Bush's service record criticized (Maxy Cleland ALERT )

boston.com ^ | 01/31/2004 | Patrick Healy

[KQQL]

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Presidential candidate John F. Kerry yesterday took aim at Republicans for questioning Democrats' patriotism, and several fellow military veterans blasted President Bush as a failed commander in chief who once dodged military service and suffers from never having learned the lessons of war.

[KQQL]

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[annyokie]

What bullsh*t. If you're in the Guard you may be called up at anytime.

[CasearianDaoist]

I feel like I am in a time warp. Will the Dems ever stop reliving the 60s?

Why impugn Bush's record now after a masterful demonstration of prowess as CinC?

[OldFriend]

I believe Cleland sits on the 9/11 committee. He should be removed at once.

[KQQL]

MAXY loathes W

[Zipporah]

"If you're in the Guard you may be called up at anytime.".. you are exactly right. A very good friend, a physician, who was in the reserves had only a month or two left, his wife was pregnant ready to deliver.. he was sent to Desert Storm. Also, I have an employee whose in the Guard and she was called. Needless to say, I wasn't very happy about losing her .. she was a great employee..There is no notice.. when you get called it's your duty.

[Chi-townChief]

This is kind of interesting because it's been Kerry's m.o. to accuse his opponents of being unpatriotic and un-American and now he's trying to turn the tables.

[gov_bean_ counter]

If this committee has been working for some time then Max is trying to change the subject. If the president could be implicated regarding 9/11 based on committee findings, he would be beating the drum on that.

[Morgan's Raider]

The story I got re: Maxey, wounds was that his unit had returned to base after a mission, cracked open the Jim Beam to celebrate, and started playing "catch" with a hand grenade. Seems Maxey caught it by the pin...

I've heard this from a couple of sources - can anyone confirm it?

[tet68]

"We're in trouble. I've seen it all, and I thought we were in trouble one time there, when they were in the streets and everything else in the '60s, but we're in worse trouble -- because they're not in the streets," said Hollings, a World War II veteran. "They're not in the streets."

Ole Fritz is losing it.

No Fritz,"They're not in the streets" they are in control of your party.

[mystery-ak]

I can't confirm it, but that is basically the story I heard.

[ChadGore]

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Why impugn Bush's record now after a masterful demonstration of prowess as CinC?

To try to undermine it, of course. This is such a groin-kick, I can't believe it. These people have no shame. None.

[ChadGore]

This ignores the real time reality that Bush already if the greatest military leader of my lifetime, having, from Kabul to Baghdad, defeated 2 of our declared enemies in 18 months, with a casualty rate of less than one hundreth of one percent during those 18 months.

From a military commander and chief point of view, Bush does not have a single military critic.

[AmishDude]

The Dems recently have restarted these accusations that Cleland was accused of being unpatriotic or some such. It's a Carville talking point these days and a typical Dem tactic: Reach into the past and make an obscure (GA's only one state of 50) accusation. Responding is difficult, because even if the facts can be recalled, responding to the accusation is just distracting.

But then history gets changed in the telling.

Personally, my perception of it is Cleland always cries "You can't criticize me, I was injured."

[SandRat]

Sorry MARXIE -- Check with the NYTIMES the favorite paper for you lefties -- They did an investigation of GW's service and found that he met his requirements, nothing stellar, but honorable service.

[Pukin Dog]

The true story:

Cleland was hopping into a chopper when he noticed that one of his grenades had fallen onto the ground. Instead of kicking it away, he reached down to pick it up, and it blew his arm off and one of his legs, damaging the other leg so badly that it had to be removed later.

[afropick]

This kills me, the same media that virtually made little or no mention of the service of GHWB and Dole are screaming to the top of their lungs about how military service does matter. If it wasnt obvious about their bias then, it is very clear now.

[Morgan's Raider]

OK, thanks for the clarification. You know how these internet rumors travel (although one of my sources works for the V.A.)