Saxby Chambliss attacks John Kerry's Military Record

[PROGRESSIVE1]

This is the same swine that smeared Max Cleland.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=5&u=/ap/20040221/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_1

snip:


Sen. Saxby Chambliss contended that Kerry, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, has a weak voting record on military affairs.


A spokeswoman for the Massachusetts senator called Chambliss an attack dog for Bush and encouraged anybody who wants to debate Kerry's military record to "bring it on," a slogan of the Kerry campaign.


Chambliss said in a conference call arranged by the Bush campaign: "When you have a 32-year history of voting to cut defense programs and cut defense systems, folks in Georgia are going to look beyond what he says and look at his voting record."

[neverforget]

1. Eat shit you fucking chickenhawk coward!

:grr: :grr: The nerve of this coward! :grr: :grr: Unfuckingbelievable! :grr: :grr: :argh: :argh: and to think this POS "beat" a true war hero! :grr: :grr: ahhhhhhh! I hate these pukes! :grr: :grr: :argh:

[ithacan]

3. what was his excuse?

for the record.

The dems should run with this. Maybe buy ads with some of the major chickenhawk deck of cards...

[CatWoman]

2. hahahahaha

get em, John:

"For Saxby Chambliss, who got out of going to Vietnam because of a trick knee, to attack John Kerry as weak on the defense of our nation is like a mackerel in the moonlight that both shines and stinks."

[oasis]

4. "Chickenhawk Chambliss" the contemptuous chirping coward.

[Octafish]

46. CC's just another Turd of the BFEE

Chickenhawk Chambliss is a great moniker for tiny turd of the BFEE.

When the trials begin, he'll get his. Until then, history will be his judge.

[oasis]

5. "Chickenhawk Chambliss" the pasty faced Pomeranian.

[CatWoman]

6. I want to see what Max Cleland has to say about this

:grr:

[oasis]

11. Max will have that chickenhawk for lunch with a side of flapjacks.

:-)

[kodi]

7. and just what war did you serve in saxby?

oh, bum knee, that's right.

i never knew chickenhawks had knees.

[reddouglasfir]

8. I liked that he smeared Cleland

Cleland is nothing but a S0A lovin war monger.

Kerry is different. He has seen the error of his ways and is a true man of peace.

[oasis]

12. You liked that he smeared Max and took over his senator's seat?

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[HowdyDUit]

39. How did Max get wounded?

Was it during combat or an ambush?

[LiviaOlivia]

51. Didn't Ann Coulter tell you already?

n/t

[HowdyDUit]

58. I don't know what you are talking about

Please explain. I know he is a war hero like Kerry but I was just asking a simple question.

[LiviaOlivia]

61. Try this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=34984

[kiahzero]

16. Tell me, have you ever looked at the actual percentages

of asshats (for lack of a better word) the SOA turns out? It's quite low (for Columbia, 2%). Given what was going on in Latin America for the past 50 years, that's low.

[CatWoman]

22. oooooooooooooooo

boy :eyes:

[mitchum]

36. WTF???!!!

[maddezmom]

60. YIKES

:eyes:

[diamond14]

9. John Kerry's Service Record, in detail..will shrub post his record?

http://www.johnkerry.com/communities/veterans/service.html

Bronze Star with V (for valor), Silver Star, Three Purple Hearts...

TWO tours of Duty completed....John Kerry and his crew completed 18 missions over an intense and dangerous 48 days, almost all of them in the dense jungles of the Mekong Delta.









John Kerry's Vietnam Service Record:

February 18, 1966 – Kerry formally enlists in the U.S. Navy

August 22, 1966 – Kerry reports for Naval Officer Candidate School at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Newport, Rhode Island

December 16, 1966 – Kerry receives commission as an Ensign

January 3, 1967 – Kerry reports for duty at the Naval Schools Command at Treasure Island (CA)-Takes 10 week Officer Damage Control Course

March 22, 1967 – Reports to U.S. Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center (CA). Receives training as a Combat Information Center Watch Officer.

