American Legion Chief Alters Line On Service (Morin Led Legion Attack On Kerry's 10/30 Iraq Comment)

[Mark E. Smith]

Boston.com 12/03/06

When Paul A. Morin (sic), the national commander of the American Legion, sought election to the office
in August, he described himself in the lead sentence of his campaign biography as a "Vietnam veteran
of the US Army." Since he was elected Aug. 31, the Legion's website has featured the same description.

And when Morin testified before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee Sept. 20, US Representative
Steve Buyer, Republican of Indiana, introduced him as an Army veteran of Vietnam. Morin registered no
objection, according to the hearing transcript.

And three months ago, Morin said he hopes that servicemen returning from iraq will be treated better
than those who returned from Vietnam. "When we came home, life was a little different. We do not want
to see any veteran returning to what we did, so we'll be there welcoming them home with open arms,"
Morin said, according to a transcript of his interview with the Pentagon Channel, the Defense
Department's television network.

But the only place Morin ever returned from was Fort Dix, N.J. According to his military records, Morin
spent his entire two years of Army service, from 1972 to 1974, at that Army training base.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/12/03/legion_chief_alters_line_on_war_service

Additionally ... it was Morin who led the Legion attack on John Kerry after his 10/30 Pasadena remarks.

"As a constituent of Sen. Kerry, I am disappointed," Morin said. "As leader of the American Legion, I am
outraged. A generation ago, Sen. Kerry slandered his comrades in Vietnam as Rapists and murderers. It
true then and his warped views of today's heroes isn't true now."

http://www.masslive.com/springfield/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1163925885314580.xml&coll=1

[oneinok]

1. Goddamn lying chickenhawk

Let me guess. This asshole lying basturd loves bushy.

[whatelseisnew]

2. There have been some stories of a partisan nature

I'll try to remember

[Cerridwen]

3. Remember, this is the same guy who criticized Kerry's "joke gone bad"

American Legion to Sen. Kerry: Apologize Now

INDIANAPOLIS, October 31, 2006 - The National Commander of The American Legion called on Sen. John Kerry to apologize for suggesting that American troops in Iraq are uneducated.

“As a constituent of Senator Kerry’s I am disappointed. As leader of The American Legion, I am outraged,” said National Commander Paul A. Morin. “A generation ago, Sen. Kerry slandered his comrades in Vietnam by saying that they were rapists and murderers. It wasn’t true then and his warped view of today’s heroes isn’t true now.”

While addressing a group of college students at a campaign rally in Pasadena, CA., Monday, Kerry suggested that they receive an education or “if you don’t, you’ll get stuck in Iraq.”
“While The American Legion shares the senator’s appreciation for education, the troops in Iraq represent the most sophisticated, technologically superior military that the world has ever seen,” Morin said. “I think there is a thing or two that they could teach most college professors and campus elitists about the way the world works.

“And while we are on the topic of education, why doesn’t the senator and his comrades in Congress improve the GI Bill so all of today’s military members – reserves and guard included – can achieve the educational aspirations that the senator so highly values?” Morin said. “The senator’s false and outrageous attack was over-the-top and he should apologize now.”

The 2.7-million member American Legion, www.legion.org, is the nation’s largest veterans organization. link

Kerry went to Vietnam. This guy not only didn't go, he then lied about his service and took a prominant role in a Veteren's organization and then used his position to criticize a vet who went. Every time I hear a vet "swiftboat" another vet, I wonder what the vet doing the "swiftboating" is hiding about his/her own service. Now I know what "National Commander" Paul A. Morin is hiding while he plays at being tough guy G.I. Joe. BTW, his name is just too perfect for this board.

[Mark E. Smith]

4. I Just Edited That In ...

Same time you did. Great minds ... apologies if I stepped on your toes.

This story really pisses me off.

[Cerridwen]

5. My toes are just fine, thank you for asking. While on DU, I wear

steel-toe boots. :D

I was outraged when I read this story and I immediately remembered who this s.o.b. was.

