Ex-Senator (Cleland) Rejoins a Battle as He Campaigns for Kerry

[gristy]

Go Max!

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
NY Times
Published: February 26, 2004

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 - Before he lost his Senate seat, before his entire world seemed to collapse around him, Max Cleland would have had little reason to go to a forlorn union hall, way out in Wisconsin's dairy country.

Yet there he was last week, a biography of John Kerry tucked under his arm and a "Veterans for Kerry" bumper sticker on his wheelchair, talking to a room that had more folding chairs than people.

Mr. Cleland, a former Georgia senator who lost both legs and an arm in the Vietnam war, was hustling votes for Mr. Kerry, his fellow Vietnam veteran and the man he calls "my brother." Suddenly, a young man in blue jeans and a purple shirt burst into the conversation, spilling forth a tale of rage and suffering after the Persian Gulf war.

"I just want to give you a hug," Mr. Cleland said, reaching his stubby right arm and his intact left one around the man's neck. "I love you, brother."

Still bitter over what he regards as Republican attacks on his patriotism in the 2002 Senate race, Mr. Cleland is on an apparent mission of revenge, collecting what he calls a "band of brothers" along the way to help Senator Kerry, of Massachusetts, defeat President Bush . Now on the rebound from his loss to Saxby Chambliss, Mr. Cleland, 62, is emerging as a powerful symbol for both veterans and Democrats ? and becoming a nettlesome pest for Republicans, some of whom complain he is exploiting his war wounds for Mr. Kerry's benefit.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/26/politics/campaign/26CLEL.html?hp

[David Dunham]

1. Cleland is a true American hero, unlike Smirk and Cheney

[Scott Lee]

2. Oh yes, the same Cleland who lied about Dean

Saying he "ran from the draft". It figures that a liar would work for another liar. That works.

[gristy]

3. um, those are pretty strong words, Scott

Do you have a link to that quote? I'd like to see it in context.

[EXE619K]

4. What?

He really said that?

[molly]

8. No, but sour grapes is sour grapes

[maddezmom]

5. Go Max

may your revenge be sweet. :)

[CWebster]

6. More NYTImes stumping for Kerry

being that he is a member of the club and all.

[DeaconBlues]

7. perhaps Cleland would make a good vice presidential candidate

he would take more of the veteran vote from Bush and make Georgia competitive.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

9. They called out Coulter!

read the article, they mention Annthrax for making fun of Cleland's "accident" which cost him 3 limbs.

[Adelante]

10. GO MAX!!

:thumbsup:

[blm]

11. Veterans for Kerry = Max Cleland's Revenge Tour 2004.

I am SO glad that the country is finally learning about the REAL nature of the Bush thugs.