June 8, 1967 – Kerry reports to USS Gridley-serves in several capacities

February 9, 1968 – USS Gridley departs for a Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment, to engage in operations in support of the Vietnam War. Ship spends time in the Gulf of Tonkin off North Vietnam, at Subic Bay in the Philippines and in Wellington, New Zealand

February 10, 1968 – Kerry requests duty in Vietnam He lists his first preference for a position as an officer in charge of a Swift Boat (designated PCF for Patrol Craft Fast), his second as an officer in a patrol boat (designated PBR, for Patrol Boat River) squadron

May 27, 1968 – USS Gridley sets sail for the US

June 6, 1968 – Kerry arrives in Long Beach the day after Senator Robert F. Kennedy is killed in Los Angeles

June 16, 1968 – Kerry promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade

July 20, 1968 – Kerry leaves Gridley for specialized training at the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado, CA in preparation for service as commander of a Swift Boat. These unarmored, but heavily armed, fifty foot aluminum hulled patrol boats depended on speed and agility when engaging the enemy.




November 17, 1968 – Upon completion of his training, Kerry reports for duty to Coastal Squadron 1, Coastal Division 14, Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam.

December 1968 through January 1969 – Kerry commands PCF-44

December 2, 1968 – Kerry experiences first intense combat; receives first combat related injury.

December 6, 1968 – Kerry moved to Coastal Division 11 at An Thoi on Phu Quoc Island

December 13, 1968 – Kerry moved to Coastal Division 13, Cam Ranh Bay

December 24, 1968 – Kerry involved in combat during the Christmas Eve truce of 1968. The truce was three minutes old when mortar fire exploded around Lieutenant Kerry and his five-man crew. Reacting swiftly, John Kerry and his crew silenced the machine gun nest

January 22, 1969 – Kerry and other Swift boat commanders travel to Saigon for meeting with Adm. Elmo Zumwalt, Commander Naval Forces Vietnam (COMNAVFORV), and Gen. Creighton Abrams, Commander United States Military Assistance Command Vietnam (COMUSMACV)

Late January, 1969 – Kerry joined his 5 man crew on PCF-94




Late January through Early March, 1969 – Starting in late January 1969, this crew completed 18 missions over an intense and dangerous 48 days, almost all of them in the dense jungles of the Mekong Delta. Kerry's crew included engineman Eugene Thorson, later an Iowa cement mason; David Alston, then the crew's only African-American and today a minister in South Carolina; petty officer Del Sandusky of Illinois; rear gunner and quartermaster Michael Medeiros of California; and the late Tom Belodeau, who joined the crew fresh out of Chelmsford High School in Massachusetts. Others rotated in and out of the crew. The most intense action came during an extraordinary eight days of more than 10 firefights, remembered by Kerry's crew as the "days of hell."

February 20, 1969 – Kerry and crew involved in combat; Kerry receives second combat injury – Kerry earned his second Purple Heart after sustaining a shrapnel wound in his left thigh.

February 28, 1969 – For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Coastal Division ELEVEN engaged in armed conflict with Viet Cong insurgents in An Xuyen Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 28 February 1969. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry was serving as Officer in Charge of Patrol Craft Fast 94 and Officer in Tactical Command of a three-boat mission. As the force approached the target area on the narrow Dong Cung River, all units came under intense automatic weapons and small arms fire from an entrenched enemy force less than fifty-feet away. Unhesitatingly, Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry ordered his boat to attack as all units opened fire and beached directly in front of the enemy ambushers. The daring and courageous tactic surprised the enemy and succeeded in routing a score of enemy soldiers. The PCF gunners captured many enemy weapons in the battle that followed. On a request from U.S. Army advisors ashore, Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry ordered PCFs 94 and 23 further up river to suppress enemy sniper fire. After proceeding approximately eight hundred yards, the boats again were taken under fire from a heavily foliated area and B-40 rocket exploded close aboard PCF-94; with utter disregard for his own safety and the enemy rockets, he again ordered a charge on the enemy, beached his boat only ten feet from the VC rocket position, and personally led a landing party ashore in pursuit of the enemy. Upon sweeping the area an immediate search uncovered an enemy rest and supply area which was destroyed. The extraordinary daring and personal courage of Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry in attacking a numerically superior force in the face of intense fire were responsible for the highly successful mission. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

