Issues surrounding Democratic candidate Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton's record during the Vietnam War. Clinton has accused Bush and the Republicans of misrepresenting his past. The problem for Clinton is the leak of a letter he wrote from England in 1969 expressing passionate opposition to the Vietnam War. Clinton offers no proof that the Bush campaign leaked the letter. ABC News says they got the letter from a man named Clinton Jones who was second in command in the ROTC where Clinton enrolled and then dropped out. Jones says he removed the letter from the file originally because he as angry at Clinton for leaving the ROTC saying Governor Clinton “made a commitment and did not honor it.” Bill Clinton got a draft deferment as a result of joining the ROTC. The questions about Clint’s attitude toward the Vietnam War is hurting Clinton with older Democrats with connections to Korea and World War II.
Democratic Senator Bob Kerry who is a Metal of Honor recipient openly doubts Clinton’s story that Clinton was rejected as an officer because of physical status. Dan Quayle was attacked by the press in 1988 for similar stuff as Clinton. The US has had a series of presidents who maneuvered to get into service in World War II rather than Clinton who maneuvered to get out of it.
Jerry Brown’s campaign in New Hampshire is unique but at the bottom of the polls. HIs crowd is young, hip, and unconventional and more a cause than a campaign. He calls for universal health care and strong environmentalism.
President Bush was in New Hampshire getting a challenge from conservative Pat Buchanan. Bush speaks to the New Hampshire state legislature in Concord touting his economic plan. Bush goes after Buchanan’s points saying that “Protectionism is a smokescreen for a country that’s running scared.”