Fact Check: Kerry Served, Bush Didn't

Does Hyman really think he’s helping his candidate by dwelling on Vietnam? In a series of "Short Takes", Hyman continues to blather on about John Kerry’s “undeserved medals.” This time, he claims that one of Kerry’s Purple Hearts was won when he was injured by exploding rice.

If this sounds fishy, it’s only because it is. According to the nonpartisan , FactCheck.org part of the reason Kerry was awarded one of his three Purple Hearts is that he was injured by grenade shrapnel (not rice) that hit him while he was assisting in destroying a Viet Cong food storage facility (he was also injured by a mine that detonated near his boat later that day). In fact, Fact Check has a detailed analysis of each one of Kerry’s medals, the circumstances under which they were earned, and the claims of political opponents that they were given under “suspicious” circumstances. The conclusions are that the medals were properly awarded, and that the stories of those who question Kerry’s service don’t check out.

But here’s the thing: assume for a minute that Kerry was a glory-seeking, self-serving, politically ambitious Kennedy-wannabe, and George W. Bush honestly felt he was serving his country the best he could by joining the Texas Air National Guard, and did so without any strings being pulled and without shirking his commitment. We know from multiple sources that these assumptions are far from the truth, but even if we go ahead and grant them, Kerry’s military record dwarfs Bush’s. Kerry went when he didn’t have to. He was under fire. Not even the most adamant Bush lover can deny this. Nor can they deny that given the same opportunity to serve, Bush took the easy way out. Dig up all the politically-motivated storytellers you want—you can’t change those essential truths, and little else really matters.

So Mark, if you really want the upcoming election to be about comparing service to our country 35 years ago, bring it on.

And that’s The Counterpoint.