Rudy and ’Nam

Southpaw · June 11th, 2007, 05:16 AM

The one trick pony might have another problem.

Quote:

Rudy and ’Nam
He’s no war hero. Will it matter?

Rudy Giuliani, speaking about terrorism and the Iraq war, said last week, “It is something I understand better than anyone else running for president.” How long will John McCain—a real-life war hero down seventeen points in the polls—stand for such bluster, considering the lengths Giuliani went to to stay out of Vietnam?

He won’t mention Rudy’s military history—yet. It’s too early in the primary cycle to go negative. But opponents know this is the warrior-mayor’s biggest weakness. “If Giuliani is the nominee, we’re going to hammer him with ads, and it’s going to be easy because the issue is simple: He’s a draft dodger,” says Jon Soltz, an Iraq vet who served as a captain and runs VoteVets.org, a left-leaning version of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. “Giuliani gets a zero-zero,” says General Wesley Clark, an adviser to the group. “He wasn’t willing to risk his life for his country, and he has no relevant experience that’s in any way useful to be commander-in-chief. He hosted the U.N. and had a large police force.”

To recap: After receiving several deferments as a student, Giuliani applied for an occupational deferment as a law clerk, but his application was rejected. Giuliani appealed their decision, and asked the federal judge he was clerking for to petition the draft board for him. Which the judge did. When his deferment expired in 1970, Giuliani became susceptible to the draft. He received a high number and was never called. Giuliani “has made it clear that if he had been called up, he would have served,” says Katie Levinson, Giuliani’s spokesperson. He was opposed to the war in Vietnam on “strategic and tactical” grounds, she says. Asked to clarify what tactics Giuliani opposed, Levinson declined to offer specifics. “Voters will choose the next commander-in-chief based on their whole record, and we believe the mayor’s record speaks for itself.”

General Chaos · June 11th, 2007, 06:34 AM

This would only matter in the primaries. If he gets the repub nomination he would probably face Obama or Clinton who don't have much military background either.

SirStefan32 · June 11th, 2007, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by General Chaos

This would only matter in the primaries. If he gets the repub nomination he would probably face Obama or Clinton who don't have much military background either.

Yes, but did you know that John Kerry served in Vietnam?

Southpaw · June 12th, 2007, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirStefan32

Yes, but did you know that John Kerry served in Vietnam?

But you didn't serve.

KloD · June 12th, 2007, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallyburger

But you didn't.

Why would he serve this country? It's easier to sit on his ass, insult others service while having none of his own. Besides, they don't wear silk in the service and there's little doubt he could adhere to the don't ask, don't tell rule.

Divide Et Impera · June 12th, 2007, 07:39 AM

You'd better be careful, KloD. SS32 is "fight trained".... :roll: