Hmmm... in looking back through my previous posts I didn't realize exactly how little I had commented on the 2004 presidential race. Given that this was a contest about which I actually cared about, it's a bit surprising. Regardless, I'll admit I participated in the critique of John Kerry's military record. Those who did the research would admit that it wasn't nearly as stellar as he would have liked the American public to believe, and this became an issue when he attempted to make it a centerpiece of his campaign. Perhaps his biggest mistake was not challenging his naysayers more forcefully in a public setting. His love of nuance must have simply been too great. Hello 2004, welcome to 2008, where John McCain is running for president while making his military service a centerpiece of his campaign. Ironically, just about the only thing I respect about Senator McCain is, in fact, his service to our great nation. When attacked, his campaign has immediately responded, very forcefully, that this type of criticism will not be tolerated. I also feel that attacks against McCain will have a much different effect than those directed towards Senator Kerry. The Arizona Senator has a much more detailed, graphic account of his time in Vietnam. He spent a long time over there, the majority of which was spent in a prisoner of war camp. The attacks against him will only serve to unite the fractured base, consolidating opposition to Barack Obama. Good luck, critics. The harder you push, the harder the pushback will be.