Thursday, April 22, 2004
John Kerry's military record
I find this subject to be extremely tedious. This article in The Washington Times is particularly offensive. Isn't it unseemly to be fisking the records attendant to Kerry's citations in Vietnam? What kind of message does this send to our soldiers today? Picking over the bureaucratic detritus of wars long past to find evidence of medal inflation is not inspiring for anybody.
Unfortunately, in constantly citing his own record in Vietnam as evidence of his ability to be commander in chief or to impugn Bush's qualifications or military service, Kerry has opened the door, as we lawyers say. He can expect nothing less, even if it is unfortunate that his opponents decided to lower themselves to Kerry's level.
UPDATE: The New York Times is on its usual high horse, calling for more disclosure from the Kerrys. I do not agree with the national media's self-interested desire to see every twist and wiggle of a candidate's life disclosed. I think it keeps good people out of government, and we need more good people in government. However, there is no question that having lived by the sword, as it were, whining to no end about Bush's National Guard records, the Kerry campaign can hardly be excused from dying by the sword. Let's see all the medical records, and Theresa's tax returns to boot. If John Zaccaro had to cough up his, why should Mrs. Heinz get a pass? Because her last name doesn't end in a vowel?
Unfortunately, in constantly citing his own record in Vietnam as evidence of his ability to be commander in chief or to impugn Bush's qualifications or military service, Kerry has opened the door, as we lawyers say. He can expect nothing less, even if it is unfortunate that his opponents decided to lower themselves to Kerry's level.
UPDATE: The New York Times is on its usual high horse, calling for more disclosure from the Kerrys. I do not agree with the national media's self-interested desire to see every twist and wiggle of a candidate's life disclosed. I think it keeps good people out of government, and we need more good people in government. However, there is no question that having lived by the sword, as it were, whining to no end about Bush's National Guard records, the Kerry campaign can hardly be excused from dying by the sword. Let's see all the medical records, and Theresa's tax returns to boot. If John Zaccaro had to cough up his, why should Mrs. Heinz get a pass? Because her last name doesn't end in a vowel?
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