Anyone know if Ken Mehlman ever served in the Military?

[Up2Late]

I've been looking been looking, but can't find any mention of that, but I sure have found a lot of statements like he made Friday: <http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2100230>

"We do not and we never should question these Democrat leaders' patriotism, but we do question their judgment and we do question their ability to keep the American people safe," he said. "These are people we know love their country, the question is: Can they protect it?"

[ruggerson]

1. don't ask, don't tell

[thefloyd]

2. Haha

Thanks for the chuckle

[rzemanfl]

3. Beat me to it. n/t

[hholli11]

4. I only know this because he is from Baltimore...

no he did not. (unless it was Reserves, but he was never deployed anywhere. Ever.) He is from the Baltimore suburb of Pikesville. (I am ashamed of that, even though I am not from there).

Oh, the shame!!!

Oh, the shame!!!!!!!!!

[babylonsister]

7. Welcome to DU, hholli11! nt

[Up2Late]

8. I know the feeling, one of my former Governors, who seemed O.K....

...at the time, and I did vote for, turned into one of the worst Democratic Senators EVER, Zell Miller.

As you might have guessed, Zell is not very popular around here. :blush:

I'm sure everyone has some sort of shame here.

Welcome to DU! :toast:

[JerseygirlCT]

13. Went to the same college as I, too

Fortunately for me, several years after I left.

But I share your shame! I feel tainted, somehow, every time I realize that we share an alma mater.

[Botany]

5. Yes

He has served under the Command of Jeff Gannon.

[biscotti]

9. Good one

[babylonsister]

6. Per his GOP bio, no mention of any service:

RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman

Ken Mehlman has served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee since January 2005. When elected, he presented four goals for his term as Chairman: Enact and articulate our reform agenda; Deepen and broaden the GOP so we’re growing our party; Work to elect the best candidates in 2005, 2006 and 2008; and, Institutionalize the grassroots focus.

Before his election as Chairman, Mehlman served as campaign manager for Bush-Cheney ’04, where Michael Barone called him “the structural engineer who turned the plans into reality.” Mehlman served from 2001 to 2003 as White House Political Director. Charlie Cook said that under Mehlman’s watch, “the White House political office has reached the greatest prominence in this administration that it's ever had.”

Mehlman was National Field Director for Bush-Cheney 2000, where he worked with the campaign leadership in all fifty states and the Republican National Committee to execute winning political plans and mobilize strong grassroots.

Before joining President Bush, Mehlman was Congresswoman Kay Granger’s (TX-12) Chief of Staff and Congressman Lamar Smith’s (TX-21) Legislative Director. He practiced environmental law in Washington and assisted campaigns in Massachusetts, Ohio, Virginia, Texas, and Georgia, as well as the 1992 and 1996 Presidential campaigns.

Mehlman is a graduate of Harvard Law School and received his undergraduate degree from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland.

[Up2Late]

12. Thanks, that looks very conclusive to me. But maybe you can tell me...

...What in the world's does "...Institutionalize the grassroots focus...." mean? or the rest of his "goals" for that matter. These are some of the most vague "goals" I've ever seen!

Maybe that's how he got the job?

"...he presented four goals for his term as Chairman:

1) Enact and articulate our reform agenda??? :shrug:

2) Deepen and broaden the GOP so we’re growing our party???

3) Work to elect the best candidates in 2005, 2006 and 2008??? (But those are Democrats!)

4) Institutionalize the grassroots focus...?"

[babylonsister]

16. IMO he's just a Rove mouthpiece and not much more. As for

'institutionalizing grassroots focus', that couldn't mean the star site of their party, freeprepukelic, could it? If so, he's doin' a heckuva job! :)

[Up2Late]

20. But aren't "institutionalizing" and "grassroots" nearly polar opposites?

It just doesn't make any sense. :shrug:

That's why I think they just must think, "I don't know what that means, but it sounds smart."

[BrotherBuzz]

23. 'Institutionalize the grassroots' sounds like more astroturf

The Republican party tries to call it "grassroots" but we call it Astroturf, or fake grassroots.

[TreasonousBastard]

10. Only as a "camp follower."

[Hardrada]

11. What would be your best guess?

[Up2Late]

19. I would guess NO, but I don't like guessing...

...if I'm going to accuse a wiesel like Mehlman of something like this, even if he never sees it.

[dogman]

14. He might have served under Jeff Gannon.

Or maybe the CIC.

[Justice Is Comin]

15. Yuk.

R.O.F.L He served all right. But it wasn't in the military.

[tuckessee]

17. Who cares?

If the Left can attack people's views on military/war/security affairs just because they haven't been in the military then the Right can do the same when it suits them.

[FrenchieCat]

18. And if they end up talking fake shit about those who did serve....

then they should be attacked.

Melhman talks too much. He's fair game!

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

21. If you were really interested in an answer...

... to your "question", you would have found it already.

[Up2Late]

22. And?