Posted on 08/25/2008 1:21:03 PM PDT by 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.
The point is the hypocrisy of the Left and old media.
Quayle and Bush were ridiculed for serving in the reserves.
Fast forward to today. The only experience the two Leftists clowns have is opposing our military at every turn and seeking their defeat. That is a legitimate issue.
It's a minor item that not many people care about, but it sounds to me like he might have woven a small tale. But if he had asthma, he had it, and whether a draft deferrment or failing an induction physical, it's legit that he didn't serve.
Unlike sailors, Teddy was not subject to naval law, aka Rocks & Shoals.
Those young men sound like a good number of the radio ‘conservatives’ offered to us these days. Few if any served, and some actively sought to get out of serving. Some were antiwar protestors during Vietnam.
The first time, but not the last. It’s the way things are going to be from now on.
The future leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties came of age after the draft was abolished. The vast majority of them have never served in the military, never experienced war.
From this point on, presidential (and vice presidential) candidates who have served in the military will be as rare as hen’s teeth.
LOL!
That describes me. I got my "Dear Upchuck" letter in early summer, 1967.
I took the physical and failed.
My draft status was changed from 1A to 1Y, meaning I would be called up only in a national emergency. When I asked for a definition of that, I was told, "only if the US is attacked."
I was never called up and grieved for many friends who went KIA in Viet Nam.
BUMP!
How ‘bout “BO and ‘lil Joe”
That works, too.
I tend to spell it out for those who are using translators and/or are new to the English language.
“It’s easy to blame the “radio conservatives”, but we have some fairly prominent high-ranking Republicans in power (or who were in power) who looked down upon military service or didn’t think anything of it, and either pulled the right strings to get cushy assignments in the US, or flat out got deferments. “
You’re preaching to the choir, I’m right with you.
My jibe about ‘radio conservatives’ was aimed in part at the author of the piece. Michael Medved didn’t simply sit out the Vietnam War, he was an antiwar activist who played the useful idiot for Ho Chi Minh and General Giap. His pal Dennis Prager likewise avoided service and protested the war. Hugh Hewitt was younger, but never saw fit to offer his service to the peacetime Army. But right now they all like to posture as this era’s Churchills, sending others to do what they themselves avoided. I cite them because they appear to have more than a little influence in recent Republican politics.
My father was a Regular Army officer from WWII through Vietnam. He often expresses to me his unease with the lack of military service of so many of our current political class. It tends to insulate them from the people they are sending into combat. And some recent ones have been notable for appearing to ignore the counsel of the professional military. Of course the military doesn’t have the luxury of deciding what is a wise use of military force, they simply get to enact the policies decided upon by politicians.
that should be said in a McCain ad.....
Thanks for clarifying the status. Seems people here really know the facts on just about everything. :>)
“The man had no training to rule. Unlike Tiberius, he had never commanded any armies, and had little experience in public office. Now, with the adoring world at his feet, the young princeps’ head was permanently turned, and he became intoxicated with Power.*”
*Historical novel “Pontius Pilate” by Paul L. Maier, Chapter 24,page 311, describing the rule of Caligula
Even more important....
Neither has held a job as an adult which didn’t get a paycheck from the government.
We have a national ticket where neither has ever held a private sector job. No experience as a working man.
Oh, wait. Neither did:
Kennedy/Johnson.
Mondale/Ferraro.
Dukakis/Whoever...
Clinton/Gore.
Gore/Lieberman.
And Kerry/Edwards can only be exempted because Edwards was a trial lawyer (which, despite his noxious work, is actually a private sector job which requires risk of capital and personal achievement to avoid failure - unlike gov jobs). So Kudos to John Edwards for at least having a job!!!! Better than anything Joe Biden can say.
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