Ted Strickland Speaks; I Feel a Draft in Here (UPDATE: Strickland Opposes Draft, But Wants ‘Proportionate Burden’)

Here are two excerpts of what Ted Strickland had to say when asked about John Kerry’s insult (links not available yet to audio MP3s are here and here; audio HT to conservativeguy at RAB; lots and lots of ands, uhs, and y’knows omitted):

But if you look at the people who are serving in our military today, you will find a disproportionate share come from small town America, rural areas, and they are disproportionately being called upon to defend this country. You know as well as I do that there may be one or two members of the 535 members of the House and Senate that have a son or daughter in Iraq. Most of them do not, and that’s true of a lot of young people who come from more privileged backgrounds.

….. I strongly believe that if this war was being fully shared by all segments of our society, by all income levels and so on, that a lot of people may have a different attitude about what’s happening and the lives that are being lost, and the young people that are being maimed for life.

Does it sound like Ted Strickland thinks there should be a revival of the draft? Don’t laugh; John Murtha said just that today (in fact, Murtha says he’s “always been for the draft”). Now THERE’S a winning position that will appeal to voters.

I’m waiting to find a link to the full audio in a usable format. When I do, I will link to it. The rambling and searching for words in the interview is really something.

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UPDATE: Strickland may or may not be right about whether there’s “one or two” members of the House or Senate with sons and/or daughters in Iraq the military today (corrected at 10 AM on Nov. 2). But in 2003, there were seven:

House and Senate information offices said they do not have a comprehensive list of members who are military parents.

The small group of lawmakers who’ve announced or confirmed that their kids are now serving includes Johnson, Kline and Republican Reps. Todd Akin of Missouri, Duncan Hunter of California, Marilyn Musgrave of Colorado, Ed Schrock of Virginia and Joe Wilson of South Carolina.

There was no comprehensive list three years ago. If there still isn’t, does Ted really know what the number is now?

UPDATE 2: I got a chance to listen to the full audio. Strickland says he doesn’t favor a draft, but he doesn’t want the “burden” to be “disproportionate.” OK, Ted, since you’re serving in Congress until January, how would you do that without a draft?