Why are Republican leaders almost all "CHICKENHAWKS" ?

Although the leading Republican chickenhawks above are no longer in office, they have been replaced by new ones, like Mitt Romney, with his five model chickenhawk sons, Rik Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Senate leaders Mitch McConnell & Jon Cornyn, and the Republican leadership of the House :Speaker John A. Boehner. Majority Leader Eric Cantor & Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy.

I'd love to replace the picture above with something more current (got any suggestion?), but until then this picture's just too good to take down!

"I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well-placed... managed to wangle slots in Reserve and National Guard units. . . Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country."         (Colin Powell's autobiography, My American Journey, p. 148)

        Republican conservatives attacked President Clinton for having questioned the Vietnam War.  But while liberals like Bill Clinton were avoiding service for themselves, they didn't want anybody else to risk their lives in what they viewed as a senseless war. Republican "chickenhawks", on the other hand, promoted this war as a great cause, one in which other young men in America should expose themselves to injury and/or death.– So you can call liberal Democrats "chickens", if you like; but it usually takes a conservative to be a "chickenhawk".
        For those who still don't get the difference, think about the difference between Roman Catholic priests who boast about their celibacy, while secretly having women on the side, and other clergymen who marry openly. The sexual ac6vities of Catholic priests are viewed as especially shmeful because of their profession to be "holier than thou" celibates. Conservative Republicans who chose not to serve in the military wouldn't be called "chickenhawks" if they didn't profess to be such great patriots and lovers of the military.

The whole Bush Family's aversion to Military Service :

• George W. Bush – used his family connections (what else is new?!?) to get into the Air National Guard and then "deserted" his post for two years. but still got an "Honorable Discharge".   see AWOL from National Guard Duty.
• None of George W. Bush's three brothers, Jeb, Marvin, or Neil served.
• None of George H. W. Bush's three brothers, Jonathan J., William T. , or Prescott S. Bush served.
• President George H. W. Bush's sister, Dorothy Walker Bush was married and divorced twice, and dated reportedly gay Congressman David Dreier for a year.  Does that count ?
• Neither of President George W. Bush's two adult children (twin daughters) have served.
• One of Governor Jeb Bush's three adult children (oldest son) is in Navy Reserve (stateside).
• Who knows if either of brother Jonathan J. Bush's two adult sons have served?


Can you find any who served? (maybe behind the Bush)

• Dick Cheney     – sought graduate school deferment, (too smart to die).

Republicans who would be President :

        Donald Trump should have been drafted during the Vietnam War, but thanks to FIVE deferments from 1964 through 1969, he avoided service. [ http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/deferments-helped-trump-dodge-vietnam ]

        To be clear, prior to 1973, there was a requirement that all American men sign up for the armed services upon reaching age 18. Those who avoided service in those days were called "draft-dodgers".  Being a "draft-dodger" is not the same as being a "chickenhawk". What makes a person a "chickenhawk", whether before or after "conscription" (draft) was ended, is their support of war - which is what makes them "hawks" -, but only for others, not for oneself - which is why they are known as "chicken". ( So liberals who opposed the war and service in it for everybody, not just themselves, were not "chickenhawks".

Republican chickenhawks in the U.S. Senate :

• Mitch McConnell (KY), the current Republican leader in the U.S. Senate.
• Dan Quayle (IN), the Republican V.P. under G.H.W. Bush.
• Bill Frist (TN), the former Republican leader in the U.S. Senate.
• Trent Lott (MS), the former Republican leader in the U.S. Senate.
• John Ashcroft (MO). Seven deferments, to teach business.
• William Cohen (ME) (who became Sec. of Defense for Clinton).

