August 7, 2004

Who's "beyond the pale?"

One Albert R. Hunt has an editorial spin-fest, Calling John Kerry's military service into question is beyond the pale:

....In Boston last week, the symbol of a nominee who was both a war hero and a war protestor was powerful. The stage was full of admirals and generals and veterans; leftist peaceniks were cheering warriors. That was a good thing.

This presidential contest is between two men born of privilege. What they did three and a half decades ago is revealing about their character then. George Bush, like most of us, ducked; John Kerry fought. In the order of importance for Nov. 2, this should rank about 16th or 17th out of the top 20 factors. The 2004 election should be about the future.

But if Karl Rove's pals persist, that ranking may climb...

I agree, the election should be about the future. Not about the Vietnam War.

BUT, the editorial leaves out a few pertinent items. It doesn't mention that it's Kerry who is making Vietnam the center of his campaign. The piece implies that Karl Rove's secret goons have simply ginned up the issue on their own, violating all propriety by focusing attention on the forgotten past. Ludicrous!

...Suppose in the 1992 presidential election, after an unconfirmed rumor surfaced about an alleged affair then President Bush had years earlier, Clinton supporters decided to make marital fidelity a central issue.

That would be almost as crazy as the current effort by some Bush backers to focus attention on John Kerry's Vietnam War record and subsequent protests...

The nerve of those Bushies, actually dredging up the long-forgotten Kerry Vietnam War record! Why, I didn't even know he was there. What twisted minds could have even thought of bringing up the buried past during Mr Kerry's high-minded focused-on-the-future campaign...Phoooey! The word "crazy" fits here, but it's Mr Hunt who should wear it.

And if he really wants to say Bush "ducked" (attacking Bush's service is, of course, never beyond the pale) I would answer that George Bush joined a unit that was sending pilots to Vietnam. and he would have ended up in combat if the F-102 had not proved to be useless for that kind of war (It was designed to intercept bombers). Kerry joined the Navy during a land war, and volunteered for Swift Boats while they were deployed offshore, and weren't taking any casualties.

"this should rank about 16th or 17th out of the top 20 factors." I agree. But it's not Karl Rove who has put it high on the list. If Kerry's "stage was full of admirals and generals and veterans," his fans have no right to start crying when Kerry's war record becomes an issue...

Posted by John Weidner at August 7, 2004 11:49 AM
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