Posted on 11/13/2002 2:27:19 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., didn't sound too happy during a home-state Wednesday morning radio interview over the fact that his party had lost control of the Senate, especially when he called one of the incoming freshmen Republican senators who will soon take over a "a draft dodger."
Responding to a caller on WVMT Burlington's "Charlie and Ernie Show", Leahy complained that President Bush had won the Senate by supporting the Republican candidate in Georgia, who, Leahy added, "was a draft dodger who attacked Sen. (Max) Cleland on his patriotism."
In one of the biggest upsets of last week's election, Rep. Saxby Chambliss, R- Ga., defeated Cleland, a victory that left Democrats stunned.
The Vermont left-winger, who will loose his chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee within weeks, went on to attack Chambliss as someone who had "avoided the draft several times."
In fact, Chambliss never received a draft notice. Instead, like millions during the Vietnam war era, the Georgia Republican took advantage of student deferments and eventually received a medical deferment due to a knee injury.
Leahy leveled the "draft dodger" charge after a caller asked if Democrats were likely to return to the bipartisanship that dominated Congress immediately after the 9/11 attacks.
A recording of Leahy's comments obtained exclusively by NewsMax shows the top Senate Democrat fuming:
"I don't think anybody agrees more with the fact that we need to work together. I have been disappointed in both ends of Pennsylvania Ave. The president has to make efforts also to do that. As you know, the president and his own advisors have said they took the most partisan attempts ever in an election, and it paid off for them. He won a lot of seats.
"He supported a man, for example, in Georgia who was, well, the best way to put it - was a draft dodger who attacked Sen. Cleland on his patriotism. And the president joined in that. Sen. Cleland lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam. But the man who avoided the draft several times won.
"Now, it's going to take a little bit to get over that kind of partisanship. In this case the president won his point but I think you have to ask, at what cost? And I think that attacking the patriotism of one of the most decorated war heroes in our country - doing these kind of things - that's going to take a little bit for that to wear off."
I feel bad for Cleland leaving so much behind in 'Nam, but I feel even worse that he allows himself to be called a war hero.
Clelland refused to support a Homeland Security bill that was not pre-approved by the federal workers' unions. That position was his right and his perogative as a Senator. He obviously put a lot of credence in the unions' position on this issue-- for whatever reason. His fellow liberal Deomcrats did the same.
These positions were a legitimate campaign issue. Clelland lost because of his liberal, out of touch positons on a number of issues. He deserved to lose and I am glad he did.
Her's what offends me: Because Clelland was badly wounded in an accident in Viet Nam, some people think he DESERVES to be in the Senate. Comparing his voting record to the beliefs of his constituents, it is obvious he never deserved the seat to start with. It has nothing to do with "patriotism."
(sounds like the name of a new allergy medicine)
Regards, Ivan
With a few exceptions, namely Ike, Reagan and the present President, it's been largely downhill since Silent Cal, one of the last President who exerted a great deal of effort trying to stop the government from doing things.
Regards, Ivan
Is there anything wrong with that? I pay into the social security system, have all my life. Aren't I entitled to SS as well as the military retirement I'll start drawing next year?
They asked, he answered.
In the context of screaming "DRAFTDODGER" I found
DOB, 1+40
St. Michael's College, B.A., 1961
Georgetown U., J.D., 1964.
more interesting. If my recollection of the pre lottery draft laws is right, his grad school deferrment was probably OK, but from 1965 to 1967 or 1968 (age 27?) old Patrick should have been right at the head of the local draft boards line. Maybe someone with a little better knowledge will confirm that.
Preview next time, stupid.
Cleland lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam.
Irony.
Hehehehee. One of the great joys of this election is that we won't have to look at Leahy's pinched up face sitting in that chairman's seat any longer.
So Leahy is 62. That makes him <1 year older than V.P. Cheney (and myself). It makes him slightly above the age at which one is likely to have been drafted for Viet Nam, but it would not have precluded him from volunteering if he were so inclined. I'm sure he would also criticize Cheney for not going to Viet Nam, but I wonder what his own story would show.
Leahy is such a pathetic, lying scumbag! Boy, how much do I hate liars!
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