The big swallow

George W. Bush hagiographer and professional corn dog deep-throater, John Hinderaker, contrasts and compares Memorial Day speeches given today by Barack Obama and Bush, conveniently forgetting that Obama is currently running for George's office while George is running ... for the exit.

Needless to say, like Presidents before him, Bush was engaged in the annual tradition of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; something that is easier for him to stomach then showing up for a funeral of one of the people he sent off to die in his legacy war.

What gets Hinderakers tighty-whiteys bunchier than usual is the fact that Obama used the occasion for a question and answer period (unsurprising in that it was at a town hall meeting) to address questions from veterans who aren't supposed to reason why, when they're supposed to do and die.

Hinderaker writes:

What was really offensive about Obama's New Mexico appearance, however, was what followed his very brief, but generally appropriate, tribute to America's war dead. He continued with a town hall-style question and answer period that cast veterans in the only role with which the Democrats are comfortable--victims--and sought to politicize the holiday.

So what was John McCain up to today? I'm glad you asked:

The presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), used the backdrop of the state's veterans memorial in Albuquerque to pledge his fealty to the military and to once again make clear his determination to achieve victory in the Iraq war. The Democratic front-runner, Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), went to Las Cruces and praised the "spirit" of America's diverse fighting corps, which he called the source of the military's true strength.

[...]

Before several hundred veterans and military families at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial, McCain asserted that the new GI Bill sponsored by Sen. James Webb (D-Va.) and supported by Obama will drive soldiers out of the armed services at a time when the country is trying to expand the size of the military.

McCain said the bill, which would increase benefits for veterans after they serve one tour of duty, is a way of offering the nation's "deep appreciation" for those who have served. But the Vietnam War veteran and former prisoner of war predicted that Webb's bill would reduce the military's retention rate by 16 percent.

"Encouraging people to choose to not become noncommissioned officers would hurt the military and our country very badly," McCain said.

One way to expand the military would be to, you know, stop invading countries for no good reason which results in soldiers being killed. Now that would get the retention rate up in a variety of ways. Beyond that, McCain acknowledges the difficulty of fighting a war with soldiers who want to get out while the getting is good. After all, nobody ever won a hundred year war using temps.

Boy would that put a crimp in his plans...