Richard WarnickRomney ‘longed…to actually be in Vietnam’
According to an article in the Boston Globe, presidential candidate Willard (Mitt) Romney enjoyed five years of draft deferments as a student and while serving a church mission in France. But he “longed…to actually be in Vietnam.” When his deferments were up, he drew a high draft lottery number and escaped being drafted. But he could have volunteered.
“I really don’t recall thinking about political positions when I was knocking at the door in France” as a missionary, Romney said. “I was supportive of my country. I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there and in some ways it was frustrating not to feel like I was there as part of the troops that were fighting in Vietnam.”
Once a chickenhawk, always a chickenhawk apparently. I wonder if we need another one as commander-in-chief.
The article also notes there was a class action suit filed in Utah against the federal government in 1968, alleging that the LDS Church and the Selective Service System worked hand-in-hand to obtain deferments for missionaries, while drafting non-Mormons. Although he lived in Michigan, Romney got the benefit of a similar arrangement.
UPDATE: I’ve previously remarked on Romney’s hypocrisy re: Iraq, but it bears repeating. Here is an excerpt from Romney’s remarks at CPAC:
“Iraq is just one front in the war. We removed Hussein, but afterward, we were under-prepared, under-planned, under-manned, and under-managed. But walking away now or dividing the country and then walking away would have real and severe risks for America and for our troops. I support the troop surge for that reason.”
“Under-manned.” This is coming from a candidate who never served, and who has five grown sons who never served.
June 25th, 2007 at 10:28 am
Mitt “the Five-Time Deferment Chickenhawk” Romney.
They’re already making excuses for the deferments over at KSL.com.
June 25th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
As a man of God he is a conscientious objector? Moron I might strike one dead if defying the commandments of Jesus and God, not to kill?
He had a chronic athletes foot problem?
He was too good for the military.
He is a crony in a crony state, and his connections and leverage kept him home?
He went to college? Nobody who took a deferment should be Commander in Chief.
June 25th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
It’s not too late Mitt. I see a lot of older guys showing up on the “Newshour” obituaries every night, but I wouldn’t. Al Gore and John Kerry WERE there and couldn’t seem to get SELECTED as president as well as a chickenhawk like you and George.
June 25th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
I just don’t get how an seemingly intelligent man like Romney can identify the multiple past failures of the strategy in Iraq and in the same breath support the surge contrary to the very same voices that predicted the past failures and who predict the surge will fail, WHICH IT WILL!
If ambition does make you stupid in high enough doses, Romney and McCain should be roomates at the Betty Ford Clinic for sufferers of chronic delusional ambition.
June 26th, 2007 at 8:01 am
People seemingly rise in station to the level of their incompetence.
Think what this means if you believe America is a meritocracy. It ‘aint.