My point's pretty simple. By the time Bush and Gore went into the Guard to avoid Viet Nam, the country's attitude toward the war had started to change. Nearly anyone outside the "my country right or wrong" regions of the South who could avoid service, did. Kerry entered the service before that change in attitude. Heck, Kerry's attitude toward the war on leaving the service was part of that change in attitude. I'd argue the real difference between Kerry and Gore or Bush was timing. For instance, would Kerry have gone in if he had graduated in 1970 for instance? We'll never know, but I bet if you check you'll find that most men in public life who could have served from 1968 on didn't.

I have no particular quarrel with Kerry's war record outside of curiousity over his leg wound and his ability to jump out of a boat a week later. I'm surprised anyone else does.

Clinton's attempts to avoid the draft don't bother me per se, although I find his reputation as an anti-war activist tanished since he didn't start protesting the war until after he was declared 1-A. It's that the way he chose to avoid it was fairly dishonorable and appears to be part of a pattern that reveals his character.