Walsh: Duckworth not a “true hero” (Updated)
Several of you sent this link to us and, truthfully, I was hoping I could avoid writing about it. Not because it’s a (R) vs (D) issue, and it makes the (R) look bad, but because I really don’t like Tammy Duckworth, the veteran double-amputee running for the Congess in Illinois. Aside from the fact that folks from Illinois have told me that she was an incompetent boob while she was Director of Illinois’ Department of Veterans’ Affairs, but also because she was the VoteVets employment advocate when she went to be the Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs in DC. And then, while she was at the DVA, she “selflessly” and publicly volunteered to go back to school while she was getting a full-time paycheck in order to straighten out the mess she and Shinseki had created with Veterans’ Education Benefits. And, oh, yeah, she doesn’t know how her own agency worked.
So, now that I’ve established clearly why I dislike Tammy Duckworth greatly, apparently, her opponent in Illinois, Joe Walsh made a very stupid statement according to the Chicago Tribune;
Walsh began his criticism of Duckworth on Sunday by noting that heroes such as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a former Vietnam prisoner of war, were uncomfortable talking about their service.
He said political advisers for McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, “day after day had to take him and almost throw him against a wall and hit him against the head and say, ‘Senator, you have to let people know you served!'”
“That’s what’s so noble about our heroes,” Walsh said. “Now I’m running against a woman who, I mean, my God, that’s all she talks about. Our true heroes, the men and women who served us, it’s the last thing in the world they talk about.”
So, the implication here is that she’s not a “true hero”. Walsh, it should be noted, has no military service. While he may be correct, it was a very stupid thing to say out loud. If you look at Duckworth’s bio at her campaign website, you’ll see what he means. Like I said, folks from Illinois tell me that almost all of her “accomplishments” at the IL DVA were things other people accomplished, but she took the credit. So, naturally, she leans heavily on the fact that she was in the military and wounded, because she can’t speak beyond platitudes of veterans’ issues.
But none of Duckworth’s utter incompetence justifies Walsh’s implication that she doesn’t deserve credit for being shot down and losing her legs in combat. Apparently, Duckworth’s minions at VoteVets, hoping for another employment opportunity, are circulating another of their online petitions against Walsh. But I don’t pay attention to them anymore since they quit writing at VetVoice and turned amateur playing on Facebook these days. But Soltz writes that Walsh “swiftboats” Duckworth on Daily Kos. I don’t think he knows that “swiftboat” means telling the truth about a candidate’s military service.
You may have noticed that I can’t really bring myself to support Duckworth on this, but at least now you know the reasons.
ADDED: On a second thought, not that we need more proof that Soltz and VoteVets are hypocrites, but here’s some thoughts that Soltz had when Wesley Clark criticized John McCain‘s service;
So, in short, General Clark respects John McCain’s service, calls him a hero to millions, but notes that experience doesn’t make him qualified to be Commander in Chief.
Now, VoteVets.org isn’t getting into the presidential race, but I don’t see what is so wrong about what General Clark said. And yet, immediately and unsurprisingly, the McCain campaign let loose with a response that expressed shock and dismay. Almost right after that, all of the media was up in arms about how ‘wrong’ this was. Pretty disappointingly, even progressive surrogates couldn’t muster the strength to back up General Clark on TV.
Why?
This wasn’t a swift boating, or any low politics. General Clark called McCain a hero to millions for his sacrifice. And, that’s a pretty big statement coming from a man who, himself, left Vietnam on a stretcher. But, facts are facts:
• Senator McCain’s service and experience, both as a POW and as a Senator apparently hasn’t infused him with a dose of good judgment.
• Senator McCain’s experience hasn’t led him to realize that the war in Iraq and it’s continuance has empowered and emboldened Iran, and destabilized the region.
• Senator McCain’s experience hasn’t caused him to recognize that we’re losing ground in Afghanistan, and Osama bin Laden is still out there, plotting.
• Senator McCain’s experience didn’t lead him to support the 21st Century GI Bill — he opposed it. It didn’t even make him feel the need to get back to Washington to vote on this — one of the most important veterans’ bills this Congress. He twice skipped votes on the GI Bill, to fundraise.
