Amensia over War versus “Send Me”



The GOP reactions to last night speeches at the DNC in Boston are already contradicting themselves. While the RNC is saying two-thirds of the comments were negative, Tucker Carlson ranks the criticism of Bush an “F”. Maybe Tucker was expecting Bob Novak type snarls and his own pattern of flat out lying so he perceives an honest discussion of issues to be weak criticism. But I want to focus on the speech of Jimmy Carter and the response from National Review’s Tim Graham (Historical Amensia Night).

Rumor has it that Kerry wanted Carter to tone down the criticism of the decision to invade Iraq, but the former President felt passionately about what he had to say. I’m glad President Carter prevailed as I agree with what he said. But Graham suggests “Carter’s speech was viciously negative”. Read Graham’s oped to see what viciously negative really looks like.

But it was this line of his that has me wondering about Mr. Graham’s short-term memory: “They didn’t see any problem with Clinton equating his draft finagling”. Has Mr. Graham already forgotten Clinton’s speech last night? Let me remind him that Clinton noted that he, Bush, and Cheney all failed to go to Vietnam with this:

Here’s what I know about John Kerry. In the Vietnam era which marked us all, most young men, including the President, the Vice President, and me, most of us should’ve gone to Vietnam and didn’t go. And John Kerry said, send me.

If the National Review wants to debate who has served this nation in the military, I’m sure John Kerry will say “Bring It On”.