AP sinks lower and lower

[DeeDeeNY]

What is the point of an article stating how many draft deferments Biden received during the Vietnam War? Why is this relevant, other than to once again mention McLame was a POW?

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CVN_BIDEN_VIETNAM?SITE=SCGRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

:wtf:

[Overseas]

1. Maybe the AP wants to compare Biden with Dick Cheney? Cheney has 5. /nt

[TomClash]

2. It gives Ron Fournier and his minions

an opportunity to help McCain by hurling on a page.

[begin_within]

3. At least they mention that Biden received the same number of deferments as Cheney

[DeeDeeNY]

5. Yes, but Cheney was the warmonger, not Biden

Nothing wrong with getting Vietnam deferments, unless you go on to recklessly start wars and sacrifice other people's lives for no good reason.
They actually had to go so far to mention that even though his final deferment after college was due to chilhood asthma, his biography doesn't mention asthma in his childhood, as though something is fishy with his story.
Or maybe I'm getting paranoid.

[NC_Nurse]

4. As long as they mention Bush/Cheney and all the Repubs deferrments too, I

don't have a problem with it. We talked it up when they ran - didn't do a bit of good.
I think people have heard the deferrment thing enough to realize that MOST of the politicians
from that era got out of serving. John McCain ENLISTED he was not drafted - big difference.

[Scribe]

6. Are you serious?

After the discussion about the military record of every candidate for President in the past two decades, you think a story about Biden's draft history isn't news? What is wrong with you? Of course Biden's record of draft deferments is relevant simply because Dick Cheney's record was considered highly relevant.

People who lived through the era of the draft during Vietnam are always interested in how a candidate for high office got through the selective service process decades ago. It is news because I am interested in it, because it has been relevant in other campaigns, and because you decided to post something about it.

[DeeDeeNY]

7. I don't remember the media ever dwelling on Cheney's deferments

How is it relevant to go back 40+ years to check his draft history? I agree there would be relevance to his military status IF Biden was the one who was gung-ho for the Iraq invasion going on for 100 more years the way McLame is, or IF he was the one to help instigate the war on phony grounds to begin with, the way Cheney did. Otherwise, why is it relevant to state not only how many student deferments he got but that his final deferment was due to childhood asthma and then go on to mention how his biography didn't mention asthma?

[Scribe]

8. Your ignorance doesn't justify your opinion. You "don't remember"

because you haven't read enough history, I would guess. Even the story to which you object mentions the concern over Cheney's draft dodging. It was an issue just as was George Bush's Air National Guard record.

Over at Free Republic, they are now SCREAMING that Bristol Palin's pregnancy isn't news. Of course it is. Just as Biden's entire history is relevant and is newsworthy. What, forty years is ancient history to you? Maybe you just need to witness a bit more history before deciding what is valid journalism. Maybe you should also try to see beyond your own biases.

[bkinsd]

9. It is relevant

What is also relevant is that Biden didn't do anything underhanded or have someone in high office get him a deferment. I had the same 1-Y classification back in 1969 when I was of draft age for the same condition.

[DeeDeeNY]

10. Sorry, but I am very aware

I lived through the Vietnam era. I was a senior in college at the time and watched friends get drafted.
Yes, the article mentions Cheney's deferments. But when Cheney was running in 2000 and 2004, it was mentioned rarely in the mainstream media, although figured prominently on the internet. Bush's being AWOL should have been mentioned because that was out and out illegal, but somehow the media decided to gang up instead on Dan Rather.
There is a big distinction here. Cheney's deferments were relevant, as was Bush's Air National Guard record, because they show them to be hypocritical warmongers who in later years decided to start a war based on lies.
But as far as Biden, I see no relevance to how many student deferments he got, any more than whether his father served in World War II. I would like to focus instead on important issues facing us today, without worrying what Free Republic is posting.

[Scribe]

11. Fine. Focus on what you want. BUT, don't decide that I can't focus on other things.

Your contention that the Associated Press was wrong to run the story is unacceptable because it seeks to limit what I can see. Don't you see that? The story is relevant and there is simply no disgrace or dishonor due the A-P for running it. I'm glad he got student deferments. So did I. Everything about Biden's history is fair journalistic subject matter.

You seem to be seeking to limit what I can read. Your expressed opinion smacks of censorship. Don't you see that? Can you not see that you seek to limit what journalists can fairly write about?

[DeeDeeNY]

12. Fair enough

If what I wrote seemed like I was endorsing censorship, that wasn't my intention. I just find it disappointing how the mainstream media decides which topics are more relevant than others, and more often than not, the focus is on the Democrats rather the Republicans.