this is an interesting list i've come across. what do you think about this? is anyone surprised?


It is interesting to note who is willing to put his life on the line for what he believes in...and who is not. This could be the last election where military service in Vietnam has any political currency. But just for the record, it's worth noting who really served among the heavyweights in each of the major political parties. Be sure to check out the bottom of the list where the people who spend their time jabbering about military service, (the TV pundits) have their military credentials exposed. Read it and weep...
                                     Democrats

                                     Richard Gephardt: Air National Guard, 1965-71.
                                     David Bonior: Staff Sgt., Air Force 1968-72.
                                     Tom Daschle: 1st Lt., Air Force SAC 1969-72.
                                     Al Gore: enlisted Aug. 1969; sent to Vietnam Jan.1971 as an army journalist in 20th            
                                     Engineer Brigade.
                                     Bob Kerrey: Lt. j.g. Navy 1966-69; Medal of Honor, Vietnam.
                                     Daniel Inouye: Army 1943-'47; Medal of Honor, WWII.
                                     John Kerry: Lt., Navy 1966-70; Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V Purple Hearts.
                                     John Edwards: did not serve.
                                     Charles Rangel: Staff Sgt., Army 1948-52; Bronze Star, Korea.
                                     Max Cleland: Captain, Army 1965-68; Silver Star & Bronze Star, Vietnam.
                                     Ted Kennedy: Army, 1951-1953.
                                     Tom Harkin: Lt., Navy, 1962-67; Naval Reserve, 1968-74.
                                     Jack Reed: Army Ranger, 1971-1979; Captain, Army Reserve 1979-91.
                                     Fritz Hollings: Army officer in WWII, receiving the Bronze Star and seven campaign   
                                     ribbons.
                                     Leonard Boswell: Lt. Col., Army 1956-76; Vietnam, DFCs, Bronze Stars, and Soldier's
                                     Medal.
                                     Pete Peterson: Air Force Captain, POW. Purple Heart, Silver Star and Legion of Merit.
                                     Mike Thompson: Staff sergeant, 173rd Airborne, Purple Heart.
                                     Bill McBride: Candidate for Fla. Governor. Marine in Vietnam; Bronze Star with Combat V.
                                     Gray Davis: Army Captain in Vietnam, Bronze Star.
                                     Pete Stark: Air Force 1955-57
                                     Chuck Robb: Vietnam
                                     Howell Heflin: Silver Star
                                     George McGovern: Silver Star & DFC during WWII.
                                     Bill Clinton: Did not serve. Student deferments. Entered draft but received 311.
                                     Jimmy Carter: Seven years in the Navy.
                                     Walter Mondale: Army 1951-1953
                                     John Glenn: WWII and Korea; six DFCs and Air Medal with 18 Clusters.
                                     Tom Lantos: Served in Hungarian underground in WWII. Saved by Raoul Wallenberg.
                                     Wesley Clark: U.S. Army, 1966-2000, West Point, Vietnam, Purple Heart, Silver Star.
                                     Retired 4-star General.
                                     John Dingell: WWII vet
                                     John Conyers: Army 1950-57, Korea

                                     Republicans

                                     Dennis Hastert: did not serve.
                                     Tom Delay: did not serve.
                                     House Whiip Roy Blunt: did not serve.
                                     Bill Frist: did not serve.
                                     Rudy Giuliani: did not serve.
                                     George Pataki: did not serve.
                                     Mitch McConnell: did not serve.
                                     Rick Santorum: did not serve.
                                     Trent Lott: did not serve.
                                     Dick Cheney: did not serve. Several deferments, the last by marriage.
                                     John Ashcroft: did not serve. Seven deferments to teach business.
                                     Jeb Bush: did not serve.
                                     Karl Rove: did not serve.
                                     Saxby Chambliss: did not serve. "Bad knee." The man who attacked Max Cleland's
                                     patriotism.
                                     Paul Wolfowitz: did not serve.
                                     Vin Weber: did not serve.
                                     Richard Perle: did not serve.
                                     Douglas Feith: did not serve.
                                     Eliot Abrams: did not serve.
                                     Richard Shelby: did not serve.
                                     Jon Kyl: did not serve.
                                     Tim Hutchison: did not serve.
                                     Christopher Cox: did not serve.
                                     Newt Gingrich: did not serve.
                                     Don Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as aviator and flight instructor.
                                     George W. Bush: six-year Nat'l Guard commitment (incomplete).
                                     Ronald Reagan: due to poor eyesight, served in a non-combat role making movies.
                                     Gerald Ford: Navy, WWII
                                     Phil Gramm: did not serve.
                                     John McCain: Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished
                                     Flying Cross.
                                     Bob Dole: an honorable veteran.
                                     Chuck Hagel: two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, Vietnam.
                                     Jeff Sessions: Army Reserves, 1973-1986
                                     JC Watts: did not serve.
                                     Lindsey Graham: National Guard lawyer.
                                     G.H.W. Bush: Pilot in WWII. Shot down by the Japanese.
                                     Tom Ridge: Bronze Star for Valor in Vietnam.
                                     Antonin Scalia: did not serve.
                                     Clarence Thomas: did not serve

                                     Pundits and Preachers

                                     Sean Hannity: did not serve.
                                     Rush Limbaugh: did not serve (4-F with a 'pilonidal cyst.')
                                     Bill O'Reilly: did not serve.
                                     Michael Savage: did not serve.
                                     George Will: did not serve.
                                     Chris Matthews: did not serve.
                                     Paul Gigot: did not serve.
                                     Bill Bennett: did not serve.
                                     Pat Buchanan: did not serve.
                                     Bill Kristol: did not serve.
                                     Kenneth Starr: did not serve.
                                     Michael Medved: did not serve.