Democrats blasted back at the current attacks on Kerry's war record. Sen. Frank Lautenberg called Cheney the "lead chickenhawk" after the VP used Westminster college to campaign against John Kerry, pointing out that Cheney claimed he had "other priorities" during Vietnam.
He also criticized President Bush for declaring an end to major combat operations in Iraq on May 1, 2003.
He showed a picture of Bush giving a speech on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln with the banner "Mission Accomplished" in the background.
"The mission accomplished was to get a picture that could be used in an election campaign," Lautenberg said.
Since that speech, 587 U.S. troops have died in Iraq, including 415 from hostile fire.
Lautenberg also criticized the president for saying "bring 'em on" to Iraqi insurgents.
"I served in Europe in World War II," he said. "The last thing I wanted to hear from my commander in chief, or my local commander, is dare the enemy to launch attacks against us."
Now is where the Karl Rove Evil Genius shows itself. Not only do the Republicans get to make baseless, nonsensical attacks on Kerry about things of little importance, the Republicans then get to play the victim when they are called out on this dirty tactic. Sen. John McCain, in response to Lautenberg's defense of Kerry:
"What are we doing on the floor of the Senate? We're attacking the president's credentials because of his service that ended ... more than 30 years ago," McCain said. "I think that's wrong. I wish we'd stop it. I wish we'd just stop, at least until the fighting in Iraq is over with."Couldn't agree with you more, John, but it's the Bush Administration that won't let Vietnam die.....Kerry didn't want to release his war record, and it's the Cheney speeches and old Vietnam press clippings that Rove digs up that keep this thing going. But for Rove, the tried and true method continues: get a headline on page 1, because nobody reads the retraction a week later on page 12 when all the facts come in.
and "At least could we declare that the Vietnam War is over and have a cease-fire and agree that both candidates -- the president of the United States and Sen. Kerry served honorably -- end of story? Now let's focus our attention on the conflict that's taking place in Iraq, that is taking American lives as I speak on this floor," he said.