an Army major who had served in Iraq.
Let's pin down the real problem. We know that the armed forces are all-volunteer ("the good news," Mitt said) and that few children of the rich have much to do with it. If military service were a prerequisite for becoming president, most of the current contenders would be out of the running. The only candidates making the cut would be Arizona Sen. John McCain, California Rep. Duncan Hunter and Texas Rep. Ron Paul on the Republican side, and Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel on the Democratic
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
There are a lot of reasons to criticise Romney, but the fact of his sons not serving in the military is among the weakest of them.
I’d say, none of my sons are Law Enforcement Officers either, but I fully support the Police.
...except for the fact that the Romulan's father was a liberal anti-Vietnam war critic and aided (with LDS help) his son's deferment during the time there was no draft lottery.
The of which would beeee.........what?
Apples and oranges...Mitt sought and got deferment from the draft during Vietnam with the help of his church and his anti-Vietnam father's influence.
That has nothing to do with his sons.
Apples and bicycles. What does that have to do with his sons?
For Memorial Day the pastor asked those who had military service to stand. About 20 of us stood out of a congregation of about 500. Pretty pathetic.
When I finished and the deferment ended, I got drafted. Does that make me a hero?
” Look at me FromaHerropa you Neanderthal”
Another Ratz attack hack. Bet the writer never had a problem with The Baffoon in Chief Klintoon and his “loathing” for the military.
Interesting. Out of our congregation of not many more than 20, at least 6 of us stood.
Mitt was a missionary (and thus a “minister”) for the church and legally and legitimately received his deferment as hundreds of LDS missionaries had before and after him. That you do not consider him, his father or his religion as legitimate is your problem, not his.
Old story - give it a rest.
Since when does someone have to serve in the military to be a good citizen? Mitt should have been less defensive about it.
You must really hate Dick Cheney too.
One indication of how pathetic things had gotten for military personnel. I know many good NCOs who left the military during the 90s, and know those who would have made good military personnel decide not to join because of what it had become.
The police aren't exactly the best and the brightest. Mitt's sons are, so why should they waste time with donutheads?
It certainly makes you better than Mitt, IMO, after his student deferment ended, he went out and got another as a "minister." If you'll remember, when Muhammad Ali tried to do the same thing he almost went to jail and was stripped of his heavyweight title.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.