In 1996, did any Dem talk nasty about Bob Dole's glorious months in

[zbdent]

the Army when he finally dropped out of Med school and got his a** literally shot off in Italy?

If there was even a remote possibility that the person saying so was related in any way to Bill Clinton (family or business or just plain non-repuke), this would have been screamed about 26/9/425 (more than 24/7/365).

Even if it took more than the required Baconish 6 degrees of seperation, the Repukes would be screaming about it from the rooftops.

The only way I heard about how ingloriously BD attained his purple heart was through the book "Senator for sale".

[bluestateguy]

1. Never

No person ever associated with the Democratic Party, its major supporting interest groups or the Clinton campaign organization did anything but be respectfull of Bob Dole and George H.W. Bush's war record.

[AmandaRuth]

3. i certainly do not remember

anyone questioning the gropinators pro-choice stance, catholic that he is.

[elperromagico]

2. I made this same point in a post last night,

a post which sank like a stone under the weight of all of the "I Won't Vote For Kerry Because He Doesn't Breathe Through Gills"-type posts.

Clinton would never have gotten a free pass if he had done this sort of stuff to either Bush 41 or Dole. I think it reveals two things:
1. Republicans can get away with any kind of dirty campaigning.
2. Vietnam vets are treated with far less respect in this country - even now - than veterans of other wars. They're considered fair game in the political world.

If you doubt that second one, have a long talk with John McCain, Max Cleland, or John Kerry.

[Gloria]

4. I don't think anyone mentioned how he sort of abandoned his

wife and little girl and took up with Liddy, either....

[LisaM]

5. Wasn't she stop number two?

I thought he actually left his wife for a woman who worked for an airline (the story I read didn't exactly stay "stewardess".) Elizabeth came later.

[I Lean Left]

6. Not quite the same

Neither Dole nor the first Bush made their military service such a focus of their campaign. I bet quite a few people who even voted for them didn't know about their service in WWII.

This will all pass. Some focus group will tell the Repubs that the more they dwell on it, the more it emphasizes Bush's absence during the same period. They'll quietly drop it and move on to the next smear. Probably the divorce!