March 13, 1969 – For heroic achievement while serving with Coastal Division ELEVEN engaged in armed conflict with Viet Cong communist aggressors in An Xuyen Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 13 March 1969. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry was serving as Officer in Charge of Patrol Craft Fast 94, one of five boats conducting a SEA Lords operation in the Bay Hap River. While exiting the river, a mine detonated under another Inshore Patrol Craft and almost simultaneously, another mine detonated wounding Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry in the right arm. In addition, all units began receiving small arms and automatic weapons fire from the river banks. When Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry discovered he had a man overboard, he returned upriver to assist. The man in the water was receiving sniper fire from both banks. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry directed his gunners to provide suppressing fire, while from an exposed position on the bow, his arm bleeding and in pain and with disregard for his safety, he pulled the man aboard. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry then directed his boat to return and assist the other damaged boat to safety. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry’s calmness, professionalism and great personal courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.

March 17, 1969 – The policy of Coastal Squadron One, the swift boat command, was to send home any individual who is wounded three times in action. After sustaining his third wound from enemy action n Vietnam, Kerry was granted relief under this policy.

Early April, 1969 – Kerry departs Vietnam

April 11, 1969 – Kerry reports for duty at the Military Sea Transportation Service, U.S. Atlantic Fleet in Brooklyn, NY.

January 1, 1970 – Kerry promoted to (full) Lieutenant

January 3, 1970 – Kerry requests discharge

March 1, 1970 – Kerry’s date of separation from Active Duty

April 29, 1970 – Kerry listed as Registrant who has completed service

[PurityOfEssence]

10. What color dress was he wearing?

And who bought it for him?

[MikeG]

14. Does everybody in Georgia have shit for brains?

[PROGRESSIVE1]

15. Purdue, Miller, Chambliss.......

I guess they all do.

:puke: Georgia

It's amazing that Jimmy Carter came from this state.

[mac56]

19. Very nice.

What state are y'all from again, Progressive1?

[mac56]

17. No.

Greetings from Athens.

[reddouglasfir]

18. Apparently yes

They have elected three assholes for senator recently- Cleland, Chambliss and Miller.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

20. The attacks on Cleland are UNJUSTIFIED.

:puke:
:puke:

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[oasis]

25. Diebold "elected" Purdue and Chambliss.

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mitchum]

43. Well, that was removed even quicker than I thought it would be

welcome to DU and if you're ever in Athens, GA, look me up for some...uh....uh....conversation

[mac56]

45. Hey Mitchum

Another Athenian here...

[mitchum]

50. Cool! I hope that you enjoy living here as much as I do...

despite the few drawbacks (ridiculous traffic and an incredibly sorry public library), I really do love this strange town

[oasis]

23. Many of our revered DU posters are Georgians.

[MikeG]

27. I excuse the ones who voted for Cleland. But next time they

want to secede, let them.

[mac56]

29. Does your pardon include those who voted for Carter, oh benevolent one?

:eyes:

[MikeG]

32. I'm assuming they are one and the same.

[CatWoman]

24. HEY!!!!!!!!!

Watch that!!!!

I'm in Georgia!!!!!!!

And I have DU for brains!!!!!

