Posted on 09/04/2008 7:04:38 AM PDT by Sergeant Tim
Click on image for the actual September 2, 2008, front page
After seven years of initial eligibility, Joseph Biden was removed from the military draft pool just when it was most likely he would be drafted and sent into the Vietnam War. The American death toll was rising rapidly -- 11,153 in 1967. Thousands more had died since the Tet offensive began in January, 296,000 men ages 19 through 25 would be drafted during 1968, Joseph Biden had run out of college deferments, and he would not be safe until November 20, 1968, his twenty-sixth birthday.
During the Democrat Party convention, Joseph Biden was spoken of in glowing terms on the pages of the New York Times on August 28, 2008:
As Democrats often do, [at the convention, Biden] paid tribute to Mr. McCain’s military service and his more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. That is not sufficient qualification for the presidency, Mr. Biden said in as direct a way as any Democrat this year has. “The choice in this election is clear,” Mr. Biden said. “These times require more than a good soldier. They require a wise leader,” he said, a leader who can deliver “the change that everybody knows we need.” ... The self-described “kid from Scranton” paid a moving tribute to his 90-year-old mother, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden. He said she had taught him honor, loyalty and bravery. She also helped him overcome his stuttering, telling him, as he put it, “it was because I was so bright I couldn’t get the thoughts out quickly enough.”
Despite two runs for President, in 1988 and 2008, and 36 years in Congress, Senator Biden's 1-Y reclassification has never appeared in the Times, to include this Associated Press report from August 31, 2008:
Officials with Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's campaign released Biden's Selective Service records at the request of The Associated Press. Less detailed records were available from a National Archives facility in Philadelphia [emphasis added mine].According to the documents, Biden, 65, received several deferments while he was an undergraduate at the University of Delaware and later as a law student at Syracuse University. A month after undergoing a physical exam in April 1968, Biden received a Selective Service classification of 1-Y, meaning he was available for service only in the event of national emergency.
"As a result of a physical exam on April 5, 1968, Joe Biden was classified 1-Y and disqualified from service because of asthma as a teenager," said David Wade, a campaign spokesman.
In "Promises to Keep," a memoir that was published last year and became an instant best-seller after he was tapped as Obama's running mate, Biden never mentions his asthma, recounting an active childhood, work as a lifeguard and football exploits in high school.
Along with some other leading Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pointed out Vice President Richard Cheney's five draft deferments during the Vietnam War yet never mentioned those of Senator Biden.
The details of his April 5, 1968 medical examination -- to include who examined Biden and sent the 1-Y reclassification card to his draft board -- remain undetermined by the mainstream media.
Senator John McCain and Senator Biden are touted for their foreign policy experience that Senator Barack Obama and Governor Sarah Palin are said to lack.
The difference is John McCain entered the Naval Academy in 1955, served in Vietnam, spent 5 1/2 years being tortured in the Hanoi Hilton, and retired from the United States Navy in 1982. Neither Barack Obama nor Joseph Biden have served in the military. Sarah Palin "merely" served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard.
Apparently, Congressman Pelosi and the New York Times do not want the American people to know that Joseph Biden may have dodged the draft during Vietnam.
Thanks.
‘Media slut.’? I wish!
Well said.
Notice how easily you reeled that list off and Joe Biden was not among them. Why is that? Perhaps it is because the MSM and their political bed-mates have done a fine job of pointing them out while playing up their heroes e.g. John Kerry.
If they are going to brand them, let’s make they slap that same hot iron of the whole herd.
My draft lottery number was #283 so my dance ticket was never punched. While I find this story interesting in light of McCain’s harsh internment, that was then and this is now. I’d like to know how Joe Biden, who said Captain BS was “unqualified”, now not only feels he’s qualified but agreed to join his ticket. Is Biden on meds?
Thanks for the ping.
You want some more? Trent Lott, Bill Frist, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Dennis Hastert, Tom Delay, and Karl Rove.
My point is that if we want to start slinging 'draft dodger' labels at Biden and the Democrats, then be prepared to try and explain why a lot of our own leadership did everything they could do to avoid serving as well. Drop it. It's an arguement that the GOP is ill-equiped to fight and win.
Joe Biden
Joseph Biden had run out of college deferments, and he would not be safe until November 20, 1968, his twenty-sixth birthday.
______________________________________
Dont worry Joe
You’re covered...
I enlisted in your place...
/s
Sarah Palin “merely” served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard.
_______________________________________
That’s Commander-in-Chief as in Commander-in-Chief...
“Medical and college deferments are not draft dodging.”
Matter of opinion. If someone stayed in school just to maintain their II-S status, then it was draft dodging, or at least draft avoidance. Many suddenly made plans to further their college education after receiving their Bachelor’s simply to keep the student deferment.
When one male of draft age kept hanging on to the student deferment year after year, then someone else registered at his local draft board had to be selected to fill each month’s quota.
One strong possibility is that the MSM will now go after Biden so he will resign as VP candidate and Hussein will replace him with Hillary out of desparation!
He got the ‘two-for-one’ special then, Nana.
BTW, how the heck are you?
Jim Geraghty specualted pretty much the same thing on the political memos section of the NRO right after Palin was named to the GOP’s ticket.
Mr. Biden may only take that mantle once Mr. Warner is gone.
I think they both have to wait for Sheets Byrd to retire...but I digress.
Non-Sequitur is spouting all the left-wing talking points. Hmmmmm.....
Well now, you make an excellent point...
I’ll have to think on this one a bit more...
Neither was joining the National Guard, but to hear the CommieRATs tell it both Dan Quayle and George Bush were draft dodgers.
As has already been pointed out, very, very few of the Republican leadership from that time served in Nam. For the most part, if you had the money or the influence, you got out. And that includes people in both parties and of all political persuasions. Did Biden get a fake medical deferment? Maybe so. Some Republicans also got some pretty shaky deferments.
This election isn’t about whether a candidate served in Nam or not.
Ping
“After multiple educational deferrments another deferrment for asthma for an athlete.”
I don’t know about Biden, but plenty of athletes have asthma.
Jerome Bettis - professional football player
Bruce Davidson - Olympic equestrian
Tom Dolan, Olympic medalist - swimming
Kurt Grote, Olympic medalist - swimming
Nancy Hogshead, Olympic medalist - swimming
Jim “Catfish” Hunter - professional baseball player
Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic medalist - track
Bill Koch, Olympic medalist - cross-country skiing
Greg Louganis, Olympic medalist - diving
Tom Malchow, Olympic medalist - swimming
Debbie Meyer, Olympic medalist - swimming
Art Monk - professional football player
George Murray - wheelchair athlete & Boston Marathon winner
Robert Muzzio - decathlete
Dennis Rodman - professional basketball player
Jim Ryun, Olympic medalist - track
Alberto Salazar - marathon runner
Isaiah Thomas - professional basketball player
Amy VanDyken, Olympic medalist - swimming
Dominique Wilkins - professional basketball player
Even some here on FR feel the same way.
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