A (Turning) Tail of Two Demo-cats

AHM has never liked Demo-cats. Maybe she got bitten by one when she was little, I don't know. Or maybe she startin' learnin' about Demo-cats from the oldsters in her life--the same way I teach my pups the way to behave in the world. Whatever. All I know is, as long as I've been around, she's done everythin' but lift her leg on 'em--which she can't do anyway, so I guess that doesn't count.

After dinner last night we were taken our evenin' walk through the blogs and found this story over at A Dog's Life. Surprised us both, I gotta' say. Guess that Demo-cat Kerry was learnin' from his oldsters. (It makes me wonder what young pussy Demo-cats have been learnin' from Bill Clinton…)

"In 1941, Representative [Lyndon] Johnson was running in a tight special election race for the Senate seat open due to the death of Morris Sheppard. His opponent, Governor W. Lee "Pass the Biscuits, Pappy" O'Daniel was an isolationist. Johnson, in tight with FDR, positioned himself as the "preparedness" candidate, pledging "If the day ever comes when my vote must be cast to send your boy to the trenches - that day Lyndon Johnson will leave his Senate seat to go with him."

"It was a crowd-pleasing line, but Johnson narrowly lost when he failed to steal as many votes as O'Daniel, a mistake he would not make seven years later. Then on December 7th, Johnson was forced to make a decision about his career."

Johnson "enlisted" without resignin' from his seat in the House and tried to keep himself safe until his opponents sniffed out his plan. Then he set the example Kerry followed in his career.

"Johnson flew to a primitive airbase in New Guinea and their wangled his way on board a bombing mission on Lae, even though as a Navy officer he had no place in an Army Air Force mission.

"Bumped off his plane due to a call of nature, Johnson seated himself on another B-26. The bombers came under attack by Zeros and Johnson's plane was hit by bullets. Johnson by all accounts was calm and collected during the few minutes of combat, though he took no part. The plane Johnson originally intended to fly in was shot down with the loss of all personnel.

"Making his way back to Australia the next day, Johnson eventually got to Melbourne and MacArthur's headquarters. Listening to Johnson's report, MacArthur awarded him the Silver Star,…"

Hrumph. Guess MacArthur was rememberin' who signed his paychecks.

"Johnson was at first reluctant to accept the decoration MacArthur bestowed on him. He wrestled with his conscience and won. Purchasing a Silver Star at an Army-Navy store in Washington, he had it ceremoniously pinned on his lapel... several times at various rallies.

"Johnson's story about his combat experience - all 13 minutes of it - became increasingly embellished. He was "Raider" Johnson who had lost 25 or 38 or 40 pounds because of dengue fever contracted while living with American boys in the jungles of New Guinea. He was bombed and strafed during his two and a half or more months in the war zone. He was too tall for a parachute, so he always gave his away. And he became increasingly incredulous that he didn't receive some greater decoration for his valor."

Sounds familiar--Demo-cats turnin' tail and runnin'. Fe-lyings always run like hell, fur all stickin' out, then strut around sayin' how they fought it out to the bitter end.

What a bunch of fraidy (Demo) cats.

posted by Harrison at 12:35 PM