A Comparison of Presidential Candidates Veterans' Websites

As I watched the World War II Memorial dedication on Saturday, I remembered some of the many WWII vets stories I've read recently, and some emails received. Four million of these folks (out of 16 million) are still alive, many wondering if anyone cares about them anymore, and the sacrifices they made for this country. It is only in the last several years that we have started to see some personal memoirs come out. Virtually all of these vets experienced stuff they never wanted to talk about again. Now we are starting to see more of their stories through their books and articles.

I wondered how each of the candidates was communicating with these and other veterans apart from the rhetoric and the ads. Both George Bush and Jon Kerry have veterans' links on their websites.

John Kerry's veterans' website talks about veterans and their needs, and includes his Compact With Veterans:

· Providing Mandatory funding of Veterans' Healthcare
· Grant Full Concurrent Receipt to Disabled Military Retirees
· Make the Veterans Administration Responsive
· Properly Compensate Soldiers and their Families for their Service
· Full Accounting for Missing POW/MIAs
· Combating Homelessness
· Supporting Members of the National Guard and Reservists
· Protecting Family members who lose a loved-one
· Don't Overstretch the Military

George Bush's veterans' website talks about himself and what he says he has done for veterans - almost nothing about what he will do for them in the future.

There's a clear difference. John Kerry talks about veterans. George Bush talks mostly about himself. Check it out for yourself. And then make the choice vets - who do really believe is thinking about you?