Bush's service record criticized by Max Cleland at event for Kerry

[NNN0LHI]

Bush's service record criticized


http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2004/01/31... /

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Presidential candidate John F. Kerry yesterday took aim at Republicans for questioning Democrats' patriotism, and several fellow military veterans blasted President Bush as a failed commander in chief who once dodged military service and suffers from never having learned the lessons of war.

Speaking to about 250 veterans and South Carolina voters at a town-hall-style forum, four days before the state's primary, former US senator Max Cleland of Georgia introduced Kerry as a combat leader with the caring touch of Shakespeare's Henry V, while accusing Bush of shirking his military duty during the Vietnam era.

"We need somebody who has felt the sting of battle, not someone who didn't even complete his tour stateside in the Guard," said Cleland, who lost three limbs in Vietnam, in a reference to allegations that Bush, who stopped flying with the Texas Air National Guard in 1972, did not fulfill the last two years of his military obligation.

Kerry did not comment on Cleland's remarks, which echoed filmmaker Michael Moore's recent denunciation of Bush as a "deserter" and caused some embarrassment for candidate Wesley K. Clark, whom Moore is backing. Instead the Massachusetts senator offered his own retort to nationalGOP leaders who have recently criticized him as weak on national security because he has sometimes opposed higher defense spending, among other military proposals.

more

[David Dunham]

1. Max Cleland Has the Credentials to Go After Bush

[NNN0LHI]

2. So does Kerry and Clark n/t

[MurikanDemocrat]

3. It's about time Democrats started making a target of

Bushes cushy time in the guard - that even that much he was awol for.

[NNN0LHI]

5. Not about time. This is the perfect time

Had this come up a year ago it would be old news by now. Being about 8 months from the election is perfect timing. Welcome to DU.

Don

[texasmom]

4. What were Kerry's comments

about this on Crossfire when the press was crucifying Clark over Moore's intro? I wish I could remember, and I don't know how to begin to search for a transcript.

I'm definitely glad this is getting press coverage.

[OneBlueSky]

6. good for Max! . . .

time for a little payback for what the Repubs did to him during the Georgia election campaign . . . hope he repeats this over and over and over again throughout this campaign . . . people need to know the truth . . .

on edit: Caution! . . . beware of flying on small planes, Max . . .

[Moderator]

7. locked (it's a dupe)

please continue here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=238954

Thanks