Posted on 02/11/2004 11:11:19 PM PST by alloysteel
Former Sen. Max Cleland is the Democrats' designated hysteric about George Bush's National Guard service. A triple amputee and Vietnam veteran, Cleland is making the rounds on talk TV, basking in the affection of liberals who have suddenly become jock-sniffers for war veterans and working himself into a lather about President Bush's military service. Citing such renowned military experts as Molly Ivins, Cleland indignantly demands further investigation into Bush's service with the Texas Air National Guard.
Bush's National Guard service is the most thoroughly investigated event since the Kennedy assassination. But the Democrats will accept only two possible conclusions to their baseless accusations: (1) Bush was "AWOL," or (2) the matter needs further investigation.
Thirty years ago, Bush was granted an honorable discharge from the National Guard, which would seem to put the matter to rest. But liberals want proof that Bush actually deserved his honorable discharge. (Since when did the party of Bill Clinton, Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd get so obsessed with honor?)
On "Hardball" Monday night, Cleland demanded to see Bush's pay stubs for the disputed period of time, May 1972 to May 1973. "If he was getting paid for his weekend warrior work," Cleland said, "he should have some pay stubs to show it."
The next day, the White House produced the pay stubs. This confirmed what has been confirmed 1 million times before: After taking the summer off, Bush reported for duty nine times between Nov. 29, 1972, and May 24, 1973 – more than enough times to fulfill his Guard duties. (And nine times more than Bill Clinton, Barney Frank or Chuck Schumer did during the same period.)
All this has been reported – with documentation – many times by many news organizations. George magazine had Bush's National Guard records 3 1/2 years ago.
All available evidence keeps confirming Bush's honorable service with the Guard, which leads liberals to conclude ... further investigation is needed! No evidence will ever be enough evidence. That Bush skipped out on his National Guard service is one of liberals' many nondisprovable beliefs, like global warming.
Cleland also expressed outrage that Bush left the National Guard nine months early in 1973 to go to Harvard Business School. On "Hardball," Cleland testily remarked: "I just know a whole lot of veterans who would have loved to have worked things out with the military and adjusted their tour of duty." (Cleland already knows one – Al Gore!)
When Bush left the National Guard in 1973 to go to business school, the war was over. It might as well have been 1986. Presidents Kennedy and Johnson had already lost the war, and President Nixon had ended it with the Paris peace accords in January. If Bush had demanded active combat, there was no war to send him to.
To put this in perspective, by 1973, John Kerry had already accused American soldiers of committing war crimes in Vietnam, thrown someone else's medals to the ground in an anti-war demonstration, and married his first heiress. Bill Clinton had just finished three years of law school and was about to embark upon a political career – which would include campaign events with Max Cleland.
Moreover, if we're going to start delving into exactly who did what back then, maybe Max Cleland should stop allowing Democrats to portray him as a war hero who lost his limbs taking enemy fire on the battlefields of Vietnam.
Cleland lost three limbs in an accident during a routine noncombat mission where he was about to drink beer with friends. He saw a grenade on the ground and picked it up. He could have done that at Fort Dix. In fact, Cleland could have dropped a grenade on his foot as a National Guardsman – or what Cleland sneeringly calls "weekend warriors." Luckily for Cleland's political career and current pomposity about Bush, he happened to do it while in Vietnam.
There is more than a whiff of dishonesty in how Cleland is presented to the American people. Terry McAuliffe goes around saying, "Max Cleland, a triple amputee who left three limbs on the battlefield of Vietnam," was thrown out of office because Republicans "had the audacity to call Max Cleland unpatriotic." Mr. Cleland, a word of advice: When a slimy weasel like Terry McAuliffe is vouching for your combat record, it's time to sound "retreat" on that subject.
Needless to say, no one ever challenged Cleland's "patriotism." His performance in the Senate was the issue, which should not have come as a bolt out of the blue inasmuch as he was running for re-election to the Senate. Sen. Cleland had refused to vote for the Homeland Security bill unless it was chock-full of pro-union perks that would have jeopardized national security. ("OH, MY GOD! A HIJACKED PLANE IS HEADED FOR THE WHITE HOUSE!" "Sorry, I'm on my break. Please call back in two hours.")
The good people of Georgia – who do not need lectures on admiring military service – gave Cleland one pass for being a Vietnam veteran. He didn't get a lifetime pass.