• Senator McCain’s experience didn’t help him empathize with troops are overstretched and overdeployed, when he voted against the bipartisan Webb-Hagel “Dwell Time Amendment,” which would have given troops as much time at home as in the field.
Senator McCain is running on his experience, saying it makes him ready to lead right away. By doing so, he is asking people to look at what that experience taught him. By looking at Senator McCain’s positions and votes (or lack of them), it seems that experience has not given him the right judgment on important issues of our time. And, while we should all honor Senator McCain’s service, that doesn’t mean we should necessarily honor it by putting him in the White House to take up George W. Bush’s third term.
So, General Clark is 100 percent absolutely right, and he should not back down. I’d hope that some of the so-called progressives on television back him up on this, and not get intimidated by the media and McCain campaign press releases. These are important times, and deserve a blunt and honest debate.
In some circles, that’s just called ‘straight talk.’
Apparently, it’s only “straight talk” when a Democrat criticizes a Republican’s military service. And if you go to the link to HuffPo, you’ll see that VoteVets set up one of their useless petitions to support Clark for making those remarks.
Category: 2012 election
It would be nice if “hero” meant something definite that we could actually point to.
Sorry, that’s all I got.
Simply put: If you didn’t serve, you should not be so critical to suggest that YOU know better. Because, if you did not serve … YOU don’t. BTW … Happy Fourth of July. I love my Country!
Regardless of whether or not Walsh’s criticisms are correct (and I believe they are), he’s really in no position to be making those statements publicly lacking any type of military service. He would have been better off allowing his surrogates to make those charges.
That being said, anyone who’s served knows that you’re not a “hero” simply because you volunteered. This fawning adulation of all veterans diminishes the sacrifice of those who actually did something heroic, which is defined as having the characteristics of great courage, strength, and engaging in selfless exploits that place the welfare of others above themselves.
Duckworth served and she sacrificed. For that she should be recognized. But that does not give her some special pass that means that she is infallible.
When John McCain was running for President I had many a conversation with my “progressive” friends regarding his military service and the years he had spent as a P.O.W. I noted that this man had truly sacrificed for his country and was important to me, in comparative contrast to his opponent, who had smoked dope, snorted coke, and had only served as a “community organizer”. I was smugly informed that running for President had nothing to do with this and it was more about who would better be able to turn the economy around and prudently deal with this country’s myriad problems.
As such, I would say to Duckworth that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander…
I don’t care for her either. She is just another liberal politician that seems to have made a career without actually doing much. Kind of like a certain President…
I am a US Army vet, E-5. Tammy Duckworth’s military career was exemplary. She is a DECORATED combat veteran.
Walsh is a deadbeat dad and a chickenhawk who does not respect, or even recognize his betters.
Regardless of the politics, it is obvious that Duckworth is a better person than this despicable loser. I hope his mother votes against him.
I give Duckworth credit for her service to the country… I have no problems with that. But she, like her buddy the President, have done nothing while “serving” the people of IL or this country… for lack of a better work, Tammy Duckworth is a political hack.
@5: She was decorated with an Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal AFTER she was wounded. She was also later promoted to Major while in the hospital. Given what we know about how the Army operates, it appears as though there’s a possible correlation between being a woman injured in combat and recognition of that fact through medals and promotions. (See Pat Tillman.)
Regarding Joe Walsh, he does appear to have had some deadbeat Dad issues, but anybody who says something like this is worth a look in my book. From Wikipedia:
“On November 19, 2011, Walsh was discussing the Occupy movement, describing it as composed of “generally spoiled, pampered, unfocused, clueless young people and a smattering of other people who don’t understand this country and are advocating anti-American solutions.” When a constituent pointed out that veterans have also taken part in the Occupy movement, Walsh responded, “I don’t know how many veterans are part of the Occupy protest. I can’t imagine it’s many. But anyone who would advocate socialist solutions to certain problems in this country … they don’t understand this country.”
Further, it’s not “obvious” that Duckworth is a “better person”. Please supply facts to support your assertions.
Max Cleland, of Georgia — was the center of a “controversy” (disagreement), concerning whether his wounds were the result of an error he made — or were not .
