Mother Jones a great timeline of George Bush and John Kerry’s experiences in the 60’s and 70’s that shows each man’s baby steps to the White House.
The cool, omniscient approach is like an outline for a John Dos Passos or Tom Wolfe novel about politics, class, changing social mores, and the military. Of course, since it’s MoJo, there’s some sly wit:
| John Kerry | George W. Bush |
| January 3, 1970: Kerry requests that he be discharged early from the Navy so that he can run for Congress in Massachusetts’ Third District. The request is granted, and Kerry begins his first political campaign. | June 1970: Bush joins the Guard’s “Champagne Unit,” where he flies with sons of Texas’ elite. |
| February 1970: Kerry drops his bid for the Democratic nomination and supports Robert F. Drinan. Drinan, a staunch opponent of the war, wins the race and goes on to serve in Congress for ten years. | November 3, 1970:George Bush Sr. loses Senate election to Lloyd Bentsen, whose son is also in the “Champagne Unit.” |
| June 1970: Kerry joins Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and becomes one of the group’s unofficial spokespeople. | November 7, 1970: Bush is promoted to first lieutenant. Rejected by University of Texas School of Law. |
| April 23, 1971: Kerry helps to organize a huge anti-war protest outside Congress, earning a place on president Richard Nixon’s “enemies’ list.” He joins a group of Vietnam veterans who throw medals and campaign ribbons over a fence in front of the Capitol. | January 1971:The Texas Air National Guard begins testing for drugs during physicals. |
And so on. Definitely worth a look, if only to wonder how this story will end.
[via The Morning News]