• Spencer Abraham (MICH)
• Lamar Alexander (TN):
• "Jim" Bunning (KY):
• "Norm" Coleman (MN):
• "Tom" Coburn (OK):
• Jon Cornyn III (TX):
• Larry Craig (ID):
• John Engler (MICH):
• Phil Gramm (TX):

• Judd Gregg (NH):
• Timothy Hutchinson (ARK):
• Jon Kyl (AZ) :
• Don Nickles: (OK)
• Marco Rubio (FL):
• Rick Santorum (PA):
• Alan Simpson (WY):
• Richard Shelby (AL):
• Fred Thompson (TN):

Although Sen. Lindsey Graham claimed to have been a war vet, he was a lawyer in the National Guard who served only in South Carolina.

Republican chickenhawks in the U.S. House :

• former House Speaker Newt Gingrich   – sought graduate school deferment, (too smart to die).
• former House Speaker Denny Hastert.
• former Majority Leader Dick Armey.
• former Majority Leader Tom Delay.
• Speaker John A. Boehner.
• Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
• Kevin McCarthy, Majority Whip.
• former Leader Roy Blunt.
• Jack Kemp. "Knee problem," although he continued to play in NFL for 8 years.
• David McIntosh (COFOUNDER OF FEDERALIST SOCIETY).
• Darrell Issa– did serve, Army Captain (1976-1980).
          [I found the above myself. I invite all you Republicans out there to uncover any other GOP leaders who weren't chickenhawks; or Democrats who were. ]
Other Republican Congressmen who were "chickenhawks":

• Bob Ney
• David Dreier
• Asa Hutchinson
• Christopher Cox
• "Joe" Barton
• John Mica
• Bob Barr
• "Charlie" Bass
• Roscoe Bartlett

• Walter Jones
• John M. McHugh
• Tom Tancredo
• Dana Rohrabacher
• Joe Scarborough
• JC Watts
• Vin Weber
• Mark Souder

• U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (GA). "Bad knee" He unseated tripelegic Democratic war hero Max Cleland by questioning his patriotism!
• Banker Pat Toomey, who did not serve became was chosen by the G.O.P. to prevent former Adminal Stupak from becoming U.S. Senator (PA).

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        For more information on many of the people listed on this page, check out http://www.nhgazette.com/display/?id=99 .

Republican chickenhawks in the Executive & Judicial branches :

• Haley Barbour, now Gov. of Miss., possible presidential candidate in 2012, former head of the Republican National Committee
• Mitt Romney, former Gov. of Mass. and since presidential candidate
• Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gov. of Calif.: AWOL from Austrian army base.
• Marc F. Racicot, former Gov. of Montana and attorney general, Bush reelection chairman and former head of the Republican National Committee
• George Felix Allen =Former Virginia governor, former U.S. Senator and candidate in 2012
• Bill Weld (Gov. of MA)
• Mel Thomson (Gov. of NH)
• Don Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as flight instructor.
• Kenneth Starr : sought deferment (for psoriasis).
• Bill Bennett : sought graduate school deferment, (too smart to die).
• Ted Olson, (Starr's assistant, and since Solictor General)
• Lee Atwater, former chairman of the Republican National Committee
• Michael Steele, GOP party chairman
• John Edgar Hoover, Mr. FBI

• Karl Rove.
• Paul Wolfowitz.
• Richard Perle.
• Douglas Feith.
• Eliot Abrams.
• Ari Fleischer.
• Andrew Card.
• Ken Adelman.
• Wayne LaPierre.
• Don Evans.
• Michael Ledeen.
• Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

• Frank J. Gaffney, Jr..
• John Bolton.
• Rudy Giuliani.
• George Pataki.
• Frank I. Luntz.
• Grover Norquist.
• David Alan Stockman.
• Roger Stone.
• Emmett Tyrrell, Jr..
• Gary Bauer.

U. S. Supreme Court (male members) :

The LIBERAL John Paul Stevens is the only recent justice who DID serve full time, (in the Navy during the 3 worst years of WW II), while the moderate Anthony Kennedy was a member of the California Army National Guard for a year (1961).

