"John Kerry received an honorable discharge."

[alonso_quijano]

That's all you have to say the next time some freeper brings up the not-so-swift accusations. In fact, I think that that will be my only response to that he-didn't-bleed-enough-to-get-a-Purple-Heart-and-besides-that-hot-Oriental-chick-says-he-shot-himself-anyway horseshit.

• It mocks Bush's excuses, by pointing out their hollowness.
  
• It understates Kerry's heroism.
  
• It draws attention to their double standards.
  

They can't argue against it, because they'd be arguing against Bush's last fig leaf. They can't accept it, because, well, they're morans. So just say:

"John Kerry received an honorable discharge."

Sit back, and watch their heads a splode.

[TomClash]

1. I disagree.

Kerry was awarded the silver star, which was pretty hard to get in the Navy in Vietnam. Why should we shy away from this? His duty was just about the most hazardous you could have in the Navy in Vietnam.

[alonso_quijano]

4. a couple of reasons

First, understatement is a very effective rhetorical tool. It makes the listener fill in the blanks in his own head. It's kind of like Hank Aaron saying, "Yeah, I played a little ball." Everyone already knows that Kerry was a war hero, but it's more effective if they remember that information themselves than for them to have to be told.

Second, by appropriating Bush's excuse, it forces a direct comparison between the two service records. As it is, the two media-whore questions out there are "Did Bush serve honorably?" and "How was Kerry wounded?" This makes the questions equal, and places the emphasis on both men's service (or, in Bush's case, "service").

Mostly, though, it makes fun of the emptiness of the Bush explanation and of the stupidity of the charges against Kerry. And that's the part I like.

[mbali]

7. How 'bout: Kerry got an Honorary Discharge - AFTER his first 5 medals?

[sandnsea]

2. So did George Bush

I don't get why you think that's an answer. "You make me puke" is what I usually say.

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. Well, this is how the Republicans are defending Bush.

By saying that he received an honorable discharge. So did Kerry, which, in turn, would make their arguments pretty silly.

[sandnsea]

5. It would be an equal argument, a wash

We definitely don't want that, so I don't think "honorable discharge" is the way to go. Bush is a stinking liar who got out of Vietnam like all the other rich kids, admitted it himself, then shirked his duty because he never thought he had the same obligations as average Americans. Kerry didn't think that way and served 2 tours and saved his crew as well as the life of Jim Rassman and was awarded for it. The difference is all about character and if we're going to go down this road, I'd like it to end up better than a wash.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. Sure we do. I have had enough of military experience arguments.

My father, whom one would think would care, could care less about military experience. There is so much more there to run on.