Shutting out Al Gore and John Kerry has effectively denied the White House to a Vietnam Vet.

[Aristus]

I doubt rather strongly that a Vietnam Vet will ever serve as President. I don't think we had a Korean War vet for President, either.

Yes, I know John McCain should be on the list of also-rans. But I'm talking about progressive Dems, here.

[tblue]

1. Wow. Good point. And there were SO MANY Vietnam vets, too.

It just doesn't seem right, does it?

[w4rma]

2. But Bush protected the Texas borders, until he went AWOL, during the Vietnam War. (nt)

[smoogatz]

4. Well, you have to take into account that in Bush's world view

Mexico was a serious threat to American security during Vietnam. Just like Iraq was after 9/11.

[grannie4peace]

3. that's interesting

[Radical Activist]

5. You don't know that to be true.

There's no telling who the next President will be or how old he'll be. There are plenty of Vietnam Vets young enough to run for President in another eight years.

[Davis_X_Machina]

7. And even if it were true...

...why would it necessarily matter?

[Radical Activist]

10. It doesn't.

People who served in the military are no more entitled to elected office than anyone else.

[ikojo]

6. Considering that we have an all "voluntary" military

and that for the most part, those from elite schools and upper middle class America do not serve; I don't think military service will be as important a barometer in years to come. Most candidates come from the elite institutions of America.

[Thothmes]

14. Who do think makes up the officers

ranks in the modern army/Mc. College educated young men from the middle class.

[jaysunb]

8. It's time for us to exit.

Those of us who are veterans of the conflict as well as those whose participated otherwise, need to step aside and let the next generation go forward, without our baggage....

[blm]

9. GOP cromies buying control of corpmedia in the 80s and 90s shut Gore and Kerry out of WH

as both those races were stolen and Gore and Kerry smeared while Bush was protected 24/7 by the mediawhores.

[floridablue]

11. One of my November 4th feelings (after thank God)

Was that the vietnam war was quietly sliding away from political relevance. But though we may not control Washington, DC, there are still a couple of million of us living in Florida and the beer is good and cold at the VFW halls.

[question everything]

12. Careful now

On election day someone posted here that if McCain were going to win, it would have been the first time that a Vietnam veteran became President. Just an observation.

He got so many "fuck you!" responses in quick succession that, according to DU rules he was quickly banned.

(It had to have been according to DU rules, I could not find any other reason).

[JI7]

13. he probably deserved the FUs

after what Republicans did to Kerry in 2004 on his military service they have no right to use that issue to support a candidate over others.

[Thothmes]

15. What entitles a Viet Nam era Veteran to serve as POTUS