{"id":2326562,"date":"2024-08-19T04:11:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T08:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/four-times-military-service-has-defined-a-campaign-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-19T04:18:11","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T08:18:11","slug":"four-times-military-service-has-defined-a-campaign-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/four-times-military-service-has-defined-a-campaign-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Four times military service has defined a campaign &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffour-times-military-service-has-defined-a-campaign-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2326562&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses how military service has \u2063significantly influenced\u200c presidential campaigns in the U.S., highlighting four key instances of scrutiny\u2064 related to candidates&#8217; military records. It begins with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, whose military background has come under examination in the context of election\u200d campaigns. The piece emphasizes \u2063that the majority of U.S. presidents have served in the military, making \u2063their records central to political narratives.<\/p>\n<p>1. **John Kerry (2004)**: Kerry&#8217;s military service was scrutinized by the group\u200d Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, \u2062which questioned his claims\u2062 about his Vietnam War service. Despite his commendable record, the group&#8217;s attacks were effective in a campaign focused on national defense.<\/p>\n<p>2. **Bill Clinton**: Known \u2062for his opposition to the Vietnam\u2064 War, Clinton faced criticism for his \u2064draft deferments and attempts to avoid military \u200cservice. His handling of these issues during the \u200dcampaign led to lingering suspicions \u2064about \u2062his patriotism, yet he won both the election and reelection.<\/p>\n<p>3. **Donald Trump**: Trump faced scrutiny for avoiding military\u200d service during the Vietnam War due to multiple deferments, including one for bone spurs. Although criticisms \u200babout \u2063being a \u200b&#8221;draft\u200c dodger&#8221; surfaced during the 2016 campaign, they were largely ineffective, and he ultimately won the election.<\/p>\n<p>4. **George W. Bush**: Bush&#8217;s military service\u2062 came under scrutiny during both the 2000 and 2004 elections, raising questions about the specifics of his service in the National Guard.<\/p>\n<p>The article illustrates the complexities of military service narratives in \u200bAmerican politics, showcasing how they can either bolster or undermine a candidate&#8217;s\u200d public image, depending\u2064 on the perceptions of their service\u200c or lack thereof.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Four <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-biden-tells-audience-to-marry-into-a-family-with-5-daughters-in-bizarre-moment-during-speech\/\" title=\"Watch: Biden&#039;s Odd Remark Advises Audience to Marry into Family with 5 Daughters\">times military service<\/a> has defined a campaign<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1726242\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tim-walz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Tim Walz&rsquo;s\">Tim Walz<\/a>&rsquo;s (D-MN) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/military\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Tim Walz&rsquo;s\">military<\/a> record has come under scrutiny, repeating a theme that has taken over several presidential campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>The vast majority of U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/president\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>presidents<\/a> served in the military, with military service becoming central to many campaigns, for better or for worse. Several for worse cases have occurred in the past few decades.<\/p>\n<p>Here are four times when a president or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/carson-points-out-that-every-democratic-plan-has-backfired-in-trumps-favor-as-seen-in-the-bible-2\/\" title=\"Carson points out that every Democratic plan has backfired in Trump&#039;s favor, as seen in the Bible\">vice president&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s military service, or lack of it, came under harsh scrutiny:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bill Clinton, John Kerry, and George Bush. (AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">John Kerry<\/h2>\n<p>Perhaps the most famous example of scrutiny over military service affecting a campaign was that of Democratic presidential candidate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/John-Kerry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>John Kerry<\/a> in the 2004 campaign. A group of veterans formed the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, questioning Kerry&rsquo;s claims about his service record and military awards.<\/p>\n<p>Kerry served a single four-month tour as commander of a Patrol Craft Fast, also known as Swift Boats, in Vietnam, during which he won three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and a Silver Star. He became a vocal anti-Vietnam War advocate upon his return home, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/liz-cheney-trailing-by-double-digits-in-wyoming-gop-primary-poll\/\" title=\"Liz Cheney Trailing By Double Digits In Wyoming GOP Primary Poll\">receiving national attention<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>He later used his service as a central part of his campaign for president in 2004. Republicans attempted to undercut this by hitting his record, with scores of fellow Swift Boat veterans questioning his record. The group, organized into the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, launched a series of damaging ads undercutting his service record.