Ed Hum – 10/6/06

This page was last updated on October 7, 2006.

Let Bush clean up the mess; Edward J. Hum; Beaver County Times; October 6, 2006.

Mr. Hum led off his letter from September 2005 with, “Fellow Republicans, this is my last letter about George W. Bush.” I responded with, “Anyone taking bets?” This is Mr. Hum’s ninth anti-Bush letter since his September 2005 promise.

Mr. Hum is in full throat for the election. This is his fourth letter since late August.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Fellow Republicans, some think there will be a change in November.

“It might be nice if the Democrats won the U.S. Senate and resurrected Harry Truman and his World War II war contracts investigating committee.”

[RWC] In case Mr. Hum doesn’t know it, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) already audits contracts. That’s on top of the auditing performed by the Department of Defense.

“Can you imagine Truman in Iraq, watching some G.I.’s building a school, or hospital, or whatever other good thing for the Iraqi people?

“With them is a corporation with a cost-plus contract and workers making $150,000 a year.

“From five miles away you would hear Truman explode.”

[RWC] I don’t get the point. Does Mr. Hum assert our military should function as a construction business when private firms can do the job?

“Every Halliburton employee past or present, including Cheney, would be running forever.”

[RWC] Why? Does Mr. Hum have evidence that Halliburton is running a crooked operation and “[e]very Halliburton employee past or present” was involved? FYI, the Clinton administration also contracted with Halliburton, so perhaps the Clinton administration also “would be running forever.”

“Don’t count on it.

“Bush and his pals are good at explaining how good they are and ignoring how incompetent they have been. Look what they did in 2004 to Max Cleland, who got shot at in Vietnam. Bush and Cheney, the Vietnam War avoiders, even denigrated John McCain in the South Carolina primaries.

“Of course, what did McCain ever do for his country, except to spend five years in a Vietnam prison camp?”

[RWC] Never let it be said Mr. Hum lets facts get in the way of a good rant.

First, Max Cleland last ran for reelection to the U.S. Senate (and lost) in 2002, not 2004. This wouldn’t be the first time Mr. Hum got the year wrong, however. In a letter from July 2004, Mr. Hum asserted the alleged misdeeds took place in 2000. For more about the myth of Max Cleland, go here.

Regarding calling President Bush a “Vietnam War avoider,” I find it incredible people believe service in the Air National Guard is not really service. If you’ve read Mr. Hum’s letters, you’ll recall this is a recurring position for him.

Regarding VP Cheney, he applied for and was granted student and hardship deferments. Mr. Hum ignores the fact Mr. Cheney was at 1-A draft status for at least four years and could have been drafted for Vietnam service during this time. Mr. Cheney applied for deferments only after he started college.

Lest we forget, John Kerry also applied for a deferment. After graduating from Yale, Kerry applied for a deferment to study in Paris. The draft board denied his request. It was only then Kerry enlisted in the Naval Reserves.

And let’s not forget Bill Clinton. Mr. Clinton evaded (an illegal act) the Vietnam draft by deceiving an Army colonel into admitting him to the ROTC program. Mr. Clinton then ran back to school in England and actively protested the U.S. government. To make it even better – and after he was 100% sure you can’t be drafted, Mr. Clinton wrote a letter to the aforementioned colonel describing how Mr. Clinton duped him.¹

Regarding the McCain claim, some fringe wackos in South Carolina – not Bush – spread some unfortunate rumors. Regarding any Cheney involvement, Mr. Hum needs to check his facts. Mr. Cheney wasn’t a member of Bush’s election team (headed VP candidate search committee) until well after the South Carolina primary (mid February). George Bush didn’t name Dick Cheney as his running mate until late July.

“If the Bush people stay in, so be it. They got us into this mess. Let them worry about it.”

[RWC] What an irresponsible position! If Mr. Hum truly believes “Bush people” “got us into this mess,” and not the terrorists attacking us for decades, how can he take the position, “Let them worry about it?” I believe this makes it clear Mr. Hum puts politics above the nation’s welfare.

A final question. Mr. Hum realizes President Bush isn’t up for reelection, doesn’t he?

1. Clinton Letter to Colonel Holmes; Bill Clinton; December 3, 1969.