New Kerry Scandal!!!

The New York Times, taking its cues like good reporters should from the Republican National Committee, in an article by Jim Rutenberg and James Dao has come up with shocking, shocking new evidence that, a mere 33 years ago, John Kerry may have used the words "ribbons" and "medals" interchangeably!!!

My God, is there no limit to that man's depravity?!?

And, lest we miss the RNC's point, Rutenberg and Dao helpfully explain:

Republicans, nervous about questions regarding President Bush's Air National Guard service, have raised the issue to revive accusations by some veterans that the discarding of medals dishonored those who served and died in the war. At the same time, the Republicans have said that Mr. Kerry's explanation of what happened at the [1971] ceremony is an example of his proclivity to fall on both sides of every issue.

Since the Times is exploring the candidates' records of three decades ago so carefully, maybe they'll take a closer work at Lt. Dubya's use of words in those days.  (ROTFLOL, as they say on the Internet.)

Did Lt. Bush "miss" that 1972 medical exam that got him suspended from flying after the Guard spent $1 million or so training him?  Or did he merely "fail to attend" it?

Was it a "corrupt deal" by which Old Man Bush got Dubya jumped to the head of a list of hundreds trying to get into the Air Guard?  Or "family connections"?

Was Dubya trying to "duck out" of service in Vietnam or only "seeking to avoid" it?  Was in he "in favor of" the Vietnam War when he was ducking out/seeking to avoid, or was he "not opposed" to it?

Was Bush "AWOL [absent without leave]" when he failed to show up for Guard duty all those months?  Or had he "deserted"?

Did he get out of the Guard months early in an "unusual arrangement," or was it "special circumstances"?

Yes, yes, it's deeply troubling that Kerry may have blurred the distinction between "ribbons" and "medals" 33 years ago.

It is surely of equal urgency to the voters  to know whether Lt. AWOL was guilty of any such shocking lapses of rhetorical judgments in describing his singular career in the Air Guard. 

I can't wait to see what Bob Somerby at the Daily Howler has to say about this one!