Posted on 08/16/2004 4:38:10 PM PDT by ejdrapes
DES MOINES, Iowa - Sen. Tom Harkin pushed the name-calling in the presidential race to a new level, calling Vice President Dick Cheney a coward for not serving in Vietnam and cowardly for his criticism of John Kerry. Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee, recently said that if elected he would pursue a more effective and "more sensitive war on terror that reaches out to other nations and brings them to our side and lives up to American values in history." Cheney, in campaign speeches, has been mocking that reference to sensitivity. Harkin, D-Iowa and a former Navy fighter pilot, said Monday, "It just outrages me that someone who got five deferments during Vietnam and said he had 'other priorities' at that time would say that." He said President Bush and Cheney are "running scared because John Kerry has a war record and they don't." He said of Cheney, "What he is doing and what he is saying is cowardly. The actions are cowardly." "When I hear this coming from Dick Cheney, who was a coward, who would not serve during the Vietnam War, it makes my blood boil," said Harkin. "He'll be tough, but he'll be tough with someone else's kid's blood." Republican National Committee spokesman David James dismissed the criticism as shrill and negative. The Democrats, during their recent national convention, made much of Kerry's service and battle awards in Vietnam. Cheney received five student and marriage deferments of military service. Bush served in the Texas Air National Guard. Harkin Calls Cheney Comments 'Cowardly'
More from the Iowa Fertilizer Factory.
And Harkins opinion of Bill Draft Dodger Clinton is WHAT? Evil Dums are so pedictable. Cheney was working for Nixon. Bill clinton was in Europe( and Moscow) working against the United States.
Keep it up, Harkin. Yeah, Kerry's got a war record , all right. And wait until it explodes in his face.
Though, he can't refute anything Cheney said, nor is Kerry explaining why he wants to be a wuss.
Withdraw this Kerry!
FUGG YOU!
I guess, in Harkin's fantasy land, only former soldiers are qualified to lead the country in wartime. That surely will come as a surprise to the Clintons and Edwards and many others on the Left. When I think of the intellectual bankruptcy of people like Harkin, well, my own blood boils.
A former Defense Secretary during the first Gulf War and the Commander in Chief who overthrew two tyrannies in back to back victorious campaigns don't have a "war record" to match that of a guy who was a lieutenant junior grade in the Navy 35 years ago and has spent the years since doing exactly nothing?
Only on Planet Liberal.
To listen to the demonrats you would think that kerry won the war all by his lonesome self. I am sick to death of Vietnam. kerry and his ilk were a disgrace back then and they are now. God Bless the men who served honorably then and now.
I wish we were even,
This seems desperate on the part of the Democrats.
Well said.
Harkin needs to go engage himself in an impossible act of self love.
Whel puuutttt!
Actually, the evil dums consider skerry a Vietnam Veterans AGAIST the War Hero.
How exactly does one spell turd, or is it terd. Well, that is what Harkin is.
Did you treat Clintons past the same way? Ignore Kerry's past at your own risk....and this countrys!
My response to Harkin is, I'm not the one backing a delusional sociopath given to fantastic stories regarding his brief experience in combat, then proceeding to papering over his antiwar activism, which also was given to equally bizarre tall tales.
Or is he just outraged that Cheney was smarter than Kerry and was actually successful at getting a deferment where Kerry failed in his own attempt? Instead, he had to take a non-combat assignment to swift boats, only to find he was too dumb to have picked an assignment that would later become a combat assignment. At least he was lucky enough to be able to manufacture the circumstances to get out of his combat assignment at the earliest available opportunity.
bump
I call on Harkin to withdraw that remark.
What about all of the hard work Cheney has provided the United States of America by his service in many presidential administrations?
He could have made a lot more money in the private sector.
I appreciate everything Richard Cheney has done for me as an American by helping to keep us safe.
Perhaps Harkin didn't hear Kerry's own statement that he and other Dem senators sat around for more than a half-hour unable to think. In the meantime, Dick Cheney, in his calm, sober way, was making life-and-death decisions just a few blocks away.
Thank God — thank GOD! — that the experienced, steady Dick Cheney was Vice President on that terrible day. John Kerry wants to replace that kind of leadership with the empty, useless John Edwards — which tells me all I need to know about Kerry's brand of "leadership."
Would it matter to you if a candidate had fabricated a personal history of war hero, in order to make himself look "better," and ultimately use that fabrication for the purpose of gaining votes?
Would it matter to you if a candidate made false accusations about his fellow soldiers, accusing them of war atrocities?
Would either of those facts color your impression of the candidate's character? Or are those "pesky little details of life," that have little bearing on whether the man is fit to lead, and control the might of the US military?
What if you were a Vietnam veteran, and your valor was diluted by a liar? Or worse, you were spit on because the public believed the false accusations of war atrocities?
Given the above, my conviction is firm. It is morally wrong to "move on," and leave the wound unremedied. Yet, the Swiftees were willing to move on. Except, John Kerry sought the office of President of the United States. And a man with the character flaws outlined above is not fit for the office.
Oh for the good old days of a duel when someone called another's courage into question! I would pay good money to see Cheyne take out that pile of dung, Harkin. He must have forgotten that the picture is floating around showing him, Kerry, and little Danny Ortega in Nicaragua during the heyday of communism down there. And he dares to call Cheney names???
Only two weeks ago, I was talking with Sen. Tom Harkin and I could not find anything on him when I did a FR search. With nothing else to go by, I assumed he was neutral.
What a shame, I would love to talk to him this week...
Harkin was the liar who claimed he flew combat missions from Guantanamo Bay. He's a loudmouthed, lying sack of dung.
> Dick Cheney, who was a coward
Cheney not serving does not make him a coward. Even if he was, that was a long time ago and people change.
This administration has shown more courage than any Dem admin. since Truman. Harkin is a phony exponent of phony Kerry.
I just wonder if Ol'Motor Mouth Harkin would care to step up and call the Vice President a coward to his face.
Like out in a parking lot somewhere. I'll hold his purse for him.
Seems to me that if he was born in 1882 he would have been old enough to fight in WWI?
Is Tom Harkin for real? What a mud slinger. That is cowardly, Mr. Harkin.
I am just speechless, after Republicans were criticized for mentioning Clinton's avoidance of the draft.
A hearty thanks to Iowa for continuing to reelect this clod. Hope all those farm subsidies are worth your dignity (no offense to sane Iowans intended).
Hear, hear.
Wasn't FDR (civilian) Naval Secretary during WWI? I think so.
Ah yes, and I also understand that the Republicans are running a dirty campaign. You know, mud slinging, lying, name calling. . . . .
I love it when Harkin gets all fired up! Like at the Wellstone memorial service. Go Tom!!!
AS you point out, a civilian position.
Where was Edwards during the war in Vietnam? He graduated from UNC Law School in '74-he was of prime draft age from the time he graduated from high school to the time he graduated from Law School-just what was his status?
This is almost like a parody. He basically wants nothing critical said of Kerry because he served in Vietnam. Sorry, but you're little prince is going to get hung out to dry if that's the only way he refutes substantive criticism.
Ulysses S. Grant had a war record, but was one of the worst Presidents we ever had. Abraham Lincoln had hardly any military service.
We are electing a Chief Executive, not a Lieutenant JG.
Cheney to Harkin:
Shut up bitch and go change your depends.
What is Kerry's war record . HE WONT RELEASE IT . Sign the 180 Horseface.
Therefore, according to the Democrats like Harkin and Lautenberg, FDR was a "chickenhawk", and was unfit to be President of the US.
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