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"V4Zk9YmED48\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Swiftboat Veterans Ad on John Kerry - Any Questions (2004)\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/V4Zk9YmED48?start=38&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The ads were extremely effective in an election characterized by national defense, coming four years after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/9-11\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>9\/11<\/a> and amid the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I remember being in Ohio and listening to that ad. And I called my campaign headquarters and said, guys, I just heard an ad. And if I heard that ad, I wouldn&rsquo;t vote for me,&rdquo; Kerry <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/transcripts\/644830886\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>told<\/a> NPR in a 2018 interview.<\/p>\n<p>Kerry&rsquo;s campaign struggled to effectively respond to the attacks, fearful that aggressive denunciations would only elevate them. The attacks caught on and played a part in Kerry&rsquo;s eventual defeat.<\/p>\n<p>The counterclaims themselves came under scrutiny, with nearly all of Kerry&rsquo;s crewmates backing up the recounting of his service. Of the scores of signatories of the letter questioning Kerry&rsquo;s service, most weren&rsquo;t deployed during the same time or place as Kerry.<\/p>\n<p>The campaign became infamous in political history, spawning the term &ldquo;swiftboating,&rdquo; describing an unfair or untrue political attack.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bill Clinton<\/h2>\n<p>Clinton was a vocal opponent of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Vietnam-War\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Vietnam War<\/a>, participating in anti-Vietnam War protests and organizing a protest for the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam in 1969. He organized the protest at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, where he was studying as a Rhodes Scholar.<\/p>\n<p>He received two educational draft deferments for education, but these expired upon his return.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the war, he tried <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/clinton-draft-pardon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>several different avenues<\/a> to avoid the draft, including his uncle putting him in the naval reserve and enlisting in the National Guard, both of which were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n<p>Clinton then looked to apply for the Reserve Officers&rsquo; Training Corps program. He was accepted after a two-hour interview with Colonel Eugene J. Holmes, the head of the program. He later reneged on this, saying that it wasn&rsquo;t an honorable way of avoiding the draft. Other critics argued that he only reneged after receiving a high draft number, all but guaranteeing he wouldn&rsquo;t be picked.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/politics\/special\/clinton\/frenzy\/clinton2.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>According to<\/a> the <em>Washington Post<\/em>, the most damaging part of Clinton&rsquo;s story was his campaign&rsquo;s handling of it &mdash; the campaign was &ldquo;tight-lipped&rdquo; about the sequence of events leading to him not being drafted, leading to widespread suspicion. Clinton initially denied knowing about his uncle&rsquo;s attempt to put him in the Navy reserve, before admitting soon after that he had been made aware.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the questioning of his patriotism, Clinton won his election and reelection by significant margins.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Donald Trump<\/h2>\n<p>Trump gained scrutiny not for his military service, but rather for lack of it. Despite being of age during the Vietnam War, Trump never entered the military, raising questions. He was able to avoid the draft due to five deferments, one for bone spurs and four for education. It was the first deferment that raised eyebrows.<\/p>\n<p>The nature of his ailment gained scrutiny, with several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2015\/jul\/21\/was-trump-draft-dodger\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>openly questioning<\/a> whether it was made up in order to allow Trump to dodge the draft. An August 2016 report from the <em>New York Times<\/em> poked holes in Trump&rsquo;s story.<\/p>\n<p>During the 2016 campaign, Democrats and other critics attempted to get the label of &ldquo;draft dodger&rdquo; to stick, a long-standing taboo in American politics. Despite this, the attack never stuck, with Trump largely shrugging it off. The Clinton campaign never made the attack a centerpiece, resulting in it slowly fading into the background.<\/p>\n<p>Trump went on to win an upset victory, with his alleged draft dodging playing little role in the campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Trump, for his part, maintains that he did have bone spurs. In a 2019 interview with Piers Morgan, the president said that he would&rsquo;ve been &ldquo;honored&rdquo; to serve in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I would not have minded that at all. I would&rsquo;ve been honored, but I think I make up for it right now,&rdquo; Mr. Trump told Morgan. &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;m making up for it rapidly because we&rsquo;re rebuilding our military at a level that it&rsquo;s never seen before.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The episode was later <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2858155\/nikki-haley-ad-hits-trump-military-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>brought back<\/a> to the forefront by former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley during her doomed primary run in 2024. Once again, the allegations failed to catch fruit, with Haley getting crushed in nearly every primary.