Republican chickenhawk Mouthpieces :

• Rush Limbaugh   – sought deferment (because of a cyst on his tail end).
• Ben Stein, actor, comedian, commentator, activist, etc.
• (Rush's conservative brother) David Limbaugh.
• George Will     – sought graduate school deferment, (too smart to die).
• Pat Buchanan     – sought deferment (for bad knee).
• Pat Robertson   – his US Senator father got him out of Korea as soon as the shooting began.
• James Taranto = Propagandist at the Wall Street Journal

• Sean Hannity (FOX).
• Bill O'Reilly: (FOX).
• Glenn Beck (FOX).
• Steve Doocy (FOX).
• Brian Kilmeade (FOX).
• Chris Wallace (FOX).
• Brit Hume (FOX).
• Roger Ailes (FOX).
• Carl Cameron (FOX).
• Matt Drudge.
• Ron Kessler = propagandist
• Marvin Olasky = propagandist
• Joe McQuaid = propagandist
• Steve Forbes
• Michael "Savage" Weiner

• Paul Gigot
• Bill Kristol
• Ralph Reed
• Michael Medved
• Charlie Daniels
• Jerry Falwell
• Alan Keyes
• Ted Nugent
• Chris Matthews
• Neil Boortz
• "P J" O'Rourke
• Paul Harvey
• Tony Snow
• Donn Tibbetts
      = Union Leader reporter
• Dinesh D'Souza

Other leading conservative Funders, Lobbyists, & Activists :

• Mel Gibson's uber-conservative-Catholic father moved his family to Australia to save his sons from having to serve their country during the Vietnam War. Mel has since moved back to the U.S.A., now that it is safe for chickenhawks.
• Clint Eastwood was drafted during the Korean war, but his service was limited to teaching swimming at Fort Ord in California until he moved on to PLAYING a tough guy for the rest if his life in Hollywood.
• Charles Koch, big funder of right wing lobbyist groups.
• David Koch big funder of right wing lobbyist groups
• Richard B. Berman, right wing lobbyist. See http://www.bermanexposed.org
• Bill Loeb III, publisher of extremely conservative newspaper
• John M. Olin, weapons salesman & big funder of right wing lobbyist groups
• Floyd "Mel" Sembler = Money bags
• Don Feder , Conservative Law Professor & propagandist
• Bryan Fischer = Director, American Family Association
• Frederick Walter Kagan
• Robert Kagan = two brother military propagandists

For a great video dealing with

Here's a testimonial I received relating to this page:
        "I'm a former marine officer and retired cop, and I greatly appreciate your web site. I've long been appalled at the power and influence the numerous republican/conservative "chickenhawks" have had on our politics.
        Keep up the good work!"

DEMOCRATIC LEADERS who "walked the walk" :

