Thursday, February 07, 2008
So When Do They Sign Up?
With Mitt "Better Than Ted" Romney out of the race, it would seem to me that each of his five sons are now free to join up and go fight the war in Iraq that their family and their party claim is so damn important. After all, it was the Romney patriarch who told Iowa voters that working on his failed campaign is just as noble as military service.
"My sons are adults. They've chosen not to serve in the military in active duty and I respect their decision in that regard. ...And one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."
Now that "helping [him] get elected" is no longer an option, I have to ask how then play on "showing support for our nation" now. Something tells me it won't be military service. After all, it was 29-year-old Ben Romney who told Mike Wallace that he's "seen a lot and read a lot that has made me say, 'my goodness, I hope I never have to do that.'"
This all proves that the apple often doesn't fall far from the tree. The then draft-eligible Mitt Romney told Mike Wallace (for the same story in which his son Ben rejected military service) that he didn't serve during the Vietnam War because "I was at college. Then I went off and served my church for two and a half years."
As an aside, I should point out that I don't really like having to link to "NewsBusters" (now for the second time) to back up my information, but it's one of the few places where a transcript (albeit a partial one) of the Mike Wallace piece on Romney is available. The CBS News website makes it hard to find.
To be fair, I should disclose my own failure to serve in the military. Before graduating high school in 1999, I made multiple attempts to enlist with the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, and the National Guard. I was rejected each time because I didn't meet the physical requirements. Those rejections came even after I completed diets and exercise plans given to me by various recruiters. Shortly after those rejections, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. This permanently bars me from military service. My father served and was wounded in Vietnam. Both my grandfathers served. The difference here is that I tried. I tried hard. My father and grandfathers actually did serve. Mitt and his progeny didn't and apparently won't, but they'll continue to tell you that others should.
Meanwhile, I think the entire Romney family also needs to answer for their history as Mexican immigrants, especially considering their confusing position on the issue.
"My sons are adults. They've chosen not to serve in the military in active duty and I respect their decision in that regard. ...And one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."
Now that "helping [him] get elected" is no longer an option, I have to ask how then play on "showing support for our nation" now. Something tells me it won't be military service. After all, it was 29-year-old Ben Romney who told Mike Wallace that he's "seen a lot and read a lot that has made me say, 'my goodness, I hope I never have to do that.'"
This all proves that the apple often doesn't fall far from the tree. The then draft-eligible Mitt Romney told Mike Wallace (for the same story in which his son Ben rejected military service) that he didn't serve during the Vietnam War because "I was at college. Then I went off and served my church for two and a half years."
As an aside, I should point out that I don't really like having to link to "NewsBusters" (now for the second time) to back up my information, but it's one of the few places where a transcript (albeit a partial one) of the Mike Wallace piece on Romney is available. The CBS News website makes it hard to find.
To be fair, I should disclose my own failure to serve in the military. Before graduating high school in 1999, I made multiple attempts to enlist with the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, and the National Guard. I was rejected each time because I didn't meet the physical requirements. Those rejections came even after I completed diets and exercise plans given to me by various recruiters. Shortly after those rejections, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. This permanently bars me from military service. My father served and was wounded in Vietnam. Both my grandfathers served. The difference here is that I tried. I tried hard. My father and grandfathers actually did serve. Mitt and his progeny didn't and apparently won't, but they'll continue to tell you that others should.
Meanwhile, I think the entire Romney family also needs to answer for their history as Mexican immigrants, especially considering their confusing position on the issue.
