John McCain is a bona fide war hero. Of course that hasn’t changed since 2000 when Vietnam-avoided (to put it charitably) George W. Bush was chosen over McCain. Nor did war hero credentials stop the Republican Party from making John Kerry’s heavily-medalled chest a subject worthy of questioning.
But the Vietnam War and service therein is again rearing its head again in this cycle. Bill Sammon of The Examiner has a long piece about Rudy Giuliani’s non-service during Vietnam and the potential for the draft dodger epithet to be used against him. Giuliani received an occupational deferment; after it expired he received a high draft number that was never called. His campaign is on the defensive, but I haven’t seen any other candidates bring it up (perhaps because Romney and Gingrich also did not serve in their generation’s war?).
“Any suggestion that he was dodging the draft is totally, factually inaccurate,” said a senior Giuliani campaign adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic. “He opposed the war on tactical and strategic grounds.”
But as far back as 1993, when he successfully ran for mayor of New York, Giuliani has been dogged by accusations that he pulled strings to avoid the draft. By contrast, McCain has long been feted as a bona fide war hero for his harrowing stint in a Vietnamese prison.
Oh and for those wondering, the Swift Boat Vets have decided Vietnam is off-limits in 2008 because Kerry isn’t in the race. Go figure.
“I do think Kerry was a special case,” O’Neill said. “Whatever Rudy Giuliani or the rest of these people did or didn’t do in terms of the Vietnam War, I don’t think that’s a legitimate issue in the presidential campaign of 2008.”
Nothing quite as honorable as a thirty year old vendetta, eh Mr. O’Neill?
Technorati Tags: John McCain, Swift Boat Vets, Rudy Giuliani
3 Responses to “Will Draft Dodging Be An Issue For The GOP Field in 2008?”
[...] The Right’s Field has a piece on Republicans, draft-dodging, and 2008: Bill Sammon of The Examiner has a long piece about Rudy Giuliani’s non-service during Vietnam and the potential for the draft dodger epithet to be used against him. Giuliani received an occupational deferment; after it expired he received a high draft number that was never called. [...]
Something to say?
Those Swift Boaters are despicable. Just the other day, a major donor to their cause lambasted 527s and called Kerry “a hero,” to his face. But three years ago, he donated $50,000 to the Swift Boat Vets in late October, after their claims were thoroughly debunked.
Left by Matt Ortega
March 1, 2007 at 5:22pm