McAuliffe to College Dems: Bush Will Reinstitute Draft

[The_Federalist]

http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewPolitics...20041008b.html

McAuliffe to College Dems: Bush Will Reinstitute Draft
By Robert B. Bluey
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
October 08, 2004

St. Louis (CNSNews.com) - Republicans had no sooner shot down rumors of a military draft when Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe warned a group of College Democrats on Friday that President Bush would call them up for duty if re-elected.

"I know it's controversial to say it, but don't think for one second that if George Bush gets re-elected and we have another conflict in some other theater of the world, we're going to have to reinstitute the draft," McAuliffe said. "It is very controversial to say it, but it is what it is."

McAuliffe spoke to about a hundred of Washington University's College Democrats at a coffeehouse near the campus Friday afternoon. Afterward, he told CNSNews.com he stood by his comments to the students.

"It's clearly a possibility," McAuliffe said. "What if we have another conflict where we have to commit troops? We don't have them today."

He added, "I'm not trying to do this to scare young people, but they've got to understand this is a possibility in this country."

Rumors have circulated on the Internet about the possible return of a draft. E-mails have targeted college students in particular.

A spokesman for the Bush-Cheney campaign immediately dismissed McAuliffe's comments as a tactic to scare young voters.

"It's completely baseless," said Taylor Griffin, deputy communications director for the Bush campaign. "This administration believes in a volunteer military. The only people who've proposed a draft are Democrats in Congress."

In fact, the House of Representatives this week voted down a Democrat-sponsored bill that would have reinstated the draft. Republicans brought up the measure, sponsored by Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), only to shoot it down in a 402-2 vote.

Following McAuliffe's speech, even some of the Democrats in attendance said they thought the party chairman was bluffing when he made his pitch.

"I had a little problem with that," said Steve Chemtob, a junior in earth and planetary science. "There's a little bit of contradiction there. [McAuliffe] talked about how Bush was going to reinstitute the draft, but also how [Kerry] was complaining there weren't enough troops in Iraq."

"I don't think [Bush] would institute the draft," added Spencer Wein, a sophomore business major. "But I think there's less of a chance Kerry would institute it."

Others at McAuliffe's speech weren't so sure it was completely outside the realm of possibility.

"It's something that could legitimately take place, and I think the Democrats have considered the idea, and I think the Republican have, too," said Matt Klasen, a junior political science and environmental studies major. "I think it's being turned against the Republicans simply because they're in power."

Junior Nicole Soussan, president of the Washington University College Democrats, defended McAuliffe after the speech. She agreed that a draft under Bush might be very likely.

"If [Bush] continues on this pattern of unjustified preemptive warfare, then by all means, there really is no physical way that we have enough troops to continue on the present path," Soussan said. "I think it's scary."

*Strange isn't it, the Chairman of the DNC claims Bush and the Republicans will reinstate the draft when it was two Democrats who brought the bill up in congress.

Strange demogoguery that is being shoveled these days....

[JohnRN]

Well, if Mr. Kerry wins this election and he has to fight a major war in another theater - you think he is going to be able to do that without a draft? (assuming ofcourse that the conditions remain the same - which they will, no matter who wins this election).

As more and more days pass, I am more and more convinced, that it matters little who wins this election. The course is largely going to remain the same. What will change is probably a better way of dealing with the international community - and win back allies.

Atleast, that's what I think. While a lot of you may diagree with me and say "Well who needs those twits! **** 'em!" I think it certianly helps, as commanders on the ground in Iraq might tell you. Loss of allies and their troops will hurt - and no amount of bluster will resolve that.