Ann Coulter: Cleland "didn't lose his limbs for his country". (must read)

[RegenerationMan]

Will President Bush Tolerate This?

Facing more questions about the President's National Guard duty, conservative allies of the White House did the only thing they could do: disparage triple amputee Vietnam war hero Max Cleland, a man who only a year and a half ago the White House and its allies likened to Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein in television ads. In a column posted on the conservative Heritage Foundation's Web site, Fox News contributor and White House ally Ann Coulter unleashed an attack on Cleland's service to his country, claiming that the triple amputee/decorated war hero displayed "no bravery" in Vietnam. The politically motivated assault came after Cleland appeared at events critical of the Administration, once again showing the conservatives pattern of impugning the patriotism of those who question their policy. It comes just after President Bush himself nominated Cleland to the Export-Import Bank and after Bush called Cleland "a good Democratic senator out of Georgia." The attack highlights a new pattern of behavior from the White House and fellow conservatives: they wrap themselves in the flag, while slashing funding for veterans health care, military families, and soldier pay – all while disparaging the honored service of those who defend America. If you don't like what you are about to read, e-mail the President of the Heritage Foundation to tell him to stop publishing Coulter's work, and e-mail Fox News to tell them to stop putting Ann Coulter on TV.

SAYING AN AMPUTEE VET 'DIDN'T GIVE LIMBS FOR HIS COUNTRY': Coulter wrote, "Cleland didn't give his limbs for his country or leave them on the battlefield" because she says he lost his limbs in a "routine, noncombat mission where he was about to drink beer with his friends." But as the 8/1/99 Esquire Magazine notes, Cleland lost two legs and an arm in Vietnam when a grenade accidentally detonated after he and another soldier jumped off a helicopter in a combat zone.

SAYING A SILVER STAR WINNER IS NOT A "WAR HERO": Coulter said people "should stop allowing portrayed as a war hero" – despite the fact that, in a separate incident four days before he lost three limbs, Cleland won a Silver Star - one of the highest honors for combat courage the U.S. military gives out. The congressional citation which came with the medal specifically said that during a "heavy enemy rocket and mortar attack Captain Cleland, disregarding his own safety, exposed himself to the rocket barrage as he left his covered position to administer first aid to his wounded comrades. He then assisted in moving the injured personnel to covered positions." The citation concluded, "Cleland's gallant action is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service, and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army."

SAYING CLELAND WAS "LUCKY" TO HAVE LIMBS BLOWN OFF: Coulter said, "Luckily for Cleland…he happened to while in Vietnam" and said that had he been injured "at Fort Dix rather than in Vietnam, he would never have been a U.S. Senator." Of course, Cleland probably would not have been dealing with live grenades and enemy fire in the save haven of Ft. Dix. But, then, many top conservatives might not know this because they do not have firsthand knowledge of a combat zone. President Bush did not go to Vietnam because he was in the Texas National Guard. Vice President Dick Cheney did not serve in the military, saying, "I had other priorities in the '60s than military service." According to the Houston Press in 1999, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) "tried to blame minorities for his lack of military experience" saying, "so many minority youths had volunteered for the well-paying military positions to escape poverty and the ghetto that there was literally no room for patriotic folks" like him. And Rush Limbaugh avoided service by apparently claiming his "anal cysts" prevented him from defending the nation. See more conservatives who attack veterans while avoiding military service themselves.

http://www.americanprogress.org/ATF/cf/%7BE9245FE4-9A2B-43C7-A521-5D6FF2E06E03%7D/040213.HTM#1

MAX FOR VP!

IMAGINE PRESIDENT KERRY!

[justsam]

1. makes no difference

at least he was in a combat zone, not reading make believe magazines in Alabama.

[terrya]

2. She's a fucking disagrace. This is nothing but verbal diarrhea.

Max Cleland is a national hero.

Period.

And fuck the Ann Coulters of the world who insist otherwise.

Terry

[alittlelark]

24. She is a foul liar. Here is a link to the real story

of how Cleland was maimed. S/he makes me sick


http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/stories/20021026/opinion/372490.html

[madmax]

3. Coulter is disgusting vile pig

to what species does she belong. Certainly not the human race.

:puke: :mad:

[goclark]

5. Not that I'm Looking

But it seems that she hasn't been on TV as much.
Why didn't she enlist in the "shock and Awe War"

When is someone going to dig up the truth on this vile piece of trash? I know there is a real story behind her -she is stupid and why people take her word for anything is beyond me.

[bucknaked]

4. I emailed this piece to every political savvy person I know

This disgusting piece of shiesse NEEDS to be called on this!

[madmom]

6. Ann "Fonda"Coulter n/t

[Ernesto]

14. Doesn't fly, sorry

Ms Fonda put her celebrity status @ risk to oppose an unjust war............ I was there on the ground in Viet Nam, 2n bat, 3rd Marines. '67-'68.