• Sen. & Presidential Candidate McGovern, one of the elite few Air Force bomber pilots to fly the maximum 35 successful bombing missions in WW II. Stephen Ambrose, who wrote a book about him, called him "one of the greatest patriots I know."
• Jack Valenti ( President L.B. Johnson's special personal assistant) flew 51 combat missions as the pilot-commander of a B-25 attack bomber and received four decorations.
• The famous liberal Democrat Norman Lear (of Archie Bunker fame) also flew 52 bombing missions, during that war, 37 of them over Nazi Germany.
• Former Vice President Al Gore – enlisted August 1969; sent to Vietnam January 1971 as an army journalist, assigned to the 20th Engineer Brigade headquartered at Bien Hoa, an air base twenty miles northeast of Saigon.
• Sen. John Kerry, Lt., U.S. Navy 1966-70; Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V, and three awards of the Purple Heart for his service in combat.
• Gov. & President Jimmy Carter: Lt. Commander in the Navy 1946-53.
• Gov. & presidential candidate, Michael Dukakis: Army 1955-57.
• Sen. John Glenn: WWII and Korea; six DFCs; Air Medal w/18 Clusters.
• During World War II, Sen, & VP Hubert Humphrey tried twice to join the armed forces, but was rejected both times due to a hernia.
• Gov. & U.S. Sen. Chuck Robb: U.S. Marine Corps, 1961-70, Vietnam.
• Sen. Daniel Inouye, US Army 1943-'47; Medal of Honor, World War Two.
• Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) – U.S. Army, 1951-1953.
• Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) – U.S. Marine served in combat in Vietnam 1968-69, and was awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star with combat V, and Purple Heart.
• Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) – Lt., U.S. Navy, 1962-67; Naval Reserve, 1968-74.
• Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) – U.S. Army Ranger, 1971-1979; Captain, Army Reserve 1979-91.
• Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-SC) – served as a U.S. Army officer in World War II, receiving the Bronze Star and seven campaign ribbons.
• Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, 1st Lt., U.S. Air Force SAC 1969-72.
• Sen. Bob Kerrey, Lt. j.g., U.S. Navy 1966-69; Medal of Honor, Vietnam
• Sen. Max Cleland, Captain, U.S. Army 1965-68; Silver Star & Bronze Star, Vietnam.
• Sen. Howell Heflin: .USMC WWII, Silver Star, Purple Heart (x2)
• Rep. Richard Gephardt, former House Minority Leader – Missouri Air National Guard, 1965-71..
• Rep. David Bonior – Staff Sgt., United States Air Force 1968-72.
• Rep. Charles Rangel, Staff Sgt., U.S. Army 1948-52; Rangel served with distinction at the front in Korea. "where he received both a Purple Heart for being injured and a Bronze Star for bravery. The wounded Rangel led 40 of his comrades for three days behind enemy lines rather than surrender." [http://www.answers.com/topic/charles-b-rangel]
• Rep. Jack Murtha (D-PA) – distinguished 37-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, retired from the Marine Corps Reserve as a colonel in 1990.
• Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA) – Lt. Col., U.S. Army 1956-76; two tours in Vietnam, two Distinguished Flying Crosses as a helicopter pilot, two Bronze Stars, and the Soldier's Medal.
• Former Representative "Pete" Peterson, Air Force Captain, POW, Ambassador to Viet Nam, and recipient of the Purple Heart, the Silver Star and the Legion of Merit.
• Rep. Mike Thompson, D-CA: Staff sergeant/platoon leader with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, U.S. Army; was wounded and received a Purple Heart.
• Rep. Pete Stark, D-CA, served in the Air Force 1955-57.
• Rep. Tom Lantos: Served in Hungarian underground in WWII.
• Rep. Jim McDermott: Navy.
• Rep. Joe Stupak, served Navy 1974-2005,vice-Admiral
• Gray Davis, California Governor, Army Captain in Vietnam; received Bronze Star.
• Bill McBride, Democratic Candidate for Florida Governor – volunteered and served as a U.S. Marine in Vietnam; awarded Bronze Star with a combat "V."
• Gen. Wesley Clark, Democratic Presidential Candidate – lengthy military career.

One of the most consistent supporters among prominent Democrats of G.W. Bush & John McCain, when it comes to his war in Iraq, is Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. Joe never served in the military, which may be why he has been one of the most enthusiastic chickenhawks, although supposedly a "Democrat" (tongue in cheek).

To be fair, the Republican Party has its war heroes as well.  Among prominent Republicans there's Sen. John McCain of course, Sen. Chuck Hagel (who supports Obama for President), former Sen. Bob Dole and former President George H.W. Bush, who are combat vets with distinguished military service records.

• http://www.comlinks.com/polintel/pi041015.htm
• http://www.whoserved.com/viewprofile.asp?id=289
• http://commentsfromleftfield.com/index.php?s=deferments

Contrary to his many public lies about Vietnam and his claim to have "a secret peace plan" to get us out of it much earlier, we now have a tape of Republican President Richard Nixon saying to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on the Watergate tapes :
        "The only place you and I disagree . . . is with regard to the bombing.  You're so goddamned concerned about the civilians, and (but) I don't give a damn.  I don't care." . . .  "I'd rather use the nuclear bomb. . .   Does that bother you?  I just want you to think big."

