Veterans group is backing Wellstone

Pioneer Press ^ | 10/07/02 | BILL SALISBURY

[gore_sux]

Conferring a blessing that may offset charges that he is soft on national defense, the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ national political action committee on Monday endorsed U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone for re-election. This is the first time the VFW, the nation’s second-largest veterans’ organization, has endorsed the Minnesota Democrat, who is seeking a third term.

“The key issues that we look at are national security and veterans benefits,” Mike Kodluboy, chairman of the Minnesota VFW PAC, said during a presentation ceremony at VFW Post 295 in South St. Paul. “Paul Wellstone earned our veterans’ support based upon his tireless efforts and strong record for providing and delivering for veterans. He has a strong record of supporting our legislation.”

Wellstone said this is “perhaps the biggest endorsement” he has received during his 12-year Senate career. “I could not be prouder,” he said.

VFW support could blunt criticism of Wellstone’s announcement last week that he will vote against a resolution giving President Bush authority to take unilateral military action against Iraq.

His Republican challenger, Norm Coleman, renewed that criticism Monday, telling reporters that although Wellstone “has done good social work for veterans,” his refusal to support the president on Iraq “highlights his long record of being wrong on national defense.” He noted that Wellstone has often been one of a handful of senators to vote against major defense appropriations bills.

The senator said that though he voted against what he considered wasteful defense spending, “I give no ground on supporting our men and women in the armed forces.”

[gore_sux]

What the heck is going on here? Wellstone was the man who advocated the slaughter of hundreds of American troops to make sure the Taliban was kept fed!!!! Anybody in the VFW that can shine a light on this crazy endorsement? Is the VFW just bellying up to the trough like everybody else now? Maybe they forgot to check his voting record? This is truly crazy.

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[Vladiator]

What hath Bush wrought?

He has to protect the Republican base, or all is lost!

[clintonh8r]

The VFW is now the same basic demographic as the AARP. A bunch of entitlement-driven whiners. I don't belong to either one, although I'm qualified for both. Gave up on VVoA for much the same reason.

[zarf]

Calm down Vlad, you're drooling.

[WOSG]

Typical cr*p ... The Democrats are calling in their Welfare State chits ... i am sorry to see this Veterans group is thinking more about handouts than national security. SIGH.

[jwalsh07]

What hath Bush wrought?

You win stupidest question of the month award. Congrats.

[bybybill]

HUH? Are they nuts?

[skr]

Voting their pocketbooks. At what cost, they should ask.

[Cicero]

From what I have heard, the Veteran's Administration is an enormous boondoggle. For what it spends on its bureaucratic fiefdom, Vets could get far better medical care in regular hospitals and nursing homes. But it's a great way for the big spenders to butter up older veterans by pouring in more tax dollars.

I am NOT arguing against taking care of our veterans' needs. But it could be more rationally done, with better benefits for them and less cost to the taxpayers.

[vaudine]

"...Is the VFW just bellying up to the trough?" In a word--YES!

Welstone, being a Dem is adept at buying votes.

Vaudine

[gore_sux]

I strongly urge you and everybody else (veterans and non-veterans alike) to contact the VFW and try and get them to correct this injustice.

Their e-mail is at: vfw@vfwdc.org

I submitted the following:

To whom it may concern,

I was extremely disappointed to learn of your recent endorsement of
Senator Paul Wellstone.

I strongly urge you to reconsider, and take into account Paul's full
record regarding the military. I also strongly urge you to investigate
the company that Paul keeps. For example, he is a co-sponsor of a
radical anti-military, anti-American "tour" currently taking place
called the "Rolling Thunder Democracy
Tour." The tour not only mocks the name already taken by the fine
POW/MIA group, it contains many seedy anti-military, anti-American
themes. You can find more information about this tour at:

http://www.rollingthundertour.org/

I was also wondering if you were aware of the strong support Paul
Wellstone is receiving from the radical anti-military group “Council for
a Livable World”? You can find out more about them here:

http://www.clw.org/

These people basically want us to disarm ourselves and allow ourselves
to be slaughtered by our enemies, and they are pouring thousands of
dollars into Paul Wellstone’s coffers.

I was also wondering if you have thoroughly examined some of Paul
Wellstone’s quotes during the beginning of the war on terror. With the
Taliban still in control of Afghanistan, Paul Wellstone was more than
willing to put thousands of soldiers’ lives at risk to feed Afghans. On
November 1, 2001 during a segment on FoxNews’ “Hannity and Colmes”, Paul
Wellstone clearly stated this:

"But I do think that it's still well worth the risk to do it overland,
to deliver the food directly to people and to make sure that we can
prevent a whole lot of innocent Afghan people from starving to death ...
I'm sorry, Sean, we've got to take the risk and we've got to take the
food to them."

Is it the position of the VFW that we should put our soldiers in harms
way to feed the enemy?

Again, I strongly urge the VFW to reconsider its endorsement. Norm
Coleman will be every bit the fighter for veterans’ rights that Paul
was; Norm is also a strong advocate of President Bush, and the President
will definitely listen to Norm’s concerns regarding veterans. You just
need to give him a chance. Please feel free to e-mail me if you would
like more information on the true nature of Paul Wellstone.

Thank you for listening.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXX (real name used)
Bloomington, Minnesota

[webber]

I WAS a member of VFW, but when I read the above article, I wrote them and told them I would NEVER donate to them again because they had become a traitorous org. who ENDORSED a traitor, Sinister Wellstone. I was so mad, I jumped out of my chair when I read what VFW did, and IMMEDIATELY withdrew from their org. and told them what I thought of their endorsement.

I think VFW should stand for:

Very 'Fraid of Wars

[clintonh8r]

Thanks. You both did good.

[Mr. Mojo]

Is the VFW just bellying up to the trough like everybody else now?

Yes.

[Deb]

Good one. Please post any response you get. It will interesting to see if they try to defend this.

[Deb]

My email to them came right back. Are you sure you linked the right address?

[Mike Darancette]

I'll bet, that like all such groups, that the rank and file membership was niether polled or informed ahead of time.

I would have to think that this would be a big embarassment since it looks like a leftie got in charge.

[webber]

I used your email address to VFW to send an email to them to tell them of my disgust, only to have it returned because the email address is "unknown".
Find out what the real email address is the post it. Thanks.
webber