Hackett: Once a Marine, Sometimes a Marine

When is a win not a win? When Republicans win, that’s when. Al Gore claimed victory in 2000 when he got a majority of the popular vote. Dopey Al forgot about that little understood part of the Constitution referring to the Electoral College. So Al really won, right? Then in 2004 Bush beat the remarkably poor liar John Kerry by three million votes. In Ohio Bush beat the Lying One by over a 100,000 votes. But that was close enough for Democrats to claim victory even though they lost the popular vote this time by more than 3 million. So they lose the popular vote, lose the electoral vote, but for 70,000 Ohio voters the Decepticon would be president is how Democrats spun that loss into a Democrat victory.

Now some Ohio Democrat gets beat by 4% in a special election with a 20 something percent turn out in the safely Republican 2d district and Democrats are taking a victory lap. I’m interested in this race because I’m a Buckeye and because the Democrat candidate was Marine reservist. Democrat Paul Hackett lost the special election on Tuesday to fill a U.S. House seat representing Southwestern Ohio. But Hackett took the occasion of his candidacy to bash the president of the United States. Hackett referred to the president as an “SOB”, “chicken hawk” and “the biggest threat to America.”

The tough talking Marine reserve Public Affairs Officer must have forgotten about article 88 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice which states:

"Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct."

The tough talking PAO, microphone in one hand, press release in the other, no doubt will hide behind the fact that he wasn’t on active duty when he uttered his contemptuous remarks – sort of like a baby brother that taunts his older siblings then runs like a panicked squirrel to the kitchen to hide behind his mom’s apron when one of them takes the first step toward him.

The Marines have a couple sayings that Hackett just doesn’t measure up to, “Once a Marine, always a Marine” and “Always Faithful.” Hackett is a Marine when it suits his political ambitions but lacks the character to remain faithful to his Marine code if that code gets in the way of a couple of votes or a couple of bucks for his campaign. Hackett is a, “Pull up the ladder I’m aboard,” and a “Cut in front of the troops in the chow line” type of Marine -- me first. I didn’t meet many of those types in 20 years Hackett seems to have all of the traits. The country is better off with him at home in Ohio.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Lex draws a retirement check from the government. As such he is subject to the UCMJ as well. This makes Lex somewhat of a hypocrite in that he regularly lampoons elected officials. I do it because it’s sooo easy. I give myself a pass on this for couple of reasons.

One reason is degree. A child that steals a candy bar and a felon that breaks into a house, beats the occupants and steals the stereo are both breaking the law. It’s a question of degree. Lex is like an otherwise lawful citizen who speeds 10 MPH over the limit to get to work. Hackett is like methed up dope (I can say that because he lost) who runs a cement mixer at 90 MPH across a school playground at recess.

Also, I have no illusions about the reach of this tiny blog. The ten or so people that stumble across it equates to kitchen conversation rather than a political campaign. Last, the things Lex says here are in no way designed to promote himself or provide financial gain. Maybe I’ll stop using the throwaway modifiers like, Teddy, the (fill in your own reference about driving, drinking, swimming). I don’t wish to be hauled before a Courts Martial and asked, “Were you contemptuous toward Sen Kennedy?” To which my only honest reply would have to be, “I hope so.”