Bush's idea of "Supporting the Troops" :

A. Bush Administration cuts $1.5 billion from military family housing. The Bush Administration cut $1.5 billion for military family housing, despite Department of Defense statistics showing that in 83,000 barracks and 128,860 family housing units across the country are below standard. ("Nothing But Lip Service," Army Times, June 30, 2003; "House Appropriations Committee Approves $59.2 Million for Ft. Hood," U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards Press Release, June 17, 2003)

B. Bush Republicans support millionaires instead of military veterans. Bush allies in Congress stopped efforts to scale back the tax cut for the nation's millionaires by just five percent – a loss of just $4,780 for the year – in order to restore this funding for military family housing. ("The Tax Debate Nobody Hears About," Washington Post, June 17, 2003)

C. Bush Administration underfunded veterans' health care by $2 billion. The Bush Administration's 2004 budget underfunded veterans' health care by nearly $2 billion. ("Vets Health Low on Bush's Priority List," The Hill, September 17, 2003; "Support for Troops Questioned," Washington Post, June 17, 2003; U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs, September 2002)

D. Bush Administration proposal would end health care benefits for 173,000 veterans. More than 173,000 veterans across the country would be cut off from health care because of Bush Administration proposed budget cuts and its plan requiring enrollment fees and higher out-of-pocket costs. ("Support for Troops Questioned," Washington Post, June 17, 2003)

E. Bush Administration budget cuts force more than 200,000 veterans to wait for health care. Over 200,000 United States veterans have to wait more than six months for a medical visit because of health care shortages. ("VA Health Care Funding Alert," Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Press Release, January 31, 2003)

F. Bush Administration opposed plan to give National Guard and Reserve Members access to health insurance. Despite the war efforts of America's National Guard and Reserve Members, the Bush Administration announced in October 2003 its formal opposition to give the 1.2 million Guard and Reserve members the right to buy health care coverage through the Pentagon's health plan. One out of every five Guard members lacks health insurance. ("Bush Opposes Health Plan for National Guard," Gannett News Service, October 23, 2003)

G. Bush Administration cuts $172 million allotted for educating the children of military personnel. The Bush Administration's 2004 budget cut $172 million of impact aid funding. Impact aid funding assists school districts by making up for lost local tax revenue from tax-exempt property, such as military bases. These education cuts will especially affect school-age children of troops serving in Iraq who reside on military bases. ("Support for Troops Questioned," Washington Post, June 17, 2003)

H. Bush Administration tax cut denies military families increase in child tax credit. The families of 262,000 children of military personnel do not receive the child tax credit increase because the plan fails to cover taxpaying families with incomes between $10,500 and $26,625. According to The Washington Post, the House version of the Bush Administration plan "wouldn't help many of those serving in Iraq." One soldier who will not benefit is Army Specialist Shoshana Johnson, the soldier and single mother who was wounded twice in the same convoy as Jessica Lynch. ("Ex-POW's Family Accuses Army of Double Standard on Benefit," Washington Post, October 24, 2003; "The New Senate Child Credit Legislation – What It Does and Does Not Do," Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, June 25, 2003; "Whose Child Is Left Behind," Children's Defense Fund, July 23, 2003)

How do Veteran Groups evaluate Republican vs. Democratic Legislators?

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is the nation's first and largest group dedicated to the Troops and Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the civilian supporters of those Troops and Veterans. They have members in all 50 states and no one has done more than them to advocate for the men and women serving our country in the front lines of our current war.
        Disabled American Veterans has a very similar site. They appear to have used fewer votes to do their evaluations, and the results, though not identical, are similar. While the IAVA use letter grades from A down to F, the DAV use scores ranging from a high of 100% to a low of 20%.
        The charts below were designed by me, Ray Dubuque, from information provided by their web sites to make it easier to see the contrast between Republican and Democratic politicians. I urge you to go to the original sites, http://IAVAaction.org and Disabled American Veterans legislative research, so as to see and appreciate the tremendous amount of work that went into documenting the legislative records of every last member of the current Congress (as of 2006). I challenge anyone who disagrees with their findings to point to anything comparable to back up his or her conflicting opinions.