Did Bob Dole deserve his Purple Heart?

[quaoar]

Ridiculous to even ask the question, right?

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2004/08/22/big_lies_for_bush?mode=PF

IMAGINE IF supporters of Bill Clinton had tried in 1996 to besmirch the military record of his opponent, Bob Dole. After all, Dole was given a Purple Heart for a leg scratch probably caused, according to one biographer, when a hand grenade thrown by one of his own men bounced off a tree. And while the serious injuries Dole sustained later surely came from German fire, did the episode demonstrate heroism on Dole's part or a reckless move that ended up killing his radioman and endangering the sergeant who dragged Dole off the field?

The truth, according to many accounts, is that Dole fought with exceptional bravery and deserves the nation's gratitude. No one in 1996 questioned that record. Any such attack on behalf of Clinton, an admitted Vietnam draft dodger, would have been preposterous.

Yet amazingly, something quite similar is happening today as supporters of President Bush attack the Vietnam record of Senator John Kerry.

[Maddy McCall]

1. Yes, he did, just as Kerry did...

Let's not get into the dirty game of smearing Purple Heart vets. Let them take the low road.

[quaoar]

3. That's the whole point of the article

How preposterous what the SBVs are doing.

[Bluebear]

2. Excellent op-ed, thank you for posting it

nt

[AuntPatsy]

4. Mind Boggleing, the depths of such deprivation...

I believe that is what Chris Mathews was trying to get across to Michelle Malkin when she asked him if he ever wondered if Kerry shot himself to garner one of his purple hearts..

Chris laughed for a moment and said "I never did, No"

She is honestly pathetic....

[Erika]

5. We honor our Vets

Whether they be Dole or Kerry. Malkin is one sick GOP pundit. She'll gladly profit off of her outrageous columns against the democrats. She's one piece of ----.

[sandnsea]

6. About time

This shows just how ludicrous attacking a vet's war service is.

[troublemaker]

7. This article is inaccurate. re: "probably caused, according to one..."

"probably caused, according to one biographer, when a hand grenade thrown by one of his own men bounced off a tree."

Dole describes throwing that grenade himself. He seems to think it's good self-deprecating humor though I never really got it as comedy, since he said that grenade that only shook him up badly wounded other men in his unit. But he thinks it's a pretty funny story for whatever reason. (Seen on Larry King.)

[buycitgo]

8. I remember reading somewhere online that Dole's wounds

were self-inflicted in Italy!

seriously....I'm not joking

anyway, he's one of the PRIME, gradeA scum on this planet, from his role attacking Lawrence Walsh during Iran/Contra, to letting his Chief AA go to PRISON for something that was his fault, to stuff like this:

Wall Street Journal has confirmed allegations that Dole's campaign used phony "push" polls to smear the his opponents, and paid over $1 million to just one firm -- Campaign Tel -- that does this.

Worse yet, Bob Dole flat out lied about this when asked about this in February. When the Forbes campaign complained about these "polls", Dole said "We're not making any phone calls." But now his spokeswoman Christina Martin says the calls just "mirrored our television commercials" (which is also untrue) and Campaign Tel issued a statement saying, "The message of our calls has been consistent with the Dole campaign's paid advertising program." Dole financial reports confirm that they have paid Campaign Tel over $1 million already.

Among other things, the "pollsters" accused Gramm and Alexander of dirty campaign tricks, and attacked Forbes' flat tax. Callers told people that "the Iowa Farm Bureau had passed a resolution opposing the Forbes flat tax" -- which is a lie -- and claimed to represent either the bureau or "Iowa Farm Families". There is no such group, and the New York-based Campaign Tel company's employees had no connection with Iowa farms, of course. Campaign Tel's phony polls have also been used by candidates for governor in Illinois and Florida, both by Republicans and Democrats.
http://www.realchange.org/bdole.htm

great site; tip of the Dole iceberg

if you ever get a chance, see if you can find "Senator For Sale"....the book about him, which has much of the info on the above link

[buycitgo]

9. stuff like this

Campaign Dirty Tricks: Fraudulent Attack "Polls" --
Money Laundering of Illegal Campaign Contributions --
Big Payoffs to His Wife for "Speeches" --
Using Corporate Planes for Little or No Money --
Inside Deal on Exclusive Luxury Condo --
Political Debt to Alfonse D'Amato --
Bought and Sold: Political Help for Big Contributors --
Temper, Temper, Temper --
Cynicism --
Ruthlessness --
His strengths --
He really is OLD --
Inability to Delegate --
Elizabeth Dole - Hillary II? --
Family (Divorce and Parenting) --
Character --

[pa28]

10. Great Point

The hypocrisy of the right and the willingness of the media to facilitate this double standard never ceases to amaze. There is just more for us to overcome and we have to work harder to win. It's a fact.

[Piperay]

11. It would be appalling to have had

such an attack launched against Dole and the repukes would have screamed their heads off if Clinton had done something like and I think Democrats would have told Clinton to "stop". I won't hold my breath waiting for any outrage from the repukes regarding the lies about Kerry. :-(

[Democat]

12. Isn't Dole one of the assholes bashing Kerry?

I believe there is another article about Dole calling Kerry a "flip flopper" - does anyone know if Dole has supported the Swift Boat Liars? What comments has he made on the issue, if any?

[Piperay]

13. You're correct on that

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x769290

[HarveyBriggs]

14. Leave it alone. Here's why ...

Dole is falling on a grenade here for the team.

He knows full well this subject will come up once he's broached the subject, which means we're off dealing with Dole's war record and not dealing with the campaign.

It's a red herring.

Dole lost. He's taking one for a guy who only wishes he were the Gipper.

Harvey Briggs

[Karenina]

20. BINGO!!!

Dole is a limpdick to whom it is not necessary to respond. I must admit though that I'm shocked by his statements. But it's clear he's simply throwing pig blood into the water. I just wonder WHY? :freak:

[blondeatlast]

15. Of course he did.

This game of "Can You Top My Injury?" is making me, the daughter of a Purple Heart and Bronze Star honoree, plain sick.

[arewenotdemo]

16. I didn't see any blood, did you?

Dole added: "And here's, you know, a good guy, a good friend. I respect his record. But three Purple Hearts and never bled that I know of. I mean, they're all superficial wounds. Three Purple Hearts and you're out."

[jackieforthedems]

17. Well, Whatever Happened To Dole

Caused him to need Viagra - lol!:silly:

[ramblin_dave]

18. Read Josh Marshall

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_08_22.php#003309

Today Bob Dole suggested that one or more of John Kerry's Purple Hearts may have been fraudulent in some way because they were for "superficial wounds."

In a 1988 campaign-trail autobiography, here's how Dole described the incident that earned him his first Purple Heart: "As we approached the enemy, there was a brief exchange of gunfire. I took a grenade in hand, pulled the pin, and tossed it in the direction of the farmhouse. It wasn't a very good pitch. In the darkness, the grenade must have struck a tree and bounced off. It exploded nearby, sending a sliver of metal into my leg--the sort of injury the Army patched up with Mercurochrome and a Purple Heart."

[shivaji]

19. Dole just attacked Kerry on ABC Evening News....

saying that Kerry has not spent one day in hospital,
has no disability whatsoever and he (dole) knows of
no one who has 3 purple hearts who is not severly
crippled like himself.

[cam75219]

21. Have you noticed......

Dole always holds a pen in his right hand from his injury. He's a prick for sayin what he did, but I think that hand in unusable......

[UTUSN]

22. Well...???? There's Being Married to Liddy.

That ought to count for something. ------btw, what state is she representing as Senator----------Does that state get representation?