I grew up with friends and family who served in Vietnam coming home with the most god-awful "presense" about them. The looks on their faces. The things they wouldn't talk about. The things they would sometimes let slip. The stories they won't/can't tell to anyone who wasn't there. The ways they'd changed. And this sonova-f*&%cking-bitch claiming fraternity with these people?! And then having the nerve to criticize someone who was there?!

Hell, maybe as a civilian I don't have the right to be outraged. Even so...

:grr:

edit: too pissed to spell

[durtee librul]

7. Cerridwen..

I too have friends who were in 'Nam and they won't speak of the horrors and atrocities they saw and probably were forced to participate in. To this day, 40 plus years later.....they just cringe about 'Nam and even more, they abhor what our guys are being forced to go thru over there. They will speak about how low morale must be in some sectors and how many of them probably feel like guinea pigs in some social experiment...but again won't talk becuase of military code.

When these so called 'heroes' step up and starting beating their chests, they are no better than the damn bible thumpers who talk the talk, but have NO clue of walk the walk.

AND Kerry should have fought back and fought back hard against the swift boaters and he didn't. He just laid back and took it. I don't care what anyone says about that, it was just plain wrong and terribly STUPID to let anyone railroad you with lies, especially when you are running for the top job in the country and honor is tantamount.

Again, I just cannot understand how the vets in the country let the swift boaters get away with what they got away with...I guess a strange definition of 'honor' prevails. I know my dad is a WWII and Korean vet and he won't speak ill of Bush....he just won't talk peroid and states that it's not his place to condemn a man for 'doing his job.' I then 'casually mention' if he WAS doing his job, no-one would be complaining...oh well, another topic for another thread.

[Cerridwen]

8. Thanks, durtee (cute name, btw). You just triggered what it was

I was was trying to say but couldn't quite articulate.

I wasn't there with Kerry in his strategy planning sessions so I don't know what was said about how to respond or why it was decided the way it was.

What I do know, is that most of the vets I've known hesitate to criticize other vets. Usually the ones who do criticize, I find out later, had little or nothing to do with actual combat and are somehow trying to assuage their "guilt"(?) at serving "in the rear with the gear" while their friends were out getting their asses blown up. Not, I'm sure, that that is always the case. But, clearly, in this case the "National Commander" needs to, at the least, take a chill pill.

[AndyTiedye]

35. Kerry Was Screwed No Matter What He Did with the "Swift-Boaters"

Kerry should have fought back and fought back hard against the swift boaters and he didn't.

For Kerry to have fought back against the Swift Boat liars in August, he would have had to use ALL his money.
They were under campaign financing limits, and would have had to counteract the efforts of SBVT and all 3 networks to spread the lies.

Kerry's campaign would then have had to shut down for lack of funds in September or October.

[UTUSN]

6. THAT's the issue I called the Legion's nat'l hqtrs to complain about

In the GD thread I didn't remember specifically what it was about. (I have complained to both the VFW and Legion about their political involvement over the years.)

[Cerridwen]

9. Glad to help jog your memory.

Now you've got more ammo to use the next time you complain.

:evilgrin:

[MH1]

12. If this is true - candidate for K.O.'s Worst?

And, if true, it needs to be in every freakin' newspaper, CNN, MSNBC, every stinkin one of them.

If true, the American Legion needs to fire this guy ASAP and do some serious "we fucked up" apologizing.

IMO.

[Cerridwen]

15. Too true. The link I provided is to the Am. Legion's press release

He said it. He put it in "writing." Now he should "eat it!"

[MH1]

16. Anyone have an email addy for KO?

I tried to find it and couldn't.

I really, really want him to know about this.

Edit to add: Since I couldn't find it on MSNBC's site, maybe if you have it you should PM me if you think it's not appropriate to post, if it's not on MSNBC's site. (it may be there and I just didn't know where to look).

[mwb970]

31. Actually, it's pretty easy to e-mail Countdown.

Go to msnbc.com, then click "MSNBC TV" at the top left. Click "Countdown" on the left, then "E-mail the Show" at the top right.

[NVMojo]

10. KERRY NEEDS TO CONDEMN THIS IMPOSTER PUBLICLY!

[MeDeMax]

20. dont drag Kerry into this...he admitted he made a mistake...

let Kerry move on...he has important things to do ahead, IMHO.

