--- Doug Pensinger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > But Gautam, the GOP as much as anyone has made it an > issue by questioning > his patriotism (in their senaky, indirect way). And > did I dream that > Clintons draft dodging was highlighted by the > opposition in both his > campaigns? Are you saying that the Democrats have > to play by different > rules?
No, but vaguely internally consistent rules would be nice. As you know, I don't think they've questioned his patriotism. As far as I can tell, Doug, any time a Republican points out that a Democrat has truly abominable foreign policy judgment, that's questioning his patriotism. Given your total lack of outrage over, for example, Wesley Clark actually and explicitly doing that and saying everyone who disagrees with him is unpatriotic, I don't think there's a leg to stand on. Also, of course Republicans made it an issue in 1988, and 1992, and 1996. It was an issue. I don't know any Republican who doesn't say that, all things being equal, they prefer a candidate who has served in the military. They obviously don't think that all things are equal here. But I remember many, many Democrats who said it made _absolutely no difference whatsoever_, and that how people behaved in Vietnam should have no bearing at all on the race in 1992 and 1996. I also note that George Bush - a real, no doubts about it, war hero - made almost no mention of it in 1988 and 1992, while John Kerry inserts "I served in Vietnam" into every sentence he uses. So this is absurd. Unless these people were saying that the difference between Bush and Dukakis, Bush and Clinton, or between Dole and Clinton, made a difference to them (since apparently, judging by the convention, it is an absolutely determinative factor and you should never, ever vote for anyone who didn't serve in the military) they should shut the hell up. ===== Gautam Mukunda [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Freedom is not free" http://www.mukunda.blogspot.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