[bucknaked]

7. Oh, and notice her lack of recent appearances after the piece came out?

She was supposed to be on Miller... wasn't there. She was supposed to do her regular contribution on some other show... no-show!

GOD! I hope it was due to this disgusting article of hers.

Wanna' talk about slander? You scrawny POS!?

Hope to God she gets called on this, and viciously!

Get to work folks! I don't ever do this, but I've emailed every media outlet to ever have been darkened by her contributions. They all need to own up to thier giving this evil b**** a platform to spew her BS.

[FlaGranny]

8. It's kinda like he/she thinks that

Cleland spent all his time as a civilian carrying around live hand grenades and would have blown off his arm and legs anyway, even if he hadn't been in Vietnam. The ONLY reason he has these injuries is that he was serving his country. PERIOD! End of tale.

[bluestateguy]

9. When Kerry is president I will attack her patriotism

In fact, I will throw all of their patriotism stuff right back in their face by calling ANYONE will questions President Kerry a traitor.

[frylock]

12. word

[mobuto]

10. The words of Ms. Coulter

bring shame and dishonor upon herself and upon the United States of America. Note that she fails to mention Max Cleland's Silver Star for Gallantry, his Bronze Star or his Soldier's Medal when discussing his war record.

Shameful. Absolutely shameful.

[RegenerationMan]

11. How about Max for VP?

35 million disabled Americans, from the South, can ask Cheney in the debate "what were you doing while I was losing 3 limbs in combat, Dick?"

[lucidmadman]

13. I really think MC would be a great choice for VP...

...might create a whole new demographic category for the pundits to run their mouths about, 'Kerry/Cleland Republicans'...

[mobuto]

15. Cleland's great

Wes Clark would be good as well, though he'd have to work not to upstage Kerry.

Bob Kerrey (Medal of Honor recip) would probably be my first choice. He's a brilliant man, and I don't accuse too many people of being brilliant. This guy really is. He's commands the issues like no one else. And he left only one limb in Vietnam, not three.

The only problems for Kerrey the war crimes questions and the fact that he's a little right of the Democratic center, but he has credentials and intellect to be a great leader. Of course, a Kerry/Kerrey ticket would be too much for some people.

[Doomsayer13]

16. right of center?

his voting record was very liberal, especially for Nebraska

[mobuto]

17. No, he's definitely to the left-of-center

but for a Democrat, he's pretty conservative. That could potentially mean problems for the base. But I still think he'd be a great candidate.

[TahitiNut]

19. Max Cleland is a Moderate Liberal.

See http://www.issues2002.org/VoteMatch/candidate_map.asp?a1=1&a2=1&a3=1&a4=2&a8=2&a9=4&a10=4&a5=3&a6=4&a7=4&a14=4&a15=1&a16=2&a19=4&a17=1&a18=2&a20=2&a11=2&a12=4&a13=3&i1=1&i2=1&i3=1&i4=1&p=60&e=33&t=17


You can compare him to Zell Miller here ...


Zell Miller is a Moderate Conservative.

[mobuto]

22. I was referring to Bob Kerrey, not Cleland

Cleland is to the left of Kerrey.

[TahitiNut]

25. Bob Kerrey is a Moderate Liberal, too

If anything, being slightly more Libertarian (in the anti-authoritarian sense), Kerrey is a tad more 'liberal' than Cleland.

Unfortunately, what most liberals mean when they say that someone's more or less liberal is that they're more or less in agreement with them -- since there's really no empirical measure of 'liberal'.

[ThoughtCriminal]

18. Hanoi Annie

Has a nice ring to it. Who's spitting on vets now?

[gulliver]

20. The Republican Id is an ugly thing.

Someone should ask her about equal rights for minorities. We need to get her on the record.

A lot of "conservatives" think the things she says. It is great to see her words in the open where they can get the ridicule they deserve.

As noted by many, Ann Coulter is a liberals best friend. She is rehabilitating the word "liberal."

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RedSox02]

23. This is the same Ann Coulter who..

...once on an MSNBC show, while debating a man who was a former POW in Vietnam, Coulter told this patrtiot: "It was people like you who lost that war".

Can you imagine. I mean I didn't serve there so I can't imagien what it was like, but I would be pretty upset if I saw combat and had to listen to that worthless woman degrade me like that.

[KharmaTrain]

26. If Bunnypants Were A Uniter...

He'd call Max Cleland for a private meeting at the White House...come clean about his Vietnam years and then both men walking foward for a quick, professional press conference saying "ENOUGH".

* won't condemn Coulter since he's already got the flying monkeys giving him the evil eye...and he wouldn't in the best of times anyway. It'd be like Kerry embracing Michael Moore or <shudder> Jane Fonda.

The slams by these Chickenhawks show their absolute ignorance of the military. I'm far from an expert, but I can't imagine a true veteran would find her remarks anything but offensive and completely out of bounds. Of course Coultergeist doesn't source her claim, but assumes it to be true, that is then aped on hate radio coast to coast. Rove and Gillespie couldn't be happier.