Feeding Frenzy
Much is being made in the liberal blog camp of the news of Governor Pataki's son enlisting in the Marine Corps., while seeking an educational deferment to attend law school. Apparently, the fact that he is hoping for a deferment instead of rushing right in to battle is a sign to them of "spoiled rich boy entitlement". This has to be one of the most mean-spirited takes on the story. Even Charlie Rangel is getting in on the Pataki-bashing:
Rangel said the public revelation of Teddy Pataki's request for a law school deferment must be "very embarrassing for him."Um, am I missing something, or did Teddy Pataki have no obligation to enlist whatsoever? Last I checked, the U.S. has an all-volunteer armed forces. The attempts by the left to make this reminiscent of GWB and Dick Cheney's "draft-dodging" is ridiculous. From the Marines' press release:
As a football player and fraternity president, his peers respected and admired his choice to take the commission and become a Marine officer, however, it was a shock to Yale as not that many of the students choose to serve in the military. “It doesn’t affect me,” Pataki said. “This is something that I wanted to do.”I'm sorry, but how again is this choice something to scorn? The fact that he is seeking a deferment does not guarantee that he will get one. He is taking a chance of being shipped off to Iraq that I don't see many scions of Democratic pols taking. This attack is completely gratuitious and not a little mean spirited. Sometimes I feel like I just have to say to these people: Shut Up.
posted by orthomom at 9:22 AM
12 Comments:
"liberal blog camp"
Isn't that you?
:)
anonymous has been after you all morning.
btw, nice title
I know, I wish he/she would pick a handle already.
they made a big deal about cheneys dodging and bushs embrassing evasion because of the rights repeated attempts to discredit kerry's heroism and combat experience instead of letting him have his service record. And yes, bush was a spoiled rich boy weenie and yes, so is patakis son for trying to do such a silly thing during wartime.
I disagree with you.
Asking these questions about Teddy is fair. His father is such a loud and proud hawk, it's fair to wonder how he feels about his son refusing to go to war.
I disagree with you. Pataki is actually enlisting. Find a hawk whose son isn't enlisting at all to pick on. His son is certainly not refusing to go to war. As you keep pointing out, Iraq is a long, hard slog. He will probably end up there anyway, especially if he doesn't get his deferment. I just don't think a politician's son is fair game anyway. It isn't his father's choice. It's his, and he made it voluntarily. Had he not enlisted at all, no one would touch him with their criticism.
besides, it was a volentary enlistment. now if his father paid off the officials to make sure he got his deferment, that would be a diffrent story... but there isn't a draft. he doesn't have to serve in the first place. even that he places himself in the position of having to if they need him is tremendous especialy for a rich kid.
I couldn't agree more.
Chickenhawk!chickenhawk!
Aww, Lt. Pataki wants to go to law school before he goes on active duty. I would, too in his situation. With a law degree, he can spend his active duty years in a nice cushy JAG office instead of leading truck convoys in Baghdad.
He already come to the table with an advantage of entering the service as an officer instead of an enlisted grunt. Actually, that sickens me as much as his request for a deferment. It disgusts me the the rich and powerful think they have an entitlement to start out in the upper crust. They shouldn't even let the children of elected officials be commissioned as officers until they have 2 years satisfactory service as a private.
Lt. Pataki wants the benefits of having military service on his resume, but he wants to avoid the unplasant duties that are a an essential part of the experience.
He didn't have to enlist. End of story.
charlie rangel should die of aids
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