John Cornyn must be feeling the heat after getting slammed by VoteVets.org for his opposition to the 21st Century GI Bill, which passed overwhelminglt in the Senate yesterday with a veto-proof majority despite his voting against it. Predictably, he has lashed out at his critics while hypocritically wrapping himself in the language of supporting the troops:
"The anti-war crowd is determined to use our men and women in uniform for their political advantage, even if our national security is jeopardized in the process," Cornyn campaign spokesman Kevin McLaughlin said. "The fact that Noriega would associate himself with a group that attacks John McCain [R-Ariz.], an American Hero by any standard, will not go unnoticed by Texans.
They're attacking McCain for his stance on the issues, Senator Box Turtle, which most rational people recognize as well within the bounds of acceptable political behavior regardless of whether or not the person is a "war hero." To their credit, the fine folks at VoteVets are having none of Cornyn's crap:
What a bunch of jokers. Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel (who devised the new GI Bill), Rick Noriega (Cornyn's opponent), and VoteVets.org (whose veterans created the ad) have--not surprisingly--all served in a war. Yet we're the "anti-war crowd" according to the Cornyn campaign. However, John Cornyn--who was vehemently against serving in a war himself--is, I think, the real "anti-war" guy here, having avoided service during Vietnam.
Regardless, as far as his accusation goes that we're the ones jeopardizing national security, Cornyn actually takes the cake on this one: He's the one who's kept us in this disastrous war in Iraq. He's the one who's supported policies that have nearly bled the Army dry. He's the one pre-occupied with Shia-Sunni strife in Iraq, while terrorism flourishes in Afghanistan. He's the one who voted against giving our troops proper rest and recovery periods--thus weakening our military. And he's the one who's prepared to kill military recruiting by keeping the GI Bill weak enough to prevent recruiters from using it as a viable "carrot." In fact, Cornyn's policies are the reason that 60 percent of the military's officers believe that "the military is weaker than it was five years ago."
So I don't think the Cornyn campaign really wants to go there with this "even if our national security is jeopardized" nonsense. Cornyn is a veritable champion when it comes to weakening our national security. The troops--especially those who've served in Afghanistan--know that. And we'll keep reminding him--and his constituents--of that fact throughout the year.
John Cornyn can claim to support the troops all he likes, but his record speaks for itself: he has received poor marks on his voting record from the Disabled American Veterans (60% in 2006, 33% in 2005, and a miserable 0% in 2004), the Retired Enlisted Association (6% in 2006 and 0% in 2004), and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (a grade of D-). What our troops deserve is someone who will represent their interests in the Senate, and who better to do that than someone like Rick Noriega, who has actually walked in their boots and knows what they have to deal with as servicemen and servicewomen. Cornyn? The closest he's ever been to seeing combat is his last viewing of F Troop.
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