[Faygo Kid]

26. Here's the site listing the Chickenhawks.

The SOBs like Chambliss who are personal cowards but free to spend the lives of others on their neo-con power trips. Always worth a visit; I have it as one of my "Favorites" to check from time to time, and remind me how vile these people are:
http://www.awolbush.com/whoserved.html

[JPJones]

28. Statement from Max Cleland

Link

Statement from Max Cleland Regarding Chambliss Attacks on John Kerry


February 21, 2004

For Immediate Release


Senator Saxby Chambliss, at the request of the Bush-Cheney campaign, held a conference call earlier today with reporters to attack John Kerry for being weak on defense. Similar to what the right wing attack machine did to both Senator McCain in 2000 and Senator Cleland in 2002, Republicans are attempting to distort the John Kerry’s record on defense issues in order to distract for the real issues American’s care about, such as new and better jobs and a safer and more secure nation. This week, the Bush-Cheney campaign even went as far as announcing a multi-million dollar ad campaign against John Kerry on his record of honorably serving his country in Vietnam and, when he came home, fighting to end the failed and wrong war so that others could come home too. The Republican ads are an attempt to interfere with Democratic voters as they seek to pick their nominee to beat Bush.

While campaigning for John Kerry in Georgia today, Senator Max Cleland made the following statement in response to the right wing attacks:

“For Saxby Chambliss, who got out of going to Vietnam because of a trick knee, to attack John Kerry as weak on the defense of our nation is like a mackerel in the moonlight that both shines and stinks.”

[adadem]

30. Way to go, Max! n/t

[Faygo Kid]

31. Aargh! Should have led with the quote!

The mackerel quote is great! You lead with that, and move the other stuff down into the body of the press release. Let's do better, Dems! I also hope the misspellings, etc. were not in the release as issued, but as posted here. Do you have a link? (Inveterate - and invertebrate - editor here in the PR biz).

[JPJones]

33. The link is at the top of the press release

or go to johnkerry.com look under press releases.

[Faygo Kid]

38. Thanks. Hope they do better next time. Bad press release.

I missed the link the first time around. Thanks. The line about ". . .distort the John Kerry's record. . ." Is that like "the Donald," referring to Trump? There's more, but suffice to say we must communicate better than this, especially when we have such a strong statement ("stinking mackerel;" great stuff).

[oasis]

34. "Chickenhawk Chambliss" Diebold's stinking moonlight mackerel.

[murielm99]

44. Go Max!

you are still a hero!:toast:

[saltpoint]

59. Max Cleland is the peach of Georgia. Love the guy.

The response to Chambliss was terrific, except I think Chambliss shouldn't be compared to a mackerel that's washed up and stinking on a beach someplace -- because between a mackerel that's washed up and stinking on a beach someplace and Saxby Chambliss, I think I might take the mackerel.

[poskonig]

35. Saxby Shameless has no business talking about foreign policy experience.

Where was he during Vietnam? Oh, his knee.

[CityDem]

42. I don't get this Viet Nam experience thing

Does every candidate running for President have to have experience in Viet Nam to be considered a legitimate candidate? What if Hillary were to run in 2004 -- should she be less credible than Kerry because she did not go to Nam? This is a crazy argument. Both Bush and Kerry have stated their policies and have a public record of votes, speeches, etc. Their positions on the issues today should be the issue, not what they were doing when they were 22 years old. For those who are 40+ years old, think about how your views and life have changed since you were 22. When I was 22, all I cared about was finishing school, girls, finding a job, girls, beer and girls. I still do much the same today, but I have added quite a few items to the list. And since I am happily married, I only am interested in one girl.

While I applaud Kerry and Cleland for serving our country, I am not ready to make Viet Nam experience an important criteria for president.

[murielm99]

53. Of course not.

The whole issue speaks to character. Kerry served, and shrub lied about his service. Kerry had second thoughts about that war, and was not afraid to state them publicly. If you were not around then, please understand that it was very dangerous to do so at the time.

Cleland served and paid a high price. The repukes questioned his patriotism.

Bush gives lip service to supporting veterans, and then takes away their benefits, and tries to lower their pay. He avoids war himself, but has no qualms about sending others to their deaths.

