Seems to me that by not volunteering to go, Bush showed uncommon good sense.

Please furnish a link where it shows that Kerry volunteered. That's one I've never heard .

As far as "sliming Kerry for the GOOpers," since when is the truth sliming. As far as I know, he was called up. If he actually did volunteer, fine.

As I have repeatedly stated, I have never questioned John Kerrys physical bravery. His judgement, veracity and character (or lack of it) yes. If it's any consolation to you, I feel pretty much the same way about George Bush but George Bush did not stand before a Congressional Committee and tell lies about me, my family and my friends and then sponsor the telling of more lies in Winter Soldier.

John Kerry did. I think that you can undestand my attitude toward him.

Or maybe you can't. It really doesn't matter.

My take on Kerrys service is that he did it for political gain based on statements to his fellow officers that he would be "the next JFK from Massachusetts". That is why he volunteered for Swift Boat duty. He was on a ship out off the coast and there were no chances for heroics there.

He came aboard the Swift Boats, got his medals, picked up the three Purple Hearts necessary to rotate home and left.

So far, so good. Maybe he was a geuuine hero but his actions afterward were not heroic. He saw that the anti-war movement would be politically powerful and jumped aboard, telling lies to Congress and to the nation.

He got out of his active duty obligation so he could run for office. Whether he used his families pull to acomplish this is really not important. He was part of the Viet Nam Veterans Against the War right up to a national meting in Kansas city (I think it was) where some of the more hotheaded members suggested the assasination of a few key Senators to help in ending the war. It was a time where strong leadership was called for.

Kerry resigned from the Board.

As a state Senator, he did not introduce a single piece of meaningful legislation in 20 years. To the best of my knowledge, he still hasn't.

I believe that the only reason he brought up his military service at all. is because it's the only thing he's ever done that has any meaning.

As far as his character goes, I'll cite two incidents that told me all I'll ever need to know about John Kerry.

First is the snowboarding incident in Vermont I think it was. He was either bumped or ran into a Secret Service man assigned to protect him during the campaign. He roundly cursed the man. When asked later about the fall he said, "I don't fall".

Everybody falls at sometime or another; even the pros. But, apparently, not John Kerry.

The other thing happened when he married his present wife. He had his previous marriage annulled. So, in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church -of which he is a member- his children by his previous marriage are now illegitimate.

I don't know how anyone else defines lack of character, but to me these two incidents pretty well do the job.

troll