[A.A. Cunningham]

Effin' served in the Navy to preserve his political viability.

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

Back then, military service of one form of another was REQUIRED to be president. Let's look at Klintoon's predecessors:

Hoover: In charge of US famine relief in Europe after World War I
FDR: Assistant Sec'y of the Navy, World War I
Truman: Army Captain, World War I
Ike: Well we know about him
Kennedy: PT 109 etc.
Johnson: Served in WWII
Nixon: Same
Ford Same
Carter: WWII era West Point grad, Navy officer
Reagan: Served during WWII
Bush I: Pilot, WWII

So when Kerry decided to run for president (as Gore did) when he was 11 years old, he knew that miltary service, especially in a shooting war, was a prerequiste. Getting a few medals, even better. IMO, that's the only reason he went to Vietnam.

[smonk]

until he realized that "war heros" didn't sell well
as political candidates in the People's Republic of
Massachusetts", and so began his career as a war
protester/committer of atrocities.

in fact, this could be considered his first flip-flop.