John Kerry's position on

Commander-in-chief qualifications: One of the president's duties is to be the commander-in-chief, as per Article II, Section II of the Constitution, which outlines several powers: the power to command the army, navy, and state militias, power to make treaties; power of appointments. Thus, this presidential role involves how the individual views the world. This year, the debate stems off of two main positions: military service versus on job training as commander-in-chief.

Description of candidate's position: Senator Kerry's feels called to serve the United States, and will use his Vietnam experiences in order to make better decisions about war and putting soldiers at risk. Some of these policies include: building alliances and coalitions to prevent and fight the war on terror, increase homeland security at ports, borders, airports, railways and subways, and modernizing the military. Kerry Campaign website (link) Each of these is designed to meet his philosophy of making America "stronger at home and more respected in the world." Kerry Campaign website

Quotation from the candidate: "As President, I will wage this war with the lessons I learned in war. Before you go to battle, you have to be able to look a parent in the eye and truthfully say: 'I tried everything possible to avoid sending your son or daughter into harm's way. But we had no choice. We had to protect the American people, fundamental American values from a threat that was real and imminent.' So lesson one, this is the only justification for going to war. […] I defended this country as a young man and I will defend it as President. Let there be no mistake: I will never hesitate to use force when it is required. Any attack will be met with a swift and certain response. I will never give any nation or international institution a veto over our national security. And I will build a stronger American military." Kerry's speech to the Democratic National Convention, July 29, 2004 (Link)

Assessment of the situation:

Positive: Jim Rassmann, retired lieutenant, Vietnam veteran, and Republican, backs Kerry for his Vietnam service: "I am neither a politician nor an organizer. I am a retired police officer with a passion for orchids. Until January of this year, the only public presentations I made were about my orchid hobby. But in this presidential election, I had to speak out; I had to tell the American people about John Kerry, about his wisdom and courage, about his vision and leadership. I would trust John Kerry with my life, and I would entrust John Kerry with the well-being of our country. Nobody asked me to join John's campaign. Why would they? I am a Republican, and for more than 30 years I have largely voted for Republicans. I volunteered for his campaign because I have seen John Kerry in the worst of conditions. I know his character. I've witnessed his bravery and leadership under fire. And I truly know he will be a great commander in chief." Personal statement on Kerry campaign website

Negative: Many have criticized Kerry's Vietnam record. But regardless of the type of service that he offered, some critics argue that he is using his service in order to gain politically. Mackubin Owens, professor of strategy and force planning at Naval War College and Vietnam Marine veteran, discusses Kerry's political strategy: "Sen. Kerry appeals to veterans in his quest for the White House. He invokes his Vietnam service at every turn. […] But the issue goes far beyond theatrics. If he believes his 1971 indictment of his country and his fellow veterans was true, then he couldn't possibly be proud of his Vietnam service. Who can be proud of committing war crimes of the sort that Kerry recounted in his 1971 testimony? But if he is proud of his service today, perhaps it is because he always knew that his indictment in 1971 was a piece of political theater that he, an aspiring politician, exploited merely as a "good issue." If the latter is true, he should apologize to every veteran of that war for slandering them to advance his political fortunes." National Review Online, January 27, 2004

Additionally, Republican Representative Sam Johnson, a Vietnam veteran, also feels that Kerry has tried to play both sides of the debate: "I think it symbolizes how two-faced he is, talking about his war reputation, which is questionable on the one hand, and then coming out against our veterans who were fighting over there on the other." The Washington Times, February 11, 2004

Comparison: Both sides of the debate are very politically charged. In many ways it is difficult to determine whose military service was "better," as questions have been raised about both Kerry and Bush. However, Kerry uses his Vietnam fighting experience to provide personal training. Ultimately, the main difference lies in their commander-in-chief approaches to foreign policy: Bush advocates for an aggressive, usually unilateral stance against the war on terror, while Kerry advocates a multilateral position of strength and respect.

Link to Bush's issue page.