Vietnam was a tough, nuanced war that will haunt all of us who lived through it until we are all dead. It does not matter if we supported it or hated it -- it hurt us all a great deal. And those of us who hated that war have to live with how badly our veterans were treated when they returned from it. We have never addressed that. Kerry, at least, seems willing to do that.

It seems important now because we are in a war that is turning out to be very much like Nam. And those who started it are by and large chickenhawks, hypocrites and more.

It probably would not be as important if we were not in Iraq, if we were largely at peace. But remember who started it, and how they question the patriotism of everyone who disagrees. Kerry can throw it back in their faces.

I think patriotism comes in many forms, not just military service. Kerry is unusual in that he can speak both as a warrior and one who questions war. This is just one issue where we can see their hypocrisy. We need to look for more.

[CityDem]

56. Speaks to character

So if this Viet Nam issue speaks to character, what would happen if Hillary Clinton or Barbara Boxer were the nominee?

I agree that Bush must defend his position on the war in Iraq, which will be very difficult to do. However, Bill Clinton waged a military campaign in Bosnia and he had not served. I think we need to fight this on the issue and not get caught up on the history of Viet Nam service. Don't distract the voters with Viet Nam service when the war on Iraq should be front and center. Just my opinion.

[incapsulated]

37. Except that..

It won't work this time. We've got his number, now. :hi:

[mitchum]

41. Saxby Chambliss is a ridiculous man with a ridiculous name

He's a liar

[mot78]

47. BRING IT ON CHICKENHAWK!!!!

[Leilani]

48. The Chicken Hawks

are the lowest of the low, slimiest of the slime,

& I hope there is a hell for chickenhawks.

Perle, Wolfowitz, Cheney, Gingrich, Lott, Rush, Hannity, etc. should all rot together.

[BootinUp]

57. Yes there is Leilani, here is the story!

(I wish I could remember who to credit for this!)

While walking down the street one day, George "Dubya" Bush is
shot by a disgruntled NRA member. His soul arrives in heaven and he is
met by St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.

"Welcome to Heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it
seems there is a problem: We seldom see a Republican around these parts,
so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in; I'm a believer." says Dubya.

"I'd like to just let you in, but I have orders from the Man
Himself: He says you have to spend one day in Hell and one day in
Heaven. Then you must choose where you'll live for eternity."

"But, I've already made up my mind; I want to be in Heaven."

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules." And with that, St. Peter
escorts him to an elevator and he goes down, down, down, all the way to
Hell.
The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a lush golf
course; the sun is shining in a cloudless sky, the temperature a perfect
72 degrees.

In the distance is a beautiful clubhouse. Standing in front of it
his dad...and thousands of other Republicans who had helped him out
over the years... Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, Jerry Falwell.... The whole of

the "Right" was there...everyone laughing...happy.... casually but
expensively dressed.

They run to greet him, hug him, and reminisce about the good
times they had getting rich at expense of the "suckers and peasants".
They
play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. The
Devil himself comes up to Bush with a frosty drink, "Have a Margarita
and relax, Dubya!"

"Uh, I can't drink no more, I took a pledge," says Junior, dejectedly.

"This is Hell, son: you can drink and eat all you want and not
worry, and it just gets better from there!"

Dubya takes the drink and finds himself liking the Devil, who he
thinks is a really very friendly guy who tells funny jokes and pulls
hilarious nasty pranks, kind of like a Yale Skull and Bones brother with
real
horns.

They are having such a great time that, before he realizes it,
it's time to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves as Bush steps on
the
elevator and heads upward.

When the elevator door reopens, he is in Heaven again and St.
Peter is waiting for him. "Now it's time to visit Heaven," the old man
says, opening the gate.

So for 24 hours Bush is made to hang out with a bunch of
honest, good-natured people who enjoy each other's company, talk
about things other than money, and treat each other decently. Not a
nasty prank or frat boy joke among them; no fancy country clubs and,
while
the food tastes great, it's not caviar or lobster. And these people are
all poor, he doesn't see anybody he knows, and he isn't even treated
like
someone special!

