Bill Winter comes out swinging

Bill Winter takes a break from fighting Tom Tancredo to stick up for Angie Paccione, saying, "Ms. Musgrave should feel shame for using a Marine in such a self-serving and cynical way." From a dKos post:

For those of you who are unaware, I am a veteran of the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps reserve, and I am running for Congress as a Democrat in Colorado against Tom Tancredo. You can find out more about me at our website: Winter for Congress. My friend, Angie Paccione, is running for Congress in Colorado against Marilyn Musgrave.

I've been following a local story on Marilyn Musgrave using a Marine Corps Sergeant in a dress blue uniform to essentially endorse the Republican Party at a Republican Dinner here in Colorado and I have a few thoughts about this whole thing.

First, I believe it is absolutely inappropriate to use any military uniform to endorse a political party, particularly a Marine Dress Blue uniform. That Marine sergeant should NOT have worn his uniform to that event. Period. The Marine Corps takes great pride in it's professional image and to use the uniform to endorse a political party is completely off the reservation. He should have known that, and he risks bringing the uniform into disrepute because of it. That's one Marine to another and that's regulations. He has every right to go there--as a civilian--and do anything he sees fit. He does not have the right to use the uniform in this way.

Second, Marilyn Musgrave needs to figure out the difference between acting tough and actually being tough when it comes to questions of national security. She has been nothing more than a rubber stamp for the Bush Administration in this regard for the last five years. Our national security has suffered in so many ways from the corruption and cronyism that currently controls Washington, and Ms. Musgrave is hip deep in it. The people who are part of our volunteer military are putting their lives on the line for Bush administration policies, and are paying the only price being asked of anyone in the so called war on terror.

It is wrong and hypocritical for Musgrave, or any other supporter of the corruption in Washington, to use the military for their political benefit--particularly when they sent them to war without the proper equipment, without enough troops, and without a plan for victory. Add to that the fact that this Congress has continually cut veteran and military benefits, and Ms. Musgrave should feel shame for using a Marine in such a self-serving and cynical way. Not only is she playing with someone's career, she is exploiting the very people she has let down so badly.

It's no accident that 72 veterans are running for Congress as Democrats this year. The current corrupt crew in Washington has sold us out badly and we know it!

Sincerely,

Bill Winter
WinterForCongress

Right on.