[MH1]

25. I agree - let everyone else deal with Morin.

That man (Morin) should have zero credibility with vets.

[LynnTheDem]

11. Gee...just another ignorant stupid liar.

How surprising.

Not.

[marmar]

13. Typical lying right-wing chickenhawk asshole....

Truly pathetic.

[beachmom]

14. Why didn't the media do their homework earlier?

Why do they just put these guys up and their hateful comments before checking in to see if they truly are what they say they are?

Kerry has never been anything but honest about who he is, yet these liars get free air time and print space without a question asked.

Something is wrong with our media environment. Seriously wrong.

[Tansy_Gold]

23. that's exactly what I was thinking, beachmom

it's a cryin' shame that it's come to this, but i think it's time EVERY STINKIN' ONE of these rightwing critics ought to be required to state their branch of service, dates of service, and PLACE and THEATRE of service.

my late husband served four years active duty in the navy in "the Vietnam era" but he NEVER claimed to be a "Vietnam vet." he damn well knew the difference, because his reservist brother spent 13 months at Da Nang.

even my current bf doesn't claim any more usmc service than what he actually did: "Vietnam era" but not anywhere near a combat theatre.

that these people who run around shouting about "honoring the troops" are themselves so dishonest and dishonorable just burns my ass. they deserve to be publicly humiliated, and i hope they are.

being "worst person in the world" and getting 15 seconds of infamy isn't enough; Olbermann ought to do a whole story on moran/moron Morin. show him up for the hypocritical liar that he is.


tansy gold

[blm]

28. Media knows the TRUTH about Kerry but always sides with Rove's LIES against him.

and they accept any source faux military source working for BushInc.

[wisteria]

34. The media was seeking out bad news and comments.

How many positive comments did you hear or read about during this attack?

[Solly Mack]

17. Isn't that just always the case? Actual war vets have a totally

different perspective than those who spent their service on the sidelines

What a little toady Morin is...

[ArbustoBuster]

18. That little (sic) is incredibly appropriate.

How did this guy think that, when he is a national figure, the discrepancies in his record wouldn't come out? He must be a morin moron.

[xchrom]

19. another tapeworm sucking a living off of the people he has hoodwinked.

[MeDeMax]

21. PAUL MORIN's office phone number - [phone]

call up his office and express yourself.

Or email them here :

http://www.legion.org/?content=contact_us&con=NatlCmdr

[SpiralHawk]

22. republicon chickehawks love to smear honorable Vets

the republicons do it again and again and again.

why do republicons hate our vets?

[formercia]

24. The Foreign Legion is a Knights of Malta front org. n/t

[brentspeak]

26. He sure was quick to jump on Kerry. Morin = moran.

[anotherdrew]

27. time for this ass to resign and live out his twilight years in disgrace and shame n/t

[MasonJar]

29. Why wait for Kerry? We need to condemn him loud and often. That

organization needs to get its act together. I cannot speak as a personal inductee, but my father was in Europe at the Battle of the Bulge, my father-in-law was at Iwo Jima, my husband was in the Marines 8 years during the Vietnam War and my son served 4 years in the Navy (thankfully there was no war.) So I call on the organization to support those who have been in the military by denouncing the Swift-boat liars and the Bush pre-empters, most of whom avoided war at all cost. For Cheney to get 6 deferments and never even graduate is the worst. My husband left Princeton University to serve during the his country.

[mwb970]

30. The first thing I thought: "I'll bet he's a Republican."

I knew it from the headline alone: Head of American Legion Lies About Being Vietnam Veteran. That's all it took for me to determine the political party of someone I never heard of till just now. And I was right!

[SpiralHawk]

32. another lying republicon chickenhawk

The only thing they know how to do is to trash America's honorable veterans.

[wisteria]

33. His should resign his post. First, he is a fraud, second, he lied,

third, I thought the American Legion was not partisan and his comments about Senator Kerry were very patrician AND WRONG TO BOOT! Now I know, how he could attack a brave fellow veteran, he really wasn't a brave veteran. I wonder if he partied with Bush while they both played chick hawks to Kerry's soldiering?

What a despicable human being Morin is.