John Glenn vs Howard Metzenbaum

I'm sure many of you have seen this email but, if you haven't I'll let you in on it since I seem to get all sorts of interesting stuff from my friends (if you have my email address and you aren't sending me interesting stuff, this is a hint :-)

While the heart of the email is true, parts of it are just plain wrong. Let me show you the good stuff and then let you know what got embellished and/or changed. The point here is that many times those on the far left are so outrageous in their statements that there is no need for us to embellish the truth.

From the email:

Some people still don't understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation of why men and women in the armed services do what they do for a living.

This IS a typical, though sad, example of what some who have never served think of the military.

Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn):"How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real job?"

Senator Glenn (D-Ohio):"I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program.

It wasn't my checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank.

I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day... to a veteran's hospital and look those men - with their mangled bodies - in the eye, and tell them they didn't hold a job! You go with me to the Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee... and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their DADS didn't hold a job.

You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch those waving flags.

You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell me that those people didn't have a job? I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum; you should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some men - some men - who held real jobs. And they required a dedication to a purpose - and a love of country and a dedication to duty - that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what made this country possible.

I have held a job, Howard! What about you?"

For those who don't remember - During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing the Communist Party in the USA.
Now he's a Senator!
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English thank a Veteran.

Supposedly this took place as an exchange between Senators Metzenbaum and Glenn (both Democrats btw) on the Senate floor January 26, 2004.

Now the entire truth (according to truthorfiction.com's answer ) is a bit different but for those of us who are concerned about truth, I think it is important.

The email says that Glenn's reply is "a pretty impressive impromptu speech". The truth is that it is impressive even though it was not improptu. Also it did not happen in 2004 and it did not happen on the Senate floor.

From truthorfiction.com:

"It happened during the campaign debate in 1974 when Metzenbaum was running for reelection and Glenn was challenging him. Metzenbaum made a widely publicized statement that said that Glenn had never met a payroll (he didn't actually say that he'd never held a real job). In other words, Glenn had been a military man not a businessman, like Metzenbaum, who had created a major newspaper and a nation-wide parking company."

So, this was a prepared speech from Glenn, a very respectable man that, if I'm understanding this correctly, wasn't yet a Senator.

Also truthorfiction.com mentions that they can find no evidence that Metzenbaum was ever a "lawyer for the communist party". I also checked out wikipedia's article on Metzenbaum, and, even though wikipedia can "tend towards the left" (but that's another post) they will, from what I can tell, include any skeletons in the closet of public figures. btw, Metzenbaum did support Glenn for the presidency in 1983.

Once more, what is the point? The point is this - Senator Howard Metzenbaum implied that being prepared to die for the cause of freedom was not as significant as "making a payroll".

But you say "He said this in 1974 - why do I care in 2007?" One simple reason. We. Are. At. War. But you say "I don't see any invading armies, I don't see this "war on terror", it's just a political ploy." Let me tell you, you have the right to express your opinion - that is one of the great things about the United States of America. Do you know why you have that right?

You have the right to express your idiotic, namby-pamby little opinions because of people who were prepared to die for the cause of freedom, that's why.

Don't dare ever forget that.

Don't dare let your children forget.