Virginia governor Bob McDonnell (R.) criticized Rick Santorum for making remarks in favor of the restrictions on the combat role of women in the military. “I like Rick Santorum a lot, I just disagree with any inference he might have made that somehow women are incapable of serving in the front lines and serving in combat positions. . . .” If McDonnell really means this, he shouldn’t just be criticizing Santorum. He ought to be criticizing Obama’s Pentagon, which is loosening the restrictions but still maintains them.
Even leaving aside the potential breakdown of unit cohesion or combat discipline due to chivalry (or even just chauvinism), I don't really understand how a person can realistically complain about the military makign distinctions for gender differences. Isn't there some sort of minimum physical requirement to serve in combat (or near combat or whatever they call it) where a soldier must be able to carry at least a fellow soldier plus some equipment and still be able to meet some objective level of performance? That in itself would limit the reach of this issue to basically a case-by-case basis.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDo not put it past the corrupt upper-tiers of the military, which are just as political if not more-so than their civilian counterparts, to change those requirements just to be politically correct. There has been a long game played in the military for some time to weaken it as a naturally conservative bastion. It will end up gutting the institution, but by golly, the Left will be in supreme command of everything at that point, so it won't matter.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDefinitely. It may have been VDH a few years back who documented one such slackening of the physical requirements by noting (quoting from memory): "...stretcher bearer, a two-man job since the time of the Peloponnesian War, has been redefined as a four-person job..."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThey did the same for strength requirements for fire fighters. Too many women couldn't pass the old requirements.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI believe some cities have dumbed down the intellectual tests too. In this case, however, women are not the intended beneficiaries.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI guess the fact that McDonnell's daughter served has something to do with his position on this.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou can have a daughter who has served and be proud of her without thinking she should go into combat.
I think two things have to do with this: (1) pandering to Romney; (2) distancing himself from the dissertation that got him into trouble when he was running for governor.
It's a shame to see McDonnell go this way. I have really liked him. I'm disappointed in his position here, but more disappointed to think how malleable he must be.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is less about Santorum or Obama's bona fides than it is about McDonnell--during his campaign in 2009, McDonnell came under fire (and CrayDeeds almost got within 10 points of him) when some of McDonnell's written opinions from his college days about women in the military became public. So Smiling Bob McDonnell will never pass up a chance to ingratiate himself on this issue.
Which tells me he's campaigning to be Romney's Veep.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSorry, I posted my reply above before seeing your post. Ditto.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Either way, the remark did not sit well with McDonnell, a leading Mitt Romney supporter..."
That's all you really needed to read or post about this quote. Somebody is playing politics and knocking down the "other guy" in order to help their guy. It's a shame too, McDonnell just confirms that all politicians are willing to say and do w/e it takes to get ahead.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYeah, the fact that McDonnell's daughter was a platoon leader in Iraq probably has nothing to do with it.
You owe the governor an apology.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo, I don't. She was not in combat, so Rick Santorum's comment could not possibly have applied to her.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI had no idea that Iraq was a combat-free zone.
By the way, Jeanine McDonnell led a platoon of 25 men.
captcha: level playing field.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou are clearly ignorant of the current debate of putting women in combat roles, and what that means.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGeez, always stooping to the insult when you can't argue the facts.
I'm fully aware of the current debate, and there is a difference between combat roles that women can fulfill every bit as well as men (e.g., flying combat aircraft, front-line intelligence, etc.), and those that may be difficult or impossible due to physical demands.
The criticism of Santorum in this regard has come primarily from his statement that "people naturally may do things that may not be in the interest of the mission because of other types of emotions that are involved." Santorum later clarified that he was really worried about the emotions male soldiers may have if women were around.
But all this is irrelevant. I criticized your initial post because it alleged that Gov. McDonnell disagreed with Santorum solely because McDonnell is a shill for Romney. The fact is that McDonnell has a daughter who led a platoon in a combat zone, and it's possible that his position on the issue is informed by that experience.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWith Republicans like McDonnell, who needs Democrats?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThat's a troll, right? McDonnell is one of the most conservative governors in the country and he's managed to remain incredibly popular here in Virginia. Yes, we're quite aided by a pretty strong economy but if he could run for re-election he'd sweep anyone the Dems could run against him.
All the while he's won huge victories for the pro-life movement and the Second Amendment in a state becoming more purple by the day thanks to the ever-expanding federal bureaucracy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell if his stance on women in combat indicates his position on social issues in general, then McDonnell has been drinking from the same fetid cup as Hillary.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIs this a matter of McDonnell getting to Santorum's left or that Santorum is so far to the extreme right that just about everyone else would be to his left?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat is it about Rmoney and his supporters, that pretty much everyone who isn't Romney is somehow part of the extreme right?
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