Iraq amputee vivid champion of Dems' hopes (Duckworth)

[RamboLiberal]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/17/ILLINOIS.TMP

Tammy Duckworth makes the most dramatic entrance in American politics. She can't help it.

Duckworth, the Democratic nominee in a tightly fought, expensive race for a traditionally Republican House seat in Chicago's seemingly endless western suburbs, lost both legs when the Army combat helicopter she was piloting north of Baghdad in 2004 was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Now she teeter-totters along unsteadily on high-tech artificial legs and a cane or gets around in a wheelchair. Her injuries, which also included a shattered right arm, sparked the political career of the first-time candidate, who was recruited by national Democratic leaders.

The 38-year-old still attends occasional weekend sessions as an Illinois National Guard major. She said that if not for her wounds, she would like to return to duty in the Iraq war she believes has been botched by President Bush and the Republican Congress.

"But I don't think the Army wants pilots with no legs,'' she said outside a diner where she had chatted with the lunchtime crowd.

[babylonsister]

1. No offense, but bullshit. How about Max Cleland? Where was the

support for him?

[orleans]

2. hopefully the times they are a-changin'

i hear she got a standing ovation after her debate last week with the puke

[RamboLiberal]

3. Cleland IMHO was beaten by voting machine hack

And I love that Max is now out there cheering on all the Dems especially the vets.

[MidwestTransplant]

4. Oh this is about old Cut and Run Duckworth.

[babylonsister]

5. And your point? Do you have one? nt

[MidwestTransplant]

7. It's amazing to me that some people just can't pick up on the most obvious

sarcasm.

[zbdent]

6. I wonder if a repuke will chastise her if she doesn't stand for

something in congress ...