The Pennsylvania gubernatorial race somehow became all about Vietnam yesterday.
Specifically, what the candidates were doing during the conflict. The Tea-Party affiliated group “Veterans and Patriots United” is claiming that Wolf failed to report for a medical exam.
“It’s marked here by the draft board: ‘FR’ — failed to report. He did not show for his pre-induction physical,” said Veterans and Patriots United’s Sam DeMarco.
The Wolf campaign countered that “FR” actually stands for “forwarded report”. During the war, the Democratic candidate was in the ROTC for a year and then spent three years in India as part of the Peace Corps.
“I went off and volunteered for the Peace Corps. And when I came back, the reserve officer training program was no longer being offered on campus. I was 1-A that year and my number didn’t come up,” Wolf explained.
After this attack against Wolf, FreshStartPA’s Mike Mikus decided to level his own against Governor Corbett and his time in the National Guard.
“I think it’s a bit hypocritical for his campaign to launch this type of attack when he himself took affirmative action to join the National Guard specifically to avoid going to Vietnam,” Mikus charged.
This caused yet another volley as Corbett-Cawley Press Secretary Billy Pittman responded to the response.
“It’s appalling that Tom Wolf and his campaign are disparaging the commitment and sacrifice of Pennsylvania’s national Guard Forces,’ Pittman said.
With Wolf up 17 points in the latest Quinnipiac Poll and the last gubernatorial debate taking place tonight, this attack seems to represent a last-ditch effort to harm the front-runner. October is the time to throw everything against the wall to see what sticks. It is doubtful, though, that this attack will achieve its goal.
While the Vietnam War was a seminal event for Baby Boomers, the war ended four decades ago. As a result, the candidate’s actions during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s are unlikely to make a difference as voter decide in 2014 who can best lead the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
17 Responses
Wolf put himself up for the draft and wasn’t called, and BTW served his country honorably overseas in the cause of peace, while Corbett pulled strings to stay safe at home. What a foul dishonest man this Governor is; what a shame on Pennsylvania to have him represent us even one more day.
I am a veteran of Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. I served in the National Guard for 13 years. I am voting for (and have been working for) Tom Wolf. I applaud Tom Wolf for his work in the Peace Corps. This service was as useful as my service in the Army in 1966-69.
I do not blame Governor Corbett for serving in the National Guard instead of the active Army. As I said, I spent 13 years in the PA Army National Guard after serving in the active Army. Both candidates served their country in different ways.
I am supporting Tom Wolf for governor because of the mess Tom Corbett has made in Pennsylvania in his 4 years as Governor and his time as Attorney General.
Tom Corbett botched the investigation of child abuse at Penn State. He failed to send enough investigators to check out the accusations. He failed to bring charges against Jerry Sandusky soon enough.
The Governor cut money for education. He claims he increased education funding but this is only because he merged the education and the educator pension fund budgets.
The governor sold out to the gas drillers. The governor’s office was bought and paid for by the gas and oil drillers for their boy Tom Corbett. He paid them back by opposing an extraction tax.
The governor botched the sell off of the State Stores to private retailers. He also stumbled in providing property tax relief. Personally I oppose selling the state stores which bring a profit to the state budget. But that would not be the main reason I would or would not vote for a governor.
Finally, I am supporting Tom Wolf because I am a retired state employee. Tom Corbett tried to shaft future state employees on pensions. The reason the pensions are in trouble is not because of greedy employees but because, when the Commonwealth had the money, it failed to fully fund the state employees pension funds. The employees paid their contribution to the pension fund. The state failed to pay its required contribution. Whether future employees receive a defined benefits or a defined contribution pension will not matter if the Commonwealth shirks its responsibility to pay its share of the pension funds.
The lame comments of “Better Call Saul” (a 13-episode and done, for sure) are a mirror image of the desperation of the Corbett campaign. I’m wondering if there’s any way Wolf can start his transition activities now, and be installed in November instead of January. I am so sick of even looking at Corbett…he makes my skin crawl.
For the record, my husband and brother served in Viet Nam and both are voting for Tom Wolf. Viet Nam was another war, like the Iraq war, that we should have never been fighting. I protested against Viet Nam and I would do the same today.
joan, goevenor corbit winned the debait no dout about it, he ansered all the qwestins and he gonna win in a land slide dats for shore,
Tom Wolfe clearly was impressive, Tom Corbett was unnerved, intimidated, and often seemed unsettled. Corbett’s hands appeared to be shaking. His answer on the porn gate questions was weak and lacking. He absolutely has not put money in the pension fund and he drastically cut education. The Center on Budget Priorities said Corbett’s budget is full of gimmicks and magical thinking. Corbett has blown through a ton of money. He had a surplus coming in, he leaves us with a deficit.
His campaigns were funded heavily by the oil and gas industries who have freely ravaged this state.
New low by Corbett. He has done nothing he can brag about in an add. Some of you folk can defend him but his administration has been an unmitigated disaster.
IT A REAL SHAME THAT CORBITT HAS BEEN SO NEGITIVE THIS ENTIRE CAMPAIGN—-
IN OFFICE FOR 4 YEARS WITH A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN THE STATE HOUSE AND SENATE AND NO POSITIVE RECORD TO RUN ON SHOULD SAY VOLUMES TO THE VOTERS– THATS PROBABLY WHY WE SEE A CONSISTANT 17 TO 24 POINT WOLFE LEAD– ADDED TO THAT TAXES AND FEES RAISED ON WORKING MEN AND WOMEN IN THE REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED 4 YEARS
better call saul – Printing Wolf’s response that: “FR stands for Forward Report instead of Failed to Report” is exactly the kind of information we need.
I’d be curious if PoliticsPA can get a quote from Sam DeMarco after he’s been informed what FR actually stands for and if he want to retract/recant his previous accusation of Wolf.
So BCS, your panties are in a bunch because this article, in the next-to-last paragraph, hints at what an empty, desperate, morally bankrupt, and ultimately futile attempt to create an issue this is? I’m upset because the article didn’t go on to say that this indicates Corbett has all but conceded he doesn’t have a snowball’s chance to win this election.
Chris,
Its not the actual story that I’m concerned with, it is a legitimate story for a website such as this to cover.
Its the very obvious bias and editorializing in articles that favor Democrats over their Republican opponents.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO TOM CORBETT’S PROMISES KEPT? THE FAILED GOVERNMENT LIFER HAS NOT RECORD THAT VOTERS WILL SUPPORT! IT’S THAT SIMPLE!!
SO WE HAVE A TEA PARTY GROUP SUPPORTING A FAILED GOVERNMENT LIFER, TOM CORBETT! YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A STEELER OR EAGLE TO SMELL HIGHLY PAID FOR ASTROTURF!!
SO WE HAVE A TEA PARTY GROUP SUPPORTING A FAILED GOVERNMENT LIFER, TOM CORBETT! YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A STEELER OR EAGLE TO SELL HIGHLY PAID FOR ASTROTURF!!
TOM CORBETT’S LATEST INCARNATION! WAR HERO! WOW! http://youtu.be/9b5g1avyCSA
So reporting that Wolf is being Swift Boated and that he has pointedly countered the accusation is tantamount to working for him? Once upon a time that was just called responsible journalism.
Just curious Nick, did you already send your resume to the Wolf Campaign hoping for a job with his administration? Or are you waiting until after the election to send all these stories as part of your portfolio?