Worst of all, to Dubya, Jesus turns out to be some kind of Jewish
hippie with his endless 'peace' and 'do unto others' jive.

"Whoa," he says uncomfortably to himself, "Pat Robertson never
prepared me for this!"

The day done, St. Peter returns and says, "Well, then, you've
spent a day in Hell and a day in Heaven. Now choose where you want to
live for eternity."

With the 'Jeopardy' theme playing softly in the background,
Dubya reflects for a minute, then answers: "Well, I would never
have thought I'd say this -- I mean, Heaven has been delightful and
all --but I really think I belong in Hell with my friends."

So Saint Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down,
down, down, all the way to Hell. The doors of the elevator open and he
is in the middle of a barren scorched earth covered with garbage and toxic
industrial waste.. kind of like Houston. He is horrified to see
all of his friends, dressed in rags and chained together, picking up the

trash and putting it in black bags. They are groaning and moaning in
pain, faces and hands black with grime. The Devil comes over to Dubya
and puts an arm around his shoulder.

"I don't understand," stammers a shocked Dubya, "Yesterday I was
here and there was a golf course and a clubhouse and we ate lobster and
caviar... I drank booze. We screwed around and had a great time. Now there's
just a wasteland full of garbage and everybody looks miserable!"

The Devil looks at him, smiles slyly, and purrs, "Yesterday we
were campaigning; today you voted for us."

[Leilani]

74. Thanks Jim

Terrific, & I wish it were true!

Jesus as a "Jewish Hippie"

LOL, Dubya would have apoplexy.

We have loads of old hippies in Hawaii; I love to see Dubya in the same room with them.

[elperromagico]

49. And remind us, Senator Chambliss - what is your military record?

Oh, wait - you don't have one, right? "Other priorities," I'm sure.

"Saxby was unable to serve in Vietnam because of bad knees, yet he's still able to jog recreationally." ( http://www.thetartan.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/12/09/3fd652998e34d )

Well, good for you, Senator! Now jog back to Georgia, you son of a bitch.

[JohnKleeb]

63. but I cant jog because of my knee yet I loves me the war

haha what a bafoon.

[wryter2000]

52. Is he running for re-election this time?

Where do I send money to his opponent?

[oasis]

54. With the aid of Diebold, Chickenhawk Chambliss took office after 2002

elections. He won't run again until 2008.

[TheStateChief]

55. This is the BS we're going to have to put up with...

that Kerry voted against the cruise missile or the stealth bomber or some other program so Bush could fight his dirty little war. I think it is more revealing that Bush can't make these kinds of arguments himself then the poppycock coming out of Saxby's mouth.

But I do wish the Kerry campaign would come up with another line besides Bring It On...it's getting old.

[JohnKleeb]

62. How Cute

Hey Saxby bite me.

[saltpoint]

64. No, John! Don't say that! --

If he bit you, you'd die of Christ knows how many deadly diseases! We like you around here and we don't want to lose you.

Tell Chambliss to bite Cheney or Jerry Falwell or someone like that.

Keep yourself safe!

[arewethereyet]

65. ok lets take this as it was written

Chambliss did not comment on Kerry's military record but rather his voting record on military matters.

So how HAS Kerry voted on military spending ? Can the GOP throw poop at the wall that sticks with this ? Should we factor this into the electability equation ?

Silver stars start to tarnish if you vote against the military and he's got 'spalinin enough to accomplish regarding his Vets Against the War period.

We had better stay focused on these things and not sidetracked on poor semantics. If this is a problem NOW is the time to confront it.

[saltpoint]

66. I think it would save time to take it as it was --

-- intended. It was intended to smear someone's patriotism. It was intended to do the same thing to Kerry as the GOP did to Cleland in Georgia in the last Senate election.

