I was just reading an aritcle in one of the various historical journals that I read on a regular basis. The article was about the Presidential election of 1824.

Back then, according to the way the Constitution worked, the #2 vote getter in the electoral college was the Vice President. The Presidential ticket of Presidential nominee, and running mate, did not exist back then.

I had forgotten about that.

Spring forward to today ... imagine our current President with the haughty "Horseface" Kerry, who got shot in the butt in Viet Nam, as his Vice President for the last 4 years.

Which reminds me of something that I would like to reitierate here, to soldiers, Purple Hearts are not a point of pride.

I have several friends with Purple Hearts. In my heart (not meaning to belabor a metaphor), they hold a special place of respect.

Only one of those is kind of proud of his Purple Heart. The rest consider their Purple Hearts as a kind of consolation prize.

Let me remind you of the George Patton quote: "Now I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

As a soldier, and a noncommissioned officer (sergeant), I am proud of my friend Sergeant First Class (retired) Rolando Zamora. SFC Zamora did two tours in Iraq.

His first tour in Iraq was as a Platoon Sergeant for a Stryker Platoon. This means that he was the senior enlisted person for about 27 infantrymen, and 4 Strykers. He co-led this group with a Second Lieutenant. These guys saw "the shit", pardon my language.

SFC Zamora's point of pride was that he brought his ENTIRE platoon home safe, AND the only people to win a Purple Heart in the platoon were himself, and the Second Lieutenant.

This platoon was hip-deep in the worst part of the war. Their leaders led from the front, and took care of their troops. So much so, that if someone was going to have "Taps" played over their bodies, these leaders decided to make sure it was them, and not the kids they were in charge of.

It was one of the great honors of my military career to take part in the retirement ceremony of SFC Zamora late last year.

He, to his credit, has not thrown his medals over any fences, or testified against his troops, wrongfully, in front of the Senate. Bringing this post full circle back to the Senator from Massachusetts ... that got shot in the butt in Viet Nam.

First interesting question, if you are engaging the enemy with your rifle, and covering the retreat of your men ... how did you get shot in the butt, Senator?

In closing, is it just me, I have heard people (Democrats, and Kerry supporters) say how unfair the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth were, but I have never heard those same people accuse the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth of lying ... or attempt to refute their claims?

So, when former President Clinton mentions that people are trying to "Swift Boat" her current Presidential run, does that mean that Senator Clinton's detractors are trying to harpoon her with the TRUTH?

To quote Arsenio Hall: "Things that make you go .... HHHHhmmmmmm"