Sore Loser Cleland linked to Source of Forgery

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

In an Aug. 21 posting, Burkett referred to a conversation with former senator Max Cleland (D-Ga.) about the need to counteract Republican tactics: "I asked if they wanted to counterattack or ride this to ground and outlast it, not spending any money. He said counterattack. So I gave them the information to do it with. But none of them have called me back."

Cleland confirmed that he had a two- or three-minute conversation by cell phone with a Texan named Burkett in mid-August while he was on a car ride. He remembers Burkett saying that he had "valuable" information about Bush, and asking what he should with it. "I told him to contact the [Kerry] campaign," Cleland said. "You get this information tens of times a day, and you don't know if it is legit or not."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A30043-2004Sep17?language=printer

[WalterMitty]

cleland is a very annoying human being.

[raggage]

cleland is a very annoying human being.

So first you guys get upset when Bandit calls those Swift Boat people, swift boat cowards, but its ok for you guys to call Cleland a sore loser?

[The Vorlon]

Max Cleland served his country.

In Vietnam, he lost 3 limbs.  Yes, he lost them picking up a grenade on a training range when heading back for a beer, but so what..?

War takes many victims, some in heroic battles, some in silly accidents.

In my eyes they are still all heros.

After losing 3 limbs he went back to the States and built a life, a career, and became a Senator.

I agree he has let himself become something of a ra^ther poor taste tool for Kerry in his silly stunts, but hey, he's earned it.

I don't think Cleland was all that good a Senator, and Chambliss I think more accurately represents the views of his state, but Cleland has earned the right to free speech.. annoying or otherwise.

Just my 2 cents

[agcatter]

Well said.

He is a very bitter man.  However, he has no one to blame for his Senate defeat but himself.  You can't ignore the majority wishes of your constituents in vote after vote and expect them to vote for you.  Did he think no one would notice?

[WalterMitty]

cleland is a very annoying human being.

So first you guys get upset when Bandit calls those Swift Boat people, swift boat cowards, but its ok for you guys to call Cleland a sore loser?

i never siad he was a sore loser.  i said he is annoying.  

even though he served in vietnam and lost 3 limbs he can still be annoying.

[agcatter]

He is indeed annoying.  I hate to say it, but his allowing himself to be used as a Kerry stage prop looks pretty pathetic.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

In Vietnam, he lost 3 limbs.  Yes, he lost them picking up a grenade on a training range when heading back for a beer, but so what..?

You have to be kidding me, because I was under the impression from all the Dems crying, "it is an outrage to throw this man out of the Senate", that Cleland lost those limbs while fighting an entire army!!!

My pastor went to Vietnam and went through the same training and didn't blow himself up through some mistake of his own - so am I to consider Cleland more of a hero than my pastor simply because Cleland makes a mistake in training leading to his loss of three limbs?

[JohnFKennedy]

In Vietnam, he lost 3 limbs.  Yes, he lost them picking up a grenade on a training range when heading back for a beer, but so what..?

You have to be kidding me, because I was under the impression from all the Dems crying, "it is an outrage to throw this man out of the Senate", that Cleland lost those limbs while fighting an entire army!!!

My pastor went to Vietnam and went through the same training and didn't blow himself up through some mistake of his own - so am I to consider Cleland more of a hero than my pastor simply because Cleland makes a mistake in training leading to his loss of three limbs?

Did he say it made him any more of a hero than any other Veteran? No, he said it doesn't STOP him being a hero. You mis-interpreted what he said.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

In Vietnam, he lost 3 limbs.  Yes, he lost them picking up a grenade on a training range when heading back for a beer, but so what..?

You have to be kidding me, because I was under the impression from all the Dems crying, "it is an outrage to throw this man out of the Senate", that Cleland lost those limbs while fighting an entire army!!!

My pastor went to Vietnam and went through the same training and didn't blow himself up through some mistake of his own - so am I to consider Cleland more of a hero than my pastor simply because Cleland makes a mistake in training leading to his loss of three limbs?

Did he say it made him any more of a hero than any other Veteran? No, he said it doesn't STOP him being a hero. You mis-interpreted what he said.

I'm not misquoting him at all.  I didn't know how he lost his limbs, I simply assumed, through all the fuss of "the grevious error" of throwing him out of the Senate ,that he was some great war hero because "he left three limbs in the mud of Vietnam".

But now, I find out that he lost those limbs through his own mistake in a training exercise.

My point was that he isn't the "hero" the Dems make him out to be.  He is indeed a hero, but he is no more of a hero than anyone else who served in Vietnam.  What sets Cleland apart is the fact he lost three limbs by screwing up.

[J-Mann]

I've gotten the impression that Republicans are supposed to be ashamed for defeating Cleland in his Senate race.  Cleland's a hero for sure, no matter how he received his injuries, but military service and sustained injuries don't automatically make you a good public servant.  I argued the same thing against John McCain in 2000; it applies for Kerry and Cleland now.

[AuH2O]

Look, let's be a little honest: Cleland used his Vietnam injuries to advance himself politically. It worked until Chambliss removed him from the Senate.

It's very unfortunate he lost 3 limbs dropping a grenade on himself. Just like it's unfortunate anytime someone is maimed in war or in training or when a 16 year old kid is paralyzed in a car accident when a drunk driver hits them.

I don't feel like anyone owes Cleland anything. If he's going to be an asshole, I'm going to call him an asshole. I'm glad he's out of the Senate, and he is very much an annoyance.

[JNB]

cleland is a very annoying human being.

So first you guys get upset when Bandit calls those Swift Boat people, swift boat cowards, but its ok for you guys to call Cleland a sore loser?

  Actually, it was me who called them Swift Boat Cowards, and I stand by what I said. Any man who lies about another man record, because he disagrees with a mans stand on issues, is a coward. Again, the Swift Boat COWARDS were angry about what Kerry did after the Vietnam War, but instead, their initial attack against him was to distort Kerrys record.

[Giant Saguaro]

I think a couple things about Cleland. I would mention I respect him for his service and for fighting for his country, I really do. But first, I'm disappointed that for whatever reason(s) (money, promotion, anger/resentment, etc., whatever) he's allowed himself to become a party's (and more so a candidate's) stooge. Secondly, I get the sense that he feels his condition and status mean he should receive special consideration and accomodation. The second is very egocentric, in a way. There are tons of vets who are in the same condition and get no consideration and no accomodation. Of course, I think Dems in general have been feeling that way about vets on their side of the aisle. It's like, well people disagree with them and they're out of touch a bit, but they served so how dare anyone vote them out and anyone who mounts an opposition to someone like Cleland must be a cheap-shot artist and a low-blow go-getter type. Get over it, please.