When I was 18... (embarassing anecdote here)

You learn early on in life that the best defense is a good offense. I heard Dan Rather being quizzed about these documents, now believed to be forgeries, upon which he based the story about Bush's National Guard service. Rather maintained his belief in the authenticity of the documents and dodged the question about where he got the documents by turning defense into offense. He said I don't think it matters where I got the documents (possibly forged)... what matters is the answers to the questions that these documents raise about Bush's service. Good job, Dan. You've learned the lesson well. Don't answer questions to which there are unfavorable answers. Dodge, duck, weave. Turn the ball around and get back on offense.

Almost an afterthought here but... since when does any Democrat care that much about a president telling the truth? Have they forgotten how they dismissed Clinton's continual lying?

Kerry's holding both sides of several key positions. Doesn't that constitute (what do you call "lying" nowadays?) misspeaking? or untruth? or deception? He's had to retract several of the stories of his own service as they were embellished beyond recognition. Remember his claims that he was in Cambodia on Christmas day? Ooops. He misspoke... several times in print and only when others on his own boat and his own diary contradicted his story did he have to retract it.

All that to say... who cares what happened 30 years ago? It appears that both men served and were discharged honorably. I hold positions today that I didn't hold when I was 18 and I am sure that both these men are the same. I did and said things that would embarass me if they became public but I don't do them anymore. I grew up. Let's look at the last 5-10 years as they have got to be much more relevant than the speeches of a young John Kerry or the attendance record of a young George Bush. I would suggest that those words and deeds of 30 years ago are not without value, only much less value than the behaviors of the last decade.