September 22, 2004
DID THE REPRESENTATIVE SWITCH PARTIES?:
Kerry: Draft Likely to Return Under Bush (The Associated Press, Sept. 22, 2004)
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, citing the war in Iraq and other trouble spots in the world, raised the possibility Wednesday that a military draft could be reinstated if voters re-elect President Bush.
Meanwhile, in a related story, one of Mr. Kerry's supporters--a fellow Democratic congressman and opponent of removing Saddam from power--Jim McDermott has actually introduced a bill to reinstate the draft. Posted by Orrin Judd at September 22, 2004 8:05 PM
>Jim McDermott (D) has actually introduced a
>bill to reinstate the draft.
His stated reason: to galvanize the anti-war movement, just like in The Mythic Sixties.
Isn't this Nostalgia for Vietnam going too far?
Posted by: Ken at September 22, 2004 8:32 PMWhile Kerry's duplicity on this point is despicable, it will not survive the debates. President Bush can easily state that Charlie Rangel and Jim McDermott are both MAINSTREAM Democrats and force Kerry to denounce them.
Posted by: jim hamlen at September 22, 2004 8:37 PMThis is the man who passed himself as a Vietnam Vet, until it was pointed out he was a Navy psychologist in San Diego. If he told you, the
sky was blue, you'd double check it.
In most districts, you cement your relationship with the voters by sending home funding for roads, farm subsidies, military bases or other port. In McDermott's,constituent service is trying to bring back the worst of the the Sixties.
Posted by: Raoul Ortega at September 22, 2004 8:48 PMI have two 18 yro cousins who actually believe this crap and are terrified of the draft "because we all know Bush is going to do it".
Please, will someone at the White House drive a stake through this Democrat scare tactic / 60s fantasy? We need a Shermanesque statement from the Administration that there will be no change in the all-volunteer armed forces.
Posted by: Gideon at September 22, 2004 10:05 PMSounds like material for a Bush TV ad:
"John Kerry is confused about the draft. He says the Bush administration wants to bring it back, but we support our professional, all-volunteer military. However, some people do want to bring back the draft: Jim McDermott, Democrat Congressman. Charlie Rangel, Democrat Congressman. Say no to the draft. Say no to the Democrats in Congress."
Posted by: PapayaSF at September 22, 2004 10:16 PMI might note, by the way, that the AP has actually pulled this story from its own online wire and replaced it with another one titled "Kerry Says Bush Living in Make-Believe World" which contains not one single word about what Windsurfer Boy said about the draft. Methinks some AP editor nearly had a stroke when he saw the original story and demanded that it be replaced, pronto, before the Pajama Brigade grabbed enough screenshots to make sure Kerry couldn't even be elected dogcatcher.
Posted by: Joe at September 22, 2004 10:24 PMGideon - send them to the bill and tell them to look hard at who's sponsoring it.
And do they think it's a coincidence that these emails hit at the same time as this, via ChicagoBoyz:
Update II: Well now Instapundit is saying maybe Kerry didn't really, really say much of anything about the draft. But Edwards, Cleland and Dean all did, according to the story linked-to above.
--
And ask them if they think Kerry's internals are really, really bad.
Posted by: Sandy P at September 22, 2004 11:05 PMJeez, at least the Democrats were surreptitious when they forged the National Guard documents in an attempt to make Bush look bad. This time, the
Democrats' signatures are right on the bill that's supposed to be the set-up to get folks worried Bush is going to draft their young'uns. Hard to see the press really going in after this one once they have to start repeating the names of the sponsors of the bill.
Just curious...
Has Bush said anything concerning the possiiblity of the draft? I mean, to dispel myths or whatever?
I remember Colin Powell making some comment a while back about what the policy should be IF the draft were re-instated. (Right?)
Posted by: Hunter Ratliff at September 22, 2004 11:41 PMAgree with Gideon - I have run into college age kids who are anti-Bush mainly because they think they are going to get drafted. My telling them the bill was proposed by Dems doesn't allay their fears. The Bush admin needs to knock this one down fast and hard.
Posted by: AWW at September 23, 2004 12:18 AMBush should eliminate Selective Service registration to remove this device from the Dems in future.
Posted by: pj at September 23, 2004 7:35 AMAll the Libertarian kooks (is that redundant?) I know constantly e-mail me about that that awful, awful George Bush is going to bring back the draft and how "any war that requires the draft is an unjust war" which, frankly, make me fall on my butt laughing.
Posted by: Governor Breck at September 23, 2004 8:57 AMIn a democratic society, if a draft is needed, the war shouldn't be fought.
In a capitalistic society, if more troops are needed, and PR isn't bringing them in, raising the pay and benefits is a good and ethical way to get 'em.
If the public doesn't want to pay the extra money, the war shouldn't be fought.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at September 24, 2004 3:22 PMMichael:
Yes, that's why we don't have a democracy. They're vile.
Posted by: oj at September 24, 2004 3:30 PM