Here is a list showing who of our leaders served in the military:
Republicans:
Elliott Abrams - Sought deferment for bad back.
Richard Armey - Sought college deferment, too
smart to die.
Bill Bennett - Sought graduate school deferment,
too smart to die.
George W. Bush Daddy got him in the National
Guard, went AWOL
Dick Cheney - Sought graduate school deferment,
too smart to die.
Tom DeLay - - Sought college deferment, too smart
to die.
Newt Gingrich - Sought graduate school deferment,
too smart to die.
Phil Gramm - Sought marriage deferment, too loved
to die.
Ronald Reagan - served in a noncombat role during
WWII in the states.
He later seems to have confused his role as an actor playing a tail gunner
with the real thing.
Bob Dornan - avoided Korean War combat duty by
enrolling in college acting classes
Phil Gramm - avoided the draft, did not serve,
four (?) student deferments
Senator John McCain - McCain's naval honors include
the Silver Star, Bronze Star,
Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Former Senator Bob Dole - an honorable man Served
in WWII and severely wounded.
Chuck Hagel - two Purple Hearts and a Bronze
Star, Vietnam.
Duke Cunningham - nominated for the Medal of
Honor, received the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars,
fifteen Air Medals, the Purple Heart, and several other decorations
Rush Limbaugh - Sought deferment for ingrown
hair follicle on his ass.
Trent Lott - Sought deferment, didn't want to
muss his hair.
P.J. O'Rourke - Sought deferment, too stoned.
Kenneth Starr Sought deferment for psoriasis.
John Wayne - Sought deferment to further acting
career.
Vin Weber - Sought deferment for asthma.
George Will - Sought deferment, too much of a
wussy.
Don Nickles, Senate Minority Whip - Did not serve
Senator Richard Shelby, did not serve
Saxby Chambliss, Georgia - did not serve, had
a "bad knee"
(yet somehow feels he has a right to attack Max Cleland's patriotism)
Representative JC Watts - did not serve
Jack Kemp, did not serve (was fit enough for
pro football, but "failed" the physical?)
Dan Quayle, avoided Vietnam service, got a slot
in the journalism unit of the Indiana National Guard
when the unit was at 150% capacity (at least he showed up for his duty,
unlike GW)
Karl Rove - avoided the draft, did not serve,
too busy being a Republican.
Eliot Abrams, did not serve
Vin Weber, did not serve
Richard Perle, did not serve (is the current
bloodshed in the Middle East a direct result of his
treasonous meddling in Clinton Administration foreign policy?)
Rudy Giuliani, did not serve
Att'y Gen. John Ashcroft - sought deferment to
teach business ed at SW Missouri State
John Engler, did not serve
Tom Ridge, Bronze Star for Valor in Vietnam
Sam R. Johnson, combat missions in both Korea
and Vietnam, POW in Hanoi from April 1966
to February 1973 (don't ever run for president Sam, they'll spread rumors
that you're crazy)
Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert - avoided
the draft, did not serve.
Puditocracy and Preacher-types:
George Will, did not serve
Bill O'Reilly, did not serve
Paul Gigot, did not serve.
Bill Bennett, Did not serve
Pat Buchanan, did not serve
Pat Robertson - did not serve, apparently used
Daddy's connections to get off the ship
in Tokyo while his buddies went on to Korea.
Bill Kristol, did not serve
Independents
Gov. Jesse Ventura, U.S. Navy SEAL training,
did UDT work
Senator Jim Jeffords, U.S. Navy 1956-1959
Prominent Democrats
Gray Davis, California Governor, served in Vietnam.
Chuck Robb, US Senator from Virginia, served
in Vietnam
George McGovern, famous liberal, awarded Silver
Star & DFC, dozens of missions during WWII.
Pete Stark, D-CA, served in the Air Force
House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt - Served
his country in uniform, 1965-71
House Minority Whip David Bonior - Served his
country in uniform, 1968-72
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle - Served his
country in uniform, 1969-72
Former VP Al Gore - Served his country in uniform,
1969-71; recipient of Vietnam Service Medal
Bob Kerrey... Democrat... Congressional Medal
of Honor, Vietnam
Daniel Inouye... Democrat... Congressional Medal
of Honor, World War Two
John Kerry... Democrat...Silver Star & Bronze
Star, Vietnam
Charles Rangel...Democrat... Bronze Star, Korea
Max Cleland... Democrat... Silver Star &
Bronze Star, Vietnam
Howell Heflin... Democrat... Silver Star
Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) - U.S. Army, 1951-1953.
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) - U.S. Navy, 1962-67;
Naval Reserve, 1968-74.
Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA) - two tours in Vietnam,
two Distinguished Flying Crosses as a helicopter pilot,
two Bronze Stars, and the Soldier's Medal.
Ambassador "Pete" Peterson, Air Force Captain,
POW, Democratic congressman, Ambassador to Viet Nam,
and recipient of the Purple Heart, the Silver Star and the Legion of Merit
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-CA: served in combat with
the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant/platoon leader
with the 173rd Airborne Brigade; was wounded and received a Purple Heart.
Keep on hammering!
Duhboid