And this is a respected member of a party that wants to rule and considers themselves so honorable....

Give me "dumb" anyday over this!

Lautenberg calls Cheney 'lead chickenhawk' in criticizing Kerry

WASHINGTON -- Tossing a verbal egg at Dick Cheney's military record, Sen. Frank Lautenberg blasted the vice president Wednesday as the 'lead chickenhawk,' who squawks about John Kerry's Vietnam War record despite never serving himself.

'The chickenhawk has no idea what it means to have the courage to put your life at risk to defend this nation,' Lautenberg said on the Senate floor. 'But they are quick to disparage those who did sacrifice.'

In his speech, Lautenberg, D-N.J., defined chickenhawk 'as having the shriek of a hawk but the backbone of a chicken.'

'We know who the chickenhawks are,' he said. 'They talk tough on national defense and military issues and cast aspersions on others, but when it was their turn to serve, they were AWOL from courage.'

Kerry has said that President Bush and Cheney have no credibility in criticizing his military service and anti-war effort since Bush has faced questions about his National Guard attendance and Cheney had five student and marriage deferments of service during the war.

Kerry, a decorated Navy veteran who volunteered to serve in Vietnam, said he does not begrudge anyone who did not fight in the war. "