Tuesday, August 31 2004
GENERAL FRANKS: Just finished a brief Q&A with General Tommy Franks (here's a peek). Hard to put into words just how impressive a figure he is in person and, perhaps more importantly from a political perspective, how important his endorsement may be for President Bush. Not surprisingly, Franks was effusive in his praise of the President, saying that what America needs in this dangerous day and age is "consistency, persistency, and character....George W. Bush."

Franks refused to touch the Swift Boat Controversy at all, but he wasn't afraid to offer some harsh words for Kerry: "I know what John Kerry's against, but I have trouble figuring out what he for." (See Franks' full comments here)

Franks is the latest (and most visible) part of a much larger picture here at the convention that's worth mentioning. The Republican party's connection with the US military isn't big news. But this year the sincerity and the depth of respect for the US military that is on display here is remarkable. It also stands in striking contrast to what I saw in the coverage from Boston where the Dems' best efforts to drape themselves in Kerry's military service and the "band of brothers" routine came across as hollow and, to a certain degree, fraudulent.

Again, the culprit here is Vietnam. Opposition to the war in Vietnam and the counterculture that flourished in the sixties ingrained in the DNA of the hard left core of the Democratic party feelings toward the United States military that range from distrust to disrespect to outright hatred. It's virtually impossible in the wake of 9/11 to undo thirty years worth of anti-military ideological programming. The task isn't made any easier by nominating an anti-war activist with a record like John Kerry. - T. Bevan 4:50 pm Link | Email | Send to a Friend