Intent matters. And Chambliss is guilty as charged in my opinion.

[arewethereyet]

67. you bet and becasue it worked, we ought to be working on this

you know what they say about those who refuse to study history being doomed to see it repeated...

[saltpoint]

69. The history addage is usually true. Most DUers on --

-- this thread are shelling Chambliss because they do not wish to see another Democrat smeared.

Most DUers here have risen in vigorous support of Cleland and Kerry against Chambliss and others.

Are we not in agreement here?

[arewethereyet]

72. sure, not argument re Cleland but there ARE more pressing matters

and that is the race for the White House.

Yes it sucks that they swipe at Clenald but he's a big boy and can take it. We are hoping to elect a dem to the office of President in NINE months and we need to be damn sure we're finding one who can compete.

If Kerry has used his senate votes to trash the military then all the silver stars in the world won't help. Jeez, the POW accounts of hearing his Vets against VietNam thing is bad enough but he could pt that off as the times. Real votes impacting current soldiers and current weaponry and capability is another matter entirely.

Can we be in agreement on this too ?

[saltpoint]

73. We could be if it were an established trend --

-- in Kerry's record, which it is not. Nor was it in Cleland's case.

That brings us to our original point of departure. The INTENT by Chamblis was to smear someone's patriotism. Chambliss has been vigorously challenged in this thread for that reason.

The majority here have suggested that Chambliss is essentially an asshole for what he is doing -- and properly so.

If you don't like Senator Kerry, don't vote for him. If Chambliss wants to smear his patriotism, he should have the nuts to do it to Kerry's face. Otherwise, we could do without the cowardly media stunts by less-than-one-term Senators.

Chambliss lacks the moral rudder to throw mud at a vet.

[arewethereyet]

75. I don't like Kerry and I didn't vote for him but he may get the nomination

so I need to accept that reality and figure out what I can to to diminish it's impact.

Being more concerned about some sort of Marquis of Queensbury rules of political warefare than the warefare itself is not going to help the party win the White House.

I guess we're not going to be agreeing on this. Too bad.

[Catholic Sensation]

68. message I sent to Saxby

Dear Senator Chambliss,

Firstly, I am not one of your constituents, unless you feel all of America makes up your constituency. Anyway, I've recently found out you're blasting John Kerry's military record. May I inquire what you were doing during the dates of 1966 and 1973 (the end of the war essentially)? John Kerry spent that time creating a military record better than Oliver North's when he could have just as easily dodged the draft like George W. Bush and Dick Cheney did.

According to your site, you graduated from college in 1966. Unless you got held back a lot during grade school, you would have been of age to take part in the Vietnam War. So, once again, I ask, which branch of the military did you enlist in?

Unless you are the most modest human being ever, I can assume the answer is the same as Rush Limbaugh's (he dodged the draft because of a cyst which didn't prevent his father from fighting in World War II). Even if John Kerry had voted against the PATRIOT ACT, against the Iraq War Resolution, demanded that Usama bin Laden be considered innocent of the crime he committed on 9/11, and gave secrets to the Soviets, his military record would still be infinitely better than yours.

By the way, the ads you ran against Max Cleeland show what kind of classless human being you are. I'm not expecting a reply, so I don't care if you don't reply.

Gladly not in the same party as you,
John Szamosi

I wonder if he'll reply :D

[saltpoint]

70. John -- hello and also --

-- congratulations on a terrific letter to a terrible Senator.

You deserve a better public servant to read what you wrote.

Real nice. Thanks.

[Catholic Sensation]

71. You should have seen what I sent to Tom DeLay

lines like "I'm sure you didn't catch this, but Raleigh, NC is in fact, not in your congressional district, or your state for that matter." and "I pray for the rapture as much as you do, because if I'm worshipping Christ correctly, you'll still be living on this planet. If you're worshipping him correctly, you'll leave this planet It's a win-win situation, since you won't be on the same planet as me either way. For seven years at least..."