Clay, sometimes you really piss me off. First off, those brown water sailors saved my fucking bacon more than once. You ever ran up the fucking Delta. Those folks caught more shit just pulling out than a lot of folks went through in the whole year they were there. And Ollie North, I am surprised you even bring him up. Apparently duty, and honor, only apply to those rules he chooses to follow. I will never in my life forget the day this hypocrite had to stand in front of Dan Inouye (a hero of the first order) and take a dressing down. At least he had the good sense not to question the Senators patriotism. That is the trouble with you folks that wear your patriotism on your sleeve. You figure that anyone who doesn't buy into your view of what patriotism is, is non patriotic. I find it hard to figure out how a guy who commits felonies, and who directly disobeys the law of the land is a patriot. On the other hand, it seems to me that a man who served honorably, was wounded, was decorated, and who then worked to end an unjust war AFTER serving honorably, is anything other than a patriot. While I have not heard you say it, others of your views will question Kerry's service, but act outraged when anyone asks the questions about Bush's joining the Air National Guard and then disappearing. While I do not want to disrespect anyone's military service, you and I both know (because we are veterans of the same conflict) exactly why rich kids ended up in the Air National Guard. Especially ones who got in when others couldn't and didn't attend half of their drills. If Bush's Honorable Discharge should hold him above reproach, then why not Kerry's.

And you are dead wrong on the election. In the end, this won't have much to do with the war record. It will not have much to do (despite the Republicans best efforts to shift the premise to) gay marriages/union. It will come down to job loss, the economy for the middle class, and foreign policy. And your boy is in trouble in all those arena's. Will Kerry win? I wouldn't bet on it yet, but the signs are out there that Bush is in trouble.

Mick
who also served honorably and is disgusted by Bush's trying to play the Patriot Game.