# 2 Anon was the Master Chief. I suffered a cookie failure earlier.
You might want to check out this article, by someone who was there.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2012/07/03/WaPost-Accuses-GOP-Congressman-of-Saying-Something-He-Never-Said
It sounds like we could have a case of creative editing.
The Dead Tree Media took something out of context, Valerie? They may have edited the article to make it sound like Walsh said something he didn’t? I’m shocked, well, not really. Not after seeing what MSNBC/NBC did with the George Zimmerman video and the Mitt Romney video.
I agree with Vance.
I think the term ‘hero’ has been way over used when it comes to all things military especially those in the military and veterans.
I don’t think someone in the military is necessarily any more ‘heroic’ by default than someone that chooses to become a police officer or a fire fighter.
‘Hero’ should be reserved for those who have gone above and beyond in service to their country. Otherwise it diminishes the whole concept.
During OIF2 the UH-60 she was a co-pilot in was hit with an RGP while flying a route that her unit used over and over again over a place that those of us who operated over Baghdad knew was an area of insurgent activity. Other members of her crew were killed in this incident. My unit had to destroy her aircraft later with hellfire missiles as it couldn’t be recovered.
She earned her awards as much as anyone else, but the entire incident stinks with half-assed mission planning and poor S2 work. It’s a shame that so many were injured and killed and she’s no more or less a hero than anyone else who did their job.
A simple, “I greatly respect your sevice and sacrifice, but I really really want to debate/discuss your platform and approach to X,Y, and Z,” would have been a great move by…um…Lord Nutsack. (I already forgot his name, and hers. meh)
I’m not familiar with either candidate. Ted N is dead on. Respect the service, and disagree on issues.
I did follow an search inquiry re:Tammy Duckworth to a HUFFPO article regarding this little spat. Funny how the lefties can “wave the bloody shirt” when it suits them while harboring a deep loathing for the military.
Ted N:
Well put and totally agree with you. Would also say that the word hero is overused and wish warrior was used instead. Save hero for those that have given above and beyond the call of duty. God knows there have been many, but few are known by the country.
@10 – “It sounds like we could have a case of creative editing.”
Not really, and the Breitbart article is just as disingenuous as their claim against Think Progress. The TP article as well as the YouTube video of the event both match in covering what Joe Walsh said. WaPo didn’t state anything in their article that contradicts the facts of Walsh’s speech.
Big Journalism only included the text of Walsh’s rebuttal, which TP also includes in their updates.
Both sides play the game where sacred cows and hurt feelings are the currency.
Cookies were cleared…@17 was me.
Most of the other comments re: “hero” are right in line with my opinion on the usage.
Tammy Duckworth has milked her status as much as possible, now someone is calling her on it.
May GOD bless her for her service, but, she would just be another rock-solid vote for the left in congress. We don’t need any more of those.
Actually, Tammy Duckworth is not, was not, nor can she ever be a “hero”, because she lacks the required biological plumbing.
The correct word is “HEROINE”, not “hero”.
Please, let’s do what little we can to preserve our English language, and to resist the satanic Marxist influence of contemporary “political correctness”.
No. 21 Mr. John Robert Mallernee:
Thanks for your wonderful comment (even if it is sarcastic, which I am NOT assuming) !!
I look forward to exploring your computer site .
Gotta agree with #13 Outlaw 13. She was wounded doing her job, that does not a hero/heroine make. My Marine nephew has a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart and he is no more a “hero” than she, he was simply doing his job. He brought is squad home alive, he did his job.
Mr. Lilyea, your post is fair, objective, tightly and logically argued — in MY judgment .
I received that e-mail in my AKO yesterday. Of course, I haven’t registered with either political party, so my first response was “why the fuck am I receiving this?!”.
When I went on their website to unregister, it made me jump through several hoops before finally allowing me to unregister. Then it made me JUSTIFY why I was having them remove my name! I guess “I never registered with you in the first place” isn’t acceptable?
No. 21 Mr. John Robert Mallernee:
I’d love to see that come up in a debate:
“Ma’am, you can’t be a hero.”
“what what what! you sexist blah blah blah”
Holds up placard with the M=Hero, F=Heroine laid out.
“You are a Heroine ma’am, not a hero. As you can see here. Words are still important to some of us. Thank you, and goodnight.”