For Kerry, war dwarfs politics

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 05/02/2004 | Cynthia Tucker

[Wally_Kalbacken]

How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?

-- John Kerry, veteran, 1971

John Kerry's campaign has suffered from a curious redefinition of patriotism and heroism -- a revisionism that glorifies armchair warriors while denigrating combat veterans. His combat medals haven't quieted the Bush campaign machine, which sends its minions out to denounce Kerry as unpatriotic and anti-military.

It is an odd thing, but it did not start here. Two years ago, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) defeated Max Cleland -- a Vietnam veteran whose service left him a triple amputee -- partly by challenging his patriotism. Chambliss doesn't want to own up to that now, but many remember his attack ads that featured photos of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden and questioned Cleland's "courage." (Chambliss, by the way, avoided service in Vietnam because of what he says was a bad knee.)

This was not a smear reserved for Democrats. In the 2000 GOP presidential primary, the Bush machine did not hesitate before turning John McCain's record as a prisoner of war against him. Recognizing in McCain a military résumé with which they could not compete, Bush strategists started a whisper campaign, insisting that McCain's years in the custody of the North Vietnamese had left him "mentally unstable" and unfit for the presidency.

So it comes as no great surprise that the latest Bush tactic is to denounce Kerry for his activism against the Vietnam War. In a display of gall that can only be described as astounding, campaign strategist Karen Hughes, interviewed recently on CNN, insisted that reporters ought to prod more deeply into Kerry's activities during the Vietnam War.

Indeed, they should (as they should further explore the activities of President Bush during that same war). What they will find in Kerry's past is a young man who had the courage to say what so many were thinking and some, such as former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, only belatedly admitted -- the war in Vietnam was folly, unwinnable, a quagmire.

Kerry was, as he now acknowledges, angry about the official lies, the ludicrous military strategies, the lives lost. His rhetoric, as he concedes, was over the top. But his crusade to end the war -- based on his observations as a naval officer who had come under fire after volunteering for hazardous duty -- was the very definition of patriotism.

That honorable definition may be returning to vogue as the war in Iraq grows increasingly unpopular. According to a New York Times/CBS poll, nearly half the country now questions the wisdom of the war. And nearly half -- 46 percent -- believe U.S. troops should come home as soon as possible.

Kerry doesn't agree. Like Bush, he believes the United States must stay the course. Both men have suggested more troops may be sent to Iraq to quell the insurrection and create the stability needed to allow the Iraqis to elect a government. They may be right in their refusal to leave.

But, in public at least, Bush seems almost obscenely serene about his decision to send young Americans to die by the hundreds in Iraq. Never mind that he avoided combat in the relative safety of a National Guard "champagne unit" that sheltered other sons of the wealthy and well-connected.

His vice-president, Dick Cheney, is similarly self-righteous, though he had "other priorities" during the Vietnam era. Perhaps it is mere coincidence that his wife, Lynne Cheney, gave birth to their first child exactly nine months and two days after the Selective Service lifted its ban against drafting childless married men.

Kerry, by contrast, has seen the waste of war up close. After the combat death of his close friend, Dick Pershing, in 1968, he wrote a letter to the girlfriend who would become his first wife, Judy: "If I do nothing else in my life I will never stop trying to bring to people the conviction of how wasteful and asinine is a human expenditure of this kind."

He knows what it means to send other people's children off to die.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Cynthia Tucker is appalling.  Does this mean she'll entertain speculation about the timing, biological parenthood and mere existence of Chelsea Clinton? But that would be an unreasonable invasion of privacy.

How this miserable POS got to be the editorial page editor of a major newspaper - I'll never know. Thank god for the declining importance of the traditional media.

[annyokie]

I just never read her speculationg about why Chelsea looks just like Webb Hubble.

Probably just an oversight on her part.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

And furthermore...

Tucker is banging this drum about attacks on the patriotism of Max Cleland. I follow politics intensely - and I recall that the first time I ever heard anyone mention the patriotism of Max Cleland it was Mark Shields on PBS in handicapping the 2002 elections early that season (perhaps as early as April of May of 2002) - suggesting that Republicans were going to attack his patriotism. It cannot be found anywhere in any Lexis/Nexis search - and no one has ever claimed to have heard Chambliss malign Cleland's patriotism. He attacked his voting record - which is perfectly fair game. My curiosity is this - who gave the marching orders to Mark Shields to announce this theme? It has now been regurgitated by Cleland, Kerry and Tucker many times - without an iota of truth behind it.

