I think he probably said he was drafted into the Air Force...or did he just say drafted...if he was an MD, he would likely have been given options such as the option to join the Air Force as a flight surgeon. He was a Captain in the Air Force so he either was drafted or he volunteered
I agree that not having served should not reflect at all on the validity of a person's foreign policy views but as a purely political matter...I think Newt probably looked bad to most undecided voters when he started talking about being an army brat. He should have said exactly what this article says
Yeah, he just said he was drafted—which, technically that is true, he did receive a draft notice. He just never followed through with that notice, heh.
He was drafted, and the other night in the debate after being slammed by Paul who said “at least when my country called me up, I went” (or something similar, insinuating that Newt was a chicken/draft dodger), Newt tried responding that he wasn’t eligible for the draft, but RP talked over him.
RP needs to have his numerous lies pointed out as often as possible. At least Santorum’s had the guts (besides Newt) to call him out. But then Paul just lumps the candidates together, saying “they’re all status quo”.
Anyone see the great Frank Luntz special last night with NH voters and some of the candidates? Newt was the only one who took the time to personally appear, the others were surrogates - Rand Paul (who saw how the group disagreed with his dad’s awful foreign policy), Huntsman’s wife, and Lincoln Chafee for Romney. (I usually like Chafee and his public stands, but was really disappointed to see him be such a cheerleader for Mittens.) It was surprising, however, that Santorum wasn’t represented.
“I think Newt probably looked bad to most undecided voters when he started talking about being an army brat.”
I don’t think so - he was trying to illustrate how he grew up around that life with a career military dad, thus having an understanding of it. (”Army brat” is not a derogatory term.)
“He should have said exactly what this article says.”
There wasn’t time. Newt was given far too little time and opportunity to speak in that debate, which was a real shame. Maybe in the immediate future, he can voice the things said in the article, though.