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">George W. Bush<\/h2>\n<p>Bush&rsquo;s military service record was the focus of scrutiny in the 2000 election, then even greater scrutiny in the 2004 election. A July 1999 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/politics\/campaigns\/wh2000\/stories\/bush072899.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>article<\/a> from the <em>Washington Post<\/em> found that in 1968, Bush was admitted as a pilot in the Texas National Guard, a unit shielded from service in Vietnam, despite him scoring 25% on the pilot aptitude test, the lowest acceptable grade. He was accepted on the same day he applied, buoyed by his prominent father.<\/p>\n<p>Scrutiny over Bush&rsquo;s military service played a much bigger role in the 2004 campaign, particularly regarding whether he fulfilled the requirements of his six-year contract, and whether he purposefully enlisted in the unit in order to avoid service in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The climax of the scrutiny revolved around the so-called Killian documents, supposed memos from Bush&rsquo;s commander, Lieutenant Colonel Jerry B. Killian, alleging preferential treatment and accusing him of failing his duties. After being obtained and published by CBS News, observers noted several technical inconsistencies. The documents were later found to be forged, dealing a major blow to CBS News and reporter Dan Rather&rsquo;s credibility.<\/p>\n<p>Bush was able to triumph in his reelection campaign, partially due to the dual scrutiny of Kerry&rsquo;s military record.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1726242\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1726242\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Military service has significantly influenced various political campaigns, and Governor Tim Walz&#8217;s (D-MN) military background is currently facing scrutiny, echoing a recurring theme in presidential elections. Historically, most U.S. presidents have had military experience, making it a pivotal aspect of many campaigns\u2014sometimes positively and other times negatively. Over the past few decades, there have been notable instances where the military service or lack thereof of presidential candidates was heavily criticized: Bill Clinton, John Kerry, and George W. Bush.<\/p>\n<p>**John Kerry** is perhaps the most prominent example of how military service can impact a campaign. During his 2004 presidential run as a Democratic candidate, he faced intense criticism from a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that challenged his accounts of his Vietnam War service and honors received. Kerry had served four months as commander of Swift Boats in Vietnam and earned three Purple Hearts along with other commendations before becoming an outspoken critic of the war upon returning home. His military record became central to his campaign narrative; however, Republican opponents sought to undermine this by questioning his credibility through damaging advertisements that resonated during an election focused on national security post-9\/11. Despite having support from nearly all his crewmates regarding his service claims, these attacks contributed to Kerry&#8217;s defeat in the election.<\/p>\n<p>**Bill Clinton**, who vocally opposed the Vietnam War through protests while studying abroad as a Rhodes Scholar in 1969, also faced scrutiny over his draft avoidance strategies during that era. He received educational deferments but attempted various means to evade conscription until he applied for ROTC training but later withdrew under claims it was not an honorable way to avoid serving\u2014an action some critics suggested was motivated by receiving a high draft number that made him unlikely to be selected for duty. The handling of this narrative by Clinton\u2019s campaign led to widespread skepticism about his patriotism; nevertheless, he won both elections decisively.<\/p>\n<p>**Donald Trump**, on the other hand, attracted attention not for serving but rather for avoiding military duty during the Vietnam War despite being eligible at that time due to five deferments\u2014one attributed to bone spurs and others related to education. This raised questions about whether these reasons were legitimate or fabricated excuses for evading conscription\u2014a label Democrats tried unsuccessfully to attach throughout Trump&#8217;s 2016 campaign without significant impact on voter sentiment.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly **George W. Bush&#8217;s** military record came under fire during both the 2000 and 2004 elections when allegations arose regarding preferential treatment allowing him into Texas National Guard instead of serving in Vietnam after scoring poorly on pilot aptitude tests\u2014a claim bolstered by connections through family influence at that time\u2014and whether he fulfilled obligations tied with enlistment contracts later became contentious issues leading up to re-election efforts amid scrutiny over John Kerry\u2019s own record.<\/p>\n<p>These examples illustrate how deeply intertwined military service can be with political narratives in American electoral history<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2326563,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Clinton-Kerry-Bush-1024x591.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[35835,38513,37484,36345,32076],"class_list":["post-2326562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-campaign-strategy","tag-historical-analysis","tag-military-service","tag-political-impact","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Clinton-Kerry-Bush-1024x591.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2326562"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326562\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2326563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2326562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2326562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2326562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}