Donald Trump’s dodgy history: Where was the real estate heir during the Vietnam War? (Salon)

[inanna]

Thursday, Jun 2, 2016 04:15 AM EST

This article originally appeared on Media Matters.

The press hammered Clinton for not serving and dragged Gore and Kerry through the mud. Somehow Trump gets a pass

Donald Trump recently made headlines when he spoke at the annual Rolling Thunder biker rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Portrayed as a way to “bolster support among veterans,” Trump rallied the crowd of bikers and their supporters with promises to “rebuild our military” and “take care of our veterans.”

But in the Rolling Thunder rally coverage, there was little press attention paid to the fact that Trump himself actively avoided the draft during the Vietnam War, which seemed relevant considering he was speaking to so many Vietnam vets at an event dedicated to honoring America’s prisoners of war and military members who are missing in action. Typically the campaign press lingers over issues of awkward optics like that. But not for Trump and Rolling Thunder.

While writing “the blunt-spoken Mr. Trump” “likes to stress his desire to strengthen the military and improve how veterans are treated,” The New York Times made no reference to Trump’s Vietnam avoidance.

Reuters included just a passing reference to how Trump “did not serve in the military.” And The Washington Post managed to fit in its dispatch a single sentence noting, “Trump himself avoided the draft through four student deferments and was later medically disqualified from service.”

cont'd...

Link: http://www.salon.com/2016/06/02/donald_trump_draft_dodger_partner/

[tonyt53]

1. Those Rolling Thunders guys might be okay with it, but the guys at my VFW lodge aren't.

[Liz_Estrada]

2. Medically disqualified?

Hands too small to hold an M16?