One of many: “During the Vietnam war, George Bush served in the Air National

Guard. He flew a dangerous fighter, prone to catastophic engine failure.

His job was to counter the very real threat of Soviet nuclear bombers —

which were making repeated incursions into US airspace at the time. Just

another aspect of the Cold War.”

Now look. We all know what happened when time came for George W. Bush to

make his Vietnam decisions. His family, like 90 percent of well-connected

elite families in America at that time, made a few phone calls & got him a

stateside billet. This option was not open to most Americans. I don’t know

Cheney’s situation, but I imagine something similar happened.

As I said, and still say: That, for me, takes some of the shine off the

ticket. Sure, flying National Guard is tricky, dangerous, and — yes –

useful. But you’re not getting shot at by America’s enemies, as John Kerry

certainly was.

Bush and Cheney (and Bill Clinton, and Pat Buchanan, and many others — far

too many others — of their generation) took a pass on Vietnam, and let

someone else less well-connected go fight for them. John Kerry didn’t. I

won’t be voting for the guy, but facts is facts.