Who really cares?

Back in 1986, John Kerry recalled on the floor of the US Senate that he had spent Christmas under fire in Cambodia in 1968. An intense muckraking campaign, which the Republicans have barely distanced themselves from, has revealed that Kerry's recollection is incorrect, despite Kerry's claim that the memory was "seared" into his consciousness. Kerry has had to retract his claim, and if you're a Republican you want to string him up for it at the same time as you vindicate Bush for being evasive on his own service record.

But the fact of the matter is that no one really cares. Can you remember where you were on Christmas Eve 18 years ago? Combat memories are tricky enough as it is. Even the muckrakers admit that Kerry was probably only a few miles away from Cambodia, and that he was in Cambodia on another occassion.

Reagan lied about the Contras. Clinton lied about a lot of stuff but mostly women. Americans have shown time and again that they will vote for liars and scoundrels. Two guys whose memories are a little foggy about their service records are the least of our problems.