OBAMA-BIDEN: FIRST TIME IN 68 YEARS A TICKET WITH NO MILITARY EXPERIENCE

Townhall.com ^ | 8-25-08 | Michael Medved

[SJackson]

THE OBAMA-BIDEN TICKET IS THE FIRST TICKET OF EITHER MAJOR PARTY IN SIXTY-EIGHT YEARS IN WHICH NEITHER THE CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT EVER SERVED IN THE MILITARY!

At a time of war, the Democrats give us something the nation hasn't seen in more than two generations: a ticket where neither of the the running mates ever wore a uniform of any kind.

Shouldn't Republicans make a big deal of this?

Consider the history--

2004 -- GOP -- Bush served in National Guard/ DEMS- Kerry served in the Navy 2000---GOP -- Bush served in National Guard/ Al Gore served in the Army 1996 ---GOP -- Dole served in the Army/ Gore (Clinton's running mate) served in the Army 1992--- GOP -- Bush Sr. served in the Navy/ Gore served in the Army 1988 -- GOP-- Bush Sr. served in Navy, Quayle served in National Guard/DEMS --Dukakis served in the Army and Bentsen served in the Army Air Corps 1984-- GOP -- Reagan, Army Reserves and active duty (Capt. Rank), Bush Sr. served in Navy/Mondale served in Army 1980--GOP -- Reagan, Army, Bush Sr. served in Navy/Carter served as Naval Officer, Mondale in Army 1976--GOP --Ford servd in Navy, Dole in Army/ Carter, Navy, Mondale Army 1972--GOP -- Nixon served in Navy, and Spiro Agnew in Army/ McGovern, Army Air Corps 1968-- GOP-- Nixon, Navy, Agnew Army/DEMS-- Ed Muskie, Navy (Humphrey twied twice to enlist, turned down because of Hernia) 1964 -- GOP -- Goldwater, Major General in Air Force/ LBJ -- Navy 1960 -- GOP -- Nixon, Navy, H.C. Lodge - Lt. Col in Army/ JFK and LBJ both Naval officers 1956-- GOP--- Eisenhower (are you kidding?), and Nixon, Navy/DEMS --Stevesnon, Navy 1952-- GOP -- Eisenhower (five star general) and Nixon, NAvy/ Dems, Stevenson, Navy 1948-- GOP -- Earl Warren (Dewey's running mate). Army/ DEMS, Harry Truman, Army 1944--GOP -- John Bricker (Dewey's Running mate), Army Lt./ Harry Truman (FDR's running mate), Army artillery officer

finally, you have to go all the way back to 1940 to find a ticket with no military experience: FDR and the pro-Stalin Henry Wallace (though FDR had been Assistant Secretary of the Navy during WW I). His opponent, Wendell Wilkie, by the way, served in the army in WWI.

In other words, in the last 68 years of American history we've had 32 tickets representing the two major parties. Every single one of those tickets featured at least one candidate -- often both of them -- with military experience. Obviously, the GOP ticket for 2008 will again feature a heroic veteran in one of its slots.

But the Democrats, at a time of war, offer us a modern first: a national ticket with two candidates who never served a day in uniform in any capacity.

And why didn't Joe Biden serve? He's a year younger than Dick Cheney, so even more subject to the Vietnam draft. Remember how Democrats reamed Cheney for his "five deferments" during the height of the war as he pursued his education.

So what about Biden? He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1965, just as the war began to escalate intensively and he would have been exposed to the draft. Instead, he attended law school (at Syracuse University) graduating in 1968-- the very height of the war and the Vietnam draft.

And why didn't Biden go to war -- instead beginning the practice of law and his political career?

If he were a Republican, the press would be all over this one... remember what they did to Dan Quayle because he served "only" in the National Guard.

Meanwhile, whatever Biden's story of draft avoidance (I've told my own tale in that regard, very candidly, in RIGHT TURNS), you know that if he were running on a GOP ticket the press would be grilling him already on his lack of service.

The sad fact remains that for the first time in 68 years we see a national ticket for a major party where neither the Presidential nominee nor the Vice Presidential nominee spent time in military service of any kind.

[Sig Sauer P220]

And neither one has ever had the “black experience” either.

[racing fan]

Kerry was in Vietnam?

[Stonewall Jackson]

Here is some interesting information about the disloyal opposition.

[Corin Stormhands]

Shouldn't Republicans make a big deal of this?

Nope. Because it will come back to bite us.

With the Vietnam generation being the "grown ups" and with the onset of the "volunteer military" service will be seen as admirable, but not a requirement.

[Bob J]

Well, they tried that last time and you see how well it worked for them...

[Tribune7]

Obama served on a 3 hour tour

All that does is make him Gilligan.

[Coldwater Creek]

I.m sure that the military would have over looked Biden’s asthma due to his HIGH intelligence. His claim, not mine!

[P-Marlowe]

Should have been I’ve read he claims he flunked his physical because of asthma

IIRC, in those days the physical consisted of counting the number of arms and legs.

[xc1427]

I thought he had 666 secret missions in Cambodia. :)

[Deo volente]

Let’s hope they count the absentee ballots from our military personnel this time around.

[Borges]

Why wouldn’t FDR’s term as ASN count as Military experience?

[Ben Reyes]

“Waitaminute... Kerry served in the military?

Wow. Did not know that.”

And I just found out — he also served in Vietnam. Can you believe that?

[Ben Reyes]

“Waitaminute... Kerry served in the military?

Wow. Did not know that.”

And I just found out — he also served in Vietnam. Can you believe that?

[eraser2005]

Nope...

Close family member with moderate-severe asthma got rejected by the Army after having his number called...

[bolobaby]

Vietnam???

Wow. He should have mentioned it. I would have maybe possibly considered thinking about the remote chance of possibly casting a ballot for him. Possibly. But he never mentioned it, so his loss, I guess.

[AuH2ORepublican]

If only Senator Kerry’s characteristic modesty hadn’t gotten in the way, he could have told the American people about his military service and perhaps received their favor. Alas, Americans went to the polls without the benefit of knowing that Kerry had reported for duty during the Vietnam War era. Why, it may be possible that Kerry actually went to Vietnam while serving in the Navy, but we may never find out, since Kerry’s so famously tight-lipped about his military service.

: )

[rfp1234]

He must have plagiarized someone else’s physical...

[rfp1234]

Obama served on a 3 hour tour

A tour in Larry Sinclair's limo?

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Biden seems to have gotten over the asthma, he’s quite the windbag now.

[af_vet_rr]

Why? Had Giuliani or Romney or Huckabee or Thompson won the nomination then would they have been required to choose a vet to add legitimacy? Palin, Jindal, Steele, all the other names being bandied about are all people without military service. Should we shirk from nominating them in the future for that reason? People who live in glass houses should be wary of throwing stones.

Agreed - if anybody makes this an issue, it will bite Republicans in the butt later down the road.

We've had 16 years now where there wasn't a a strong emphasis on military service (if there was, Dole would have beat Clinton in '96 or McCain would have annihilated Bush in 2000 in the primaries). It's not really an issue anymore - my generation is the last generation to face the draft, and the majority of 40-somethings and under have not served.