[68skylark]

Thank god for the declining importance of the traditional media.

Amen, brother.

[68skylark]

Kerry, by contrast, has seen the waste of war up close.

What does this mean? Is she trying to say that Kerry fought in a war? Which one?

[68skylark]

This column is morally obscene. Does anyone have an email address I could use to send a little feedback to the AJC about this?

[jackbill]

How this miserable POS got to be the editorial page editor of a major newspaper - I'll never know.

Can you say Affirmative Action?

[jackbill]

cynthia@ajc.com

[Rome2000]

He knows what it means to send other people's children off to die.

He and the Democrats apparently don't know what happens when you refuse to send other peoples children to die in response to constant attacks.

You get 9/11.

Thats why Kerry and the rats have no business anywhere near the White House.

[sandmanbr]

By being a socialist minority quack that carries the water for the socialist Democratic Party. No different than the slaves that carried the water for the plantation owners 150 years ago. A life of dependency on a master for their daily bread.

Unlike their forefathers these modern day slaves have thrown themselves into bondage.

[EGPWS]

So it comes as no great surprise that the latest Bush tactic is to denounce Kerry for his activism against the Vietnam.

Ah yes, Liberals ya' gotta' love their rhetoric.

They bring up a political talking point, they fall flat on their faces in doing so, put words into their political foes mouths, and then blame the whole debacle on their foe.

Brilliant tactical maneuvering it isn't.

[Rome2000]

Kerry was on Vietnamese soil for a whole 16 weeks.

Even Algore was there longer.

[cyncooper]

Add Chrissy Matthews to the list. He flat out said the other night when interviewing Kerry that Cheney got married and had kids just to avoid the draft. Went to college for the same reason. Yes, every move Cheney made back then was calculated for one reason only, as Chrissy--and now Cynthia, and soon to be the whole lot of dems--would have it: a sly scheme meant to avoid the war. And he's a HAWK, as Chrissy always screeches.

Indeed, they should...What they will find in Kerry's past is a young man who had the courage to say what so many were thinking

So many were entertaining the idea of assassinating U.S. Sentators, Cynthia? I think not.

[EGPWS]

Even Algore was there longer.

It just took him longer to use Vietnam to build on his scheming political future.

[VisualizeSmallerGovernment]

Is there any evidence that the "whisper campaign" against McCain in South Carolina is anything other than an urban legend?

The exit polling data from the time says that people who voted Bush were voting on issues (they wanted lower taxes) and the people who voted McCain were voting for the person with the best qualifications. (McCain's issue was Campaign Finance Reform, which people didn't care much about).

McCain got 98% of the voters whose #1 issue was military service, but only 4% of the voters had military service as their # 1 issue.

[cyncooper]

I had CNN on briefly a bit a go and saw a terrific black woman from Miami--Teresita Mayer, I believe her name was--speaking for the Republicans. When the dem strategist started on Kerry is being attacked for his service and patriotism, she smartly and clearly said this whole issue was brought up by the dems.

She pointed out how Kerry decided to run on his Vietnam service, but furthermore, she said the attacks on one's service and patriotism have come from the dems and Kerry on GWB's National Guard service. Calling him a deserter and stating his dental records aren't enough, etc. She said if anyone's been attacked it's the President of the United States.

She was GREAT. And she got the last word.

[Condor51]

Cynthia Tucker is the editorial page editor. Her column appears Sundays and Wednesdays

---

Note to Cindy; May 1st is coming soon. Don't forget that your annual dues for the CPUSA are due.

[Bahbah]

"And nearly half -- 46 percent -- believe U.S. troops should come home as soon as possible."

I bet 100 percent of us want the troops home as soon as possible. There is no plan to leave them in Iraq when they are no longer needed. This woman is a complete fool.

[EGPWS]

She was GREAT. And she got the last word.