Indeed, if Cleland had dropped a grenade on himself at Fort Dix rather than in Vietnam, he would never have been a U.S. senator in the first place. Maybe he'd be the best pharmacist in Atlanta, but not a U.S. senator. He got into office on the basis of serving in Vietnam and was thrown out for his performance as a senator.
Cleland wore the uniform, he was in Vietnam, and he has shown courage by going on to lead a productive life. But he didn't "give his limbs for his country," or leave them "on the battlefield." There was no bravery involved in dropping a grenade on himself with no enemy troops in sight. That could have happened in the Texas National Guard – which Cleland denigrates while demanding his own sanctification.
First, I would argue that Coulter cheap-shotted Cleland's service. But, again, cheapshots are not how I think conservatives should operate. Cheapshots are fine for a louse like Cleland--I would argue that folks like Max don't know better; and are not smart enough to articulate their positions. Or worse--They know that their positions cannot be articulated in a manner that will win over voters.
As to your final point: Again, the only thing I am equating are actions NOT movives. When one rolls around in a pigpen with pigs the only thing he can be assured of is that he will get dirty. Coulter is better than this which is why I am so disapointed in her.
Yes.
What the heck does the phrase "jock sniffer" mean? The image, of course, is unpleasant.
It's hard to imagine any recent Democratic senator less soft on national security than Max Cleland, a reflection on the unlikely path he took to the U.S. Senate. In 1967 he volunteered for combat duty. The next year, during the siege of Khe Sahn, Cleland lost both his legs and his right hand to a Viet Cong grenade. Two years later, at the age of 28, he became the youngest person ever elected to the Georgia state Senate. In 1977 President Jimmy Carter appointed him to head the Veterans Administration. He later became Georgia's secretary of state. And in 1996, Georgia voters sent Cleland and his wheelchair to the Senate.
By Eric Boehlert, Salon, Nov. 21, 2003
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At least we get to discuss more than one side of the story here on Free Republic, unlike Republic.com (DU & the Smirksters). :-)
Hardly. I have zero information of the number and ranks on the flight in question, but it is hardly an oversimplification to point out that the inspection of soldier's equipment prior to movement is primarily the responsibility of the NCO. But if in your experience, your CO personally inspected every soldier in detail, rather than spot checking, prior to any movement, I stand corrected. Perhaps in the Marines they like their officers acting like squad leaders.
-it was a stupid accident resulting in casualties.
True.
The ultimate responsiblity lies with Cleland for not training & inspecting his own people properly. There's a frickin SOP for helo acticity to prevent just these kinds of things.
I couldn't tell you what the SOP was in 1968 in the Army. I don't know if these were his men, or the rookie was his. Do you?
Case in point. Get back to me when you 1) run out of strawmen 2) have a clue how the military works.
I'm back.
OK, I'm really, nearly, almost absolutely, positively sure, that's a load of crap.
Not today, but back then, yes - esp for a comm section.
But your other points are valid.
Didn't Kerry "work things out with the military" too?
From what I've read, he used his three minor scratches as an excuse to leave 'Nam early.
And unlike McCain, who refused preferential treatment to get out of the Hanoi Hilton ahead of his fellow prisoners, Kerry left his "band of brothers" behind.
I am very thankful for the Vietnam vets that stuck it out to reform the military through the 70s and 80s. I honestly believe they can be credited for 1000s of lives today.
This is an equal opportunity arena...
If the dumb ass says or does dumb ass things -- he should take the heat.
Cleland has used his limited intellect to insult those he doesn't respect - and sold his soul to the draft dodgeing, lying Clinton with no problem...
Cleland has parlayed his dumb ass self disfigurement into a lifetime career and paycheck...that far exceeds the compensation of those that were seriously injured by the ENEMY.
Cleland may deserve some sympathy -- but he gets no respect from me.
Semper Fi
I think it has become clear that Max started believing his own press releases.
I got to drive one of those LAV's once. It was reconfigured as a DF vehicle and was being tested out at Ft. Huachuca. I was cadidiot with 3 weeks training there and helping them out. They thought it would be fun to let the "LT" drive. I swore they'd have to yank me out of the seat to get it back. Heh.
It still appears to me from what is posted here that Cleland was involved in a combat mission.
So, it still appears to me that Coulter was inaccurate. Can you point me to a link or something that might excerpt the Cleland book? I am not going to buy it.
But, I cannot imagine why anyone would simply bend over to pick up a grenade laying on the ground...that goes against all training and procedures I know of from that time.
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