Dean blasts Kerry on Vietnam

[DJcairo]

What gives this smug ***hole the right? Dean needs to pull his neck out of his body and reconsider this.

Dean blasts Kerry on Vietnam
Senator retorts that combat gives him executive gravitas
By Sam Dealey

Howard Dean’s presidential campaign sharply criticized Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) yesterday for seemingly flip-flopping on the importance of serving in Vietnam in presidential politics.

Kerry seeks to distinguish himself from his White House rivals — both Democratic and Republican — by drawing attention to his war record. But this emphasis stands in marked contrast to his past utterances about service in Vietnam as a qualification for the highest office.

“Before he became a political candidate for president, John Kerry clearly believed that military service should not be used for political gain,” said Jay Carson, a spokesman for Dean, the former governor of Vermont who is running well ahead of Kerry in recent New Hampshire polls.

“And he was right about that,” Carson added. “Unfortunately, now John Kerry and his campaign have a strategy to use that record to further his political career.”

On numerous occasions this year, Kerry cited his distinguished war record as a decisive factor in who should be the nominee. As a naval officer, Kerry earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with combat V, and three Purple Hearts for his service on a gunboat patrolling the Mekong.

Kelley Benander, a spokeswoman for Kerry’s campaign, responded to the charges by saying:

“John Kerry has always said military experience is not a pre-requisite for the presidency, but it informs the tough questions he asks and it certainly gives him the firsthand perspective you can’t learn in the situation room. He is the only person running for president who combines military experience, broad foreign policy experience and a tested commitment to Democratic values — and yes, we will talk about that.”

http://www.thehill.com/news/101503/kerry.aspx

[mbali]

1. Nerve

Who could possibly doubt that if it were Howard Dean rather than John Kerry who was a Vietnam veteran we would be hearing Dean say over and over, "I am the ONLY candidate who has actually fought in a war?"

[chimpymustgo]

2. Nerve is right. What an ass. Dean loses this one big time.

He is the ONLY candidate who served his country on the the ski slopes.

[TheDonkey]

3. It would be a problem is Kerry's only claim to fame was war service

much like Clark.

But Kerry has a wealth of domestic and foriegn policy experience he highlights as well as his veteran status which he usually hints at through experiences and examples. I don't remember him flat out stating he should be president because he faught in Vietnam.

[RogueTrooper]

4. I think he is pulling Kerry up on a flip flop

Kerry said that he did not believe that military service should be used for political gain. Out of desperation Kerry now seems to be saying something different.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. post 9/11 is a different world

that is true.

[RogueTrooper]

7. Oh right

he changed his mind out of nobility of sentiment and not brazen self interest. Sorry for my mistake. :eyes:

[eileen_d]

8. Whatever - Dean should challenge Kerry on REAL issues

This makes Dean look petty IMO.

[pandatimothy]

12. Agreed and

Clinton and Bush 2 proved military service means jack in running for President.

[ModerateMiddle]

13. The use of the word "Desperation" with regards to Kerry

is disgusting. Call it tactics, strategy, whatever, but I'm so sick of people calling Kerry desperate.

[RogueTrooper]

14. I just call it as I see it

nothing more, nothing less.

[Octafish]

5. Must be a touchy subject for Ho-Ho.

I wonder if his getting a doctor's note to avoid the draft during Vietnam has anything to do with it? Not that a bad back shouldn't keep a man out of the infantry, but he did spend that winter skiing and pouring concrete for spare change.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2087543/

My big question is: If Dean felt he should not have served in Vietnam, why didn't he publicly oppose the war? His college chums report he was pretty much "unpolitical" in that regard.

BTW: John F. Kennedy had a bad back and he did all he could to get in the US Navy in the days before World War II.

EDIT: Typo in header.

[LuminousX]

9. Oh Please

Welcome to campaigning. It is the Dean campaigns job to disarm the opposition. Kerry's war record is a weapon they are using so it is Dean's campaign job to attempt to remove it.

To sit back and mutter things like 'how dare he' is either extreme naivette or simply mock outrage. Either way, it is time to accept the reality of the situation.

As a Dean supporter I strongly believe that this line of attack is pointless. The campaign obviously believes they can get some traction from this.

[Northwind]

10. Good for Dean

It is long past time someone called Kerry on this.

He is not entitled to the nomination simply because he served in an unjust and badly managed war. He is NOT a fucking hero. He is just a guy, like may other guys, who served in the worst example of war crimes in US history.

Not impressed, John.

[RogueTrooper]

11. I disagree

John Kerry is a hero. Dean's comments were not about Kerry in Vietnam but Kerry's use of Vietnam to exclude people from the democratic process.

[Punkingal]

15. This is a dupe.....

Please see:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=60506

punkingal, DU moderator