8/25/2004 09:28:18 AM|||Nathan Moore|||

Reuters at its finest, in an article about the back-and-forth Kerry started over Kerry's Vietnam service. The senator is dispatching two veterans, the ex-senator from Georgia, Max Cleland, and Jim Rassman, who everyone agrees life was saved by John Kerry

Cleland lost his 2002 re-election bid after a bitter campaign in which Republicans questioned his patriotism. Bush did not intervene then, and Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said what happened to Cleland in 2002 is similar to "what is going on today" against Kerry.

They need to can this "patriotism" garbage. You never hear accusations of Democrats questioning the patriotism of Republicans. Telling, I think. It's like the race card - it's only played when there's no substance left to win on. No one can question your patriotism unless you let them, subjectively or through your actions. There are few Democrats whose patriotism I would outright question. The only automatic that comes to mind is Cynthia McKinney, communist and Islamist sympathizer extraordinaire.

I will question Cleland's sportsmanship, however. Being a sore loser isn't going to get you any sympathy for me.

In the grand scheme of this little stunt, designed to embarass Bush, and destined to fail miserably, sending Rassman makes sense. If you're going to send a reconaissance team to Crawford, he's one you're going to want. (I have my doubts whether this little maneuver falls more under incompetence or stupidity, but be as it may...). The better question is why Kerry chose Cleland, instead of one or more of all those who appeared with him on stage at the DNC. Is it possible that his highly select cadre of supporting veterans have melted away from his side? Someone who was not so obviously a partisan hatchetman would be more effective - that is, if Kerry has any supports left who are not partisan hatchetmen.

UPDATE As predicted on this very blog, the Cleland stunt was a nonevent.

UPDATE UPDATE Per Best of the Web

That '70s Show

"I called the media. . . . I said, 'If I take some crippled veterans down to the White House and we chain ourselves to the gates, will we get coverage?' 'Oh, yes, we will cover that.' "--John Kerry, testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, April 22, 1971

"Kerry is sending to Crawford former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia, a frequent companion of Kerry's on the campaign trail and a fellow Vietnam War veteran who lost three limbs during the war. Cleland . . . will try to deliver a letter protesting the [Swift Boat Veterans for Truth] ads to [President] Bush at his heavily guarded ranch, Kerry aides said."--Reuters, Aug. 25, 2004

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