[Roy Hamilton]

Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart.

[John Riley]

I just read that Obama has raised nearly $10M since last night. That's a healthy response on the part of the sane. Don't write Americans off just yet.

[Laura Heidy-Halberstein]

Originally posted by Roy Hamilton:
Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart.

My father (WWII) had all those things - several of then, if fact. He was a mailman. My oldest son's father (VietNam) had all of those things and then some - he was an alcoholic.

Can I now begin referring to both of them as war heroes?

I mean, my dad was - kinda - to us, anyhow. He worked hard, he didn't complain and he never cheated on my mother or hit us very hard unless we really deserved it. But I don't think he ever thought of himself as a "war hero." He was a guy who enlisted, served his time, got wounded, did some extra things and got some medals. I've still got 'em someplace. He didn't talk about them very much. In fact, he only talked about them if we pestered him because we had some school project. Otherwise he kept them in a box in the closet along with some pennies from the Phillipines and a bunch of fading postcards from his mother. It was what he was at one time - but then he got over it and did something different - and continued to prove his worth.


My baby-daddy, tho, he was another story. His medals embarassed the heck outa him. He said "Getting shot or injured is easy - any fool can do it. The really good soldiers, they managed to avoid it whenever possible."

So much for the Purple Heart recipient as Hero theory.

[Mike Slippkauskas]

I know what you're getting at, Lo. But your argument's just too controversial when "How is being a POW preparation for being the President?" is too much for most Americans (and certainly the media's story lines).

Some would say (and it may be, I'd grant) that any service is heroic.

[John Riley]

My father was wounded in 1944, in and out of VA hospitals his entire life, and never mentioned it to me. He died drunk, so maybe he should have, and certainly didn't claim lay claim to, or have, a “high moral character,” tended to brag about everything else, but didn't talk about his war experiences.

I had an uncle that was in the army when WWII started—1938 until 1948. North Africa, Italy, Germany—wounded and captured. Came home and lived in a tiny house by himself until his heart gave out. Never mentioned it.

McCain uses being a POW to justify marrying a multi-millionaire so her father would get him started in politics. How dare you to ask him to count his houses! And he has character?

[Laura Heidy-Halberstein]

Originally posted by Mike Slippkauskas:
Some would say (and it may be, I'd grant) that any service is heroic.

Oh, I agree with that. It truly IS heroic to volunteer to take part in any sort of dangerous action. And I would certainly never dispute the fact that war is dangerous.

But, following the same line of thought, then isn't every policeman, fireman, paramedic or soldier to be considered heroic?

And, if that is so, then are they, too, qualified to be elected president?

Because as much as I've never felt like heroic material of any sort (most of us, police, firemen, medics, career soldier, etc., we just LIKE what we do - many of us would do it for free if they didn't pay us - and in the case of volunteer firefighters/medics, do just that) I certainly don't feel like presidential material.

I don't mind McCain's party saying he's a hero - I just mind the whole party saying it makes him a president.

[Mike Slippkauskas]

Yes, absurd statements about qualifications are running rife. Senator McCain mentioned Governor Palin's PTA history as an important Vice-Presidential qualification. (And isn't the PTA a form of "community organizing" -- just a mainly white, exurban, comfy-cozy apple pie version?)

Some blowhard on FOXNews said that as far as he's concerned anyone with 5 kids can be Vice President.

[Kevin Andrew Murphy]

I don't give a rat's ass how many houses McCain has or children Palin has, and McCain forgetting the number of the first can easily be written off to them basically being his wife's and she's busy dealing with them.

There are great number of things that creep me out about Palin, but once I read a Time magazine article on her, one leapt to the forefront: She's into censoring libraries too.

I know, I should probably rank other evils before this, but I don't. To me, it's not just a deep and personal offense, but a mark of someone of the lowest character, the type that make other people's business their business and go out of their way to impose their creepy made-up morality on anyone who doesn't share their excuse-for-a-faith. And I don't want someone like that on my PTA board, let alone the highest office in the land.

And to Palin's "pitbull with lipstick" remark, I will simply add "and rabies."

[Laura Heidy-Halberstein]

Apparently she's a great fund-raiser.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...ion-for-obama/

[Roy Hamilton]

Originally posted by Laura Heidy-Halberstein:
My father (WWII) had all those things - several of then, if fact.

The Silver Star is a big one. You should be very proud.