E-MAIL THIS LINK
To: 

Does Military Service Still Matter for the President?
In every presidential election since 1992, the candidate with the less distinguished military résumé has triumphed.

Bill Clinton defeated war heroes George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole; National Guard pilot George W. Bush beat Vietnam veterans Al Gore and John Kerry;
So this is not always a bad thing.
Not to mention the writer's odd conceit that the now-senior senator from Massachussetts had a distinguished military resume'. As I recall, he was given a Purple Heart for a splinter...
...and the writer's cold-blooded deceit about what John said after he came back home...
and Barack Obama was decisively elected over John McCain, who had displayed extraordinary valor during years of captivity as a Navy pilot in North Vietnam.

In 2012, we won't have the chance to test this trend: For the first time in modern American history, neither major candidate for the presidency has any military experience. This is a dramatic change. The crucible of combat not only created these United States but has also given us many of our most successful presidents.

But today, the connection between service in war and election to the highest office in the land has been severed. How we got here is difficult to ascertain. The sample size of presidential elections is small, and military service is far from the only factor that voters consider.

Yet the 2012 White House hopefuls reflect a broader truth: Even in a country waging what seems to be a forever war, military service is increasingly limited to a small swath of volunteers, widely admired but little known.
This writer is "well-balanced" because this is the Washington Post. Regarde -
Both President Obama and Mitt Romney have demonstrated impressive leadership in government, education and business. Obama's bona fides as commander in chief are clear; he has shown his resolve in the pursuit of Osama bin Laden and the effective dismantling of al-Qaeda during his administration. The first lady's dedication to military families, worn down after years of war, is exemplary.
Still...
Wars have given the United States many of its most important political leaders, and we can expect those who have led this country's sons and daughters in the sands of Anbar province and the mountains of the Hindu Kush to turn their sights to the highest office in the land in years to come.

When they do, these veterans will lead the nation back to its foundations. Forged in war, they will work to build a better peace.
Posted by: Bobby 2012-05-27
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=345443