The latter is the best example of her greatness, for usually it takes an act of God to to get the last word in when debating a Liberal! : )

Great thread posting cyncooper!

Your insight along with Teresita's should NOT go unnoticed!

[mhking]

Cynthia Tucker's ideological schizophrenia continues. Film at 11.

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

[truth_seeker]

"...the war in Vietnam was folly, unwinnable, a quagmire."

And just to prove this point, McGovern went on to win a landslide victory in 1972, followed in a few years by Michael Dukakis' victory.

If you view things through Massa chu settes' eyes.

The media is riddled with Massachusettes' opinions. Even in Atlanta, Georgia.

[ride the whirlwind]

His (Kerry's) rhetoric, as he concedes, was over the top.

Well at least I found one accurate sentence in this hit piece.

[MHGinTN]

That honorable definition may be returning to vogue as the war in Iraq grows increasingly unpopular. Come November the criminal dnc will awaken to realize that Americans don't appreciate the degenerrate dnc doing everything they can to fertilize and amplify this 'unpopular' notion. What the dnc and pigs like Teddy Kennedy and John Kerry accomplish with their constant call for 'regime change' in America amounts to aiding and encouraging the enemies trying to kill our Soldiers. I won't forget that treachery by the dnc goon squads come November. I'm betting a vast majority of my fellow voting Americans will not forget it either! Fat Teddy is encouraging a deadly enemy to fight on in hopes of pigs like Kennedy and Kerry helping them change America. Treachery against the unborn got Al Gore a seat at the back of the power bus. With what the Kennedys and Kerrys are now doing to get more of our Soldiers killed by encouraging our enemies, the entire of their party is due for the dumpster.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Cynthia Tucker is a POS?

You are too kind.

[Just Another Lurker]

[Buggman]

Is there any evidence that the "whisper campaign" against McCain in South Carolina is anything other than an urban legend?

I'd like to know this myself. My gf, God love her, comes from a union Democrat family and up to this point has gotten all of her news from CNN and the like. She's among those who think there was some conspiracy to oust McCain in SC. If you find anything, could you drop me a line? Thanks.

[MindBender26]

>McCain's years in the custody of the North Vietnamese had left him "mentally unstable" and unfit for the presidency.

Well. he got a little wacko somewhere...

[tet68]

Me! Me! I'm already a myrmidon can I be a minion too?

[rebel_yell2]

What it the Cheneys did use family planning to obtain a deferrment; how is that any different than Kerry gaming the system with "three purple hearts and you're out" to avoid the last eight months of his deployment? Apparently, both were legitimate ways of avoiding service. And can we please leave Chelsea out of it? It demeans us to stoop to Tucker's level, IMHO.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Not only was it over the top - IT WAS UNDER OATH. It is very telling that Kerry can be confronted with these statements, made under oath and he just skirts the veracity of them - by saying that, stylistically, it was inappropriate. Unfortunately there are no journalists with the stones to to simply ask him if his testimony was true or false - not this flavor or shading or that - simply true or false. Than he's in the box because his testimony was give under oath.

[middie]

What does the 16 week comment mean? Two/ 2-man crews who were squadron mates of mine were in that garden spot never seen by the President, Vice-Pres. or anyone else in the administration, except Gen. Powell, managed to stay there only a few weeks. One lasted 5 weeks and the other 9 weeks. Three of the four were sent home in flag-draped coffins and the fourth man has, since early 1966, exchanged his flight suit for a wheel chair. Do we castigate those gentlemen by telling their families (and the children of two) that their service was unworthy because they were not there long enough? I've seen stupid comments on this---all too often. But that one must go to the top of the list

[Rome2000]

Three of the four were sent home in flag-draped coffins and the fourth man has, since early 1966, exchanged his flight suit for a wheel chair.

The 16 week comment means that John "Rambo" Kerry could have stayed in country for a full year like everyone else, but felt a need to get out 8 months early to start a run for POTUS that we unfortunately have to derail now, lest we have another 3000 Americans killed in a 4 hour period again in the near future.

Kerry is an elitist comsymp francophile douchebag, and he and his kind are not going to suceed in losing the WOT like they did in losing Vietnam.