Apparently, the locals didn’t know anything about the national’s plan to endorse Roskam.
The endorsement also caught Duckworth by surprise. Flanked by more than 20 veterans at a hastily called press conference, Duckworth said she was never contacted by the organization or asked to fill out a questionnaire, which typically happens when organizations decide who they want to endorse.
“I think it’s unfortunate they did this,” said Duckworth, a former Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot who lost both legs when her aircraft was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Members of VFW posts within the district said at Duckworth’s news conference that their posts were never contacted by anyone about endorsing either candidate.
“He didn’t ask our post,” said Bill Bahr, a Vietnam-era veteran and quartermaster at a post in Bloomingdale.
Roskam said the endorsement came at the urging of area VFW members, but he said he did not know who in the group endorsed him or how many local veterans were involved.
Fascinating. The endorsement came from thin air apparently.
Besides the obvious issues of what the hell is the VFW doing not consulting both candidates or asking the locals, the sheer clumsiness is hysterical.
h/t Rich
Though I live in Florida, I am shocked that the VFW (of which I am an active member) can endorse Peter Rosham over Tammy Duckworth.
Mr. Rosham has no military service. Ms. Duckworth lost both legs while serving in Iraq.
What has happened to this honorable outfit. I considered it a continuation of my service. I honor and praise any brother or sister who serves their country.
I am embarrased and ashamed by this endorsement.
I am a life member of the VFW. I am a Vietnam Veteran. A Dustoff pilot to be exact; and retired after 22 years of active duty. I have noted that Tammy Duckworth was Not endorsed by the National VFW, but aparantly the local Chicago area Posts were surprised. I understand after a call made by myself to National; that the PAC of the VFW is different from the VFW itself, but indirectly a part of it. That is what I was told by a young Air Force genteleman that told me that: First; he didn’t give a damn about the 6th district of Illinois and the she didn’t submit the forms for consideratin for endorsement. He also indicated that endorsement was not automatic for a person who served. I asked him which war he served in. He told me that he was stationed in Korea a few years ago which technically enabled him to become a VFW member. His story about her endorsement or actually the lack of that endorsement and his reasoning sounded incredulous and strange to me. After speaking to one of Tammy Duckworth’s campaign persons with the beaurocratic paperwork issue in mind, I was told that National said that they were considering indorsement of her; and that there was no mention of any forms by National, but the impression was that she was being considered for indorsement as if they were going to do it. Also,the person at the VFW PAC at National didn’t indicate to the Duckworth campaign; that any forms existed nor were they mentioned as being required. Aparantly they were MORE FORTHCOMING with her Republican oponent; Roscam’s campaign. The excuse that Tammy Duckworth is a “NOVICE” at campaigning is inexcuseable from national. I am part of the VFW and I endorse Tammy Duckworth. My dad was also a Dustoff pilot also a life member and a recent friend of Tammy Duckworth and from what he told me before he passed away, was that he would support her. I know how dad was, he would have flown up to the Chicago area and spoken on her behalf. As a matter of fact he told me with pride for her and a grin on his face that Tammy was running for congress. Dad was a Medal of Honor recipient. He passed away last April. While in Walter Reed Army Medical Center getting his chemo treatments, Tammy would come by and see him almost daily while their stays coincided and she didn’t indicate to dad that she was intending to run until just weeks before he passed away. Dad was so impressed by her; that he was trying to help her get her flight status back. He thought that she was a wonderful, courageous person that all of us should consider as an example of a true American hero. When Tammy was up at Walter Reed, she could be seen among the troops giving them encouragement and just being one of the troops. She is quite an inspirational person. She would be quite a significant fighter for veterans issues. While Roscam (complete with his political cronies to include state and local Republican politicians who helped to enable the endorsement from national; at the expense of Tammy Duckworth) has in the past voted for some veterans issues, he also voted against many of the issues that need to be enacted or corrected. He did this in his zeal to back the current Republican ethos and the Bush vision of our part in Iraq. Not just because of the veteran. Nowadays, it may take as much as 6 months to get a medical apointment whereas before it would only take as much as 3 weeks. He voted to aprove an amendment that cut funding to a level that can not even cover the current needs of the VAs medical system. This is just another example of cronyism and small minded, partisan, lazi fare dirty politics. I hope to God that Roscam’s “endorsement” causes a backlash. He has never served and doesn’t deserve the endorsement. His record of voting doesn’t indicate it. Tammy Duckworth does. Again, I Mike Novosel Jr. (Dustoff 88) give my endorsement to Tammy Duckworth. Whether she wins or looses, she would be a much better representative for veterans issues than a political hack who could care less about veterans except to get their vote. Shame on the VFW PAC for their unwaivering Republican REMF partisan politics. Remember, right now as you read this, near half of the troops in Iraq are Democrats. They deserve representation too. The Army and Marines are shouldering the lions share of the dead and wounded in this effort in Iraq. They deserve our unwaivering support. That means a VA that gets funded and issues that help them get resolved, not fought about while more are dying.