When a news story about a politician’s military service appears two weeks before an election, it’s usually not good news for the campaign. Particularly when the byline reads Walter V. Robinson, Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter for the Boston Globe. Robinson has taken down many false pretenders. I can only imagine the stomach-knot felt by Moulton’s advisors when they were told, “Walter Robinson called and he has questions about Seth’s military record”.
But this story has a different ending, as Robinson writes:
The American political graveyard has more than a few monuments to politicians and public officials who embellished details of their military service, in some cases laying claim to medals for heroism or other military honors they never received.
And then, uniquely, there is Seth W. Moulton, the Democratic nominee for Congress in the Sixth Congressional District, a former Marine who saw fierce combat for months and months in Iraq. But Moulton chose not to publicly disclose that he was twice decorated for heroism until pressed by the Globe.
Turns out Moulton received the Bronze Star and a Navy and Marine Corp Commendation for Valor…and he told no one, not even his parents.
As Moulton points out, it is not uncommon for combat veterans to keep their experiences to themselves:
In an interview, Moulton said he considers it unseemly to discuss his own awards for valor. “There is a healthy disrespect among veterans who served on the front lines for people who walk around telling war stories,’’ he said. What’s more, Moulton said he is uncomfortable calling attention to his own awards out of respect to “many others who did heroic things and received no awards at all.’’
This story reveals a lot about who Seth Moulton is. He faced long odds taking on an 18 year incumbent in his own party. He no doubt leveraged a lot of things to raise money and build a campaign organization, mining the network of family, friends and colleagues he developed over the years. But he was not going to leverage his combat experience and let his consultants shape his public image into something he could legitimately claim: War Hero.
No, Seth Moulton has too much respect and admiration for the people he fought beside, as he said in the story:
Moulton asked that the Globe not describe him as a hero. “Look,’’ he said, “we served our country, and we served the guys next to us. And it’s not something to brag about.’
The greatest honor, he said, his voice choked with emotion, had nothing to do with the medals. “The greatest honor of my life was to lead these men in my platoon, even though it was a war that I and they disagreed with.”
Seth Moulton is a smart guy. He knew his uphill fight to become Congressman would have been easier with the moniker “War Hero” next to his name. But he obviously made a very conscious decision not to leverage his two recognitions for heroism to advance his political career.
That is an act of political courage. But given Moulton’s demonstrated courage in combat, it is not surprising. Hopefully in a world of “blah, blah, blah” blow-dried politicians spinning half-truths, voters can recognize when they may have the real deal…a politician with principle.
I get the point that he didn’t make a big deal about his combat medals, but his campaign is pretty significantly built on his service in Iraq.
The news of the awards (at least one of them) also isn’t new, as the Globe claims. It was mentioned in a piece inSeptember without fanfare.
I still have an issue with your ultimate conclusion:
Although I might be more concerned about his “principles” than having principle. This was the same person who described himself as “pretty centrist” two years ago when considering running as an independent and now is running as a progressive. Let’s support him over the unacceptable Richard Tisei, but let’s also not deify him just yet. He has much to prove in the causes and positions he takes up.
I wanted to back Seth two years ago since Tierney was a vulnerable incumbent who didn’t answer my concerns about the dealings with his family. He was either involved and lying, or not involved and very gullible about others taking advantage of him. Either way, it wasn’t good. Nor was the prospect of continually defending his seat. Like Fred, my family in Salem has deep connections to Tierney and he was a friend of my uncles and attended relatives wakes. I say my critiques with mixed feelings.
Moulton, calling himself centrist and flirting with an independent run have a lot of people pause. But his website and demeanor throughout this process and speech to labor won over a lot of people. He has a unique leadership vantage point that could prove useful in Congress. I take his talk of centrism and independence to mean that he will be a civil and collegial member of Congress while still espousing progressive principles. A Katherine Clark instead of a Dennis Kucinich or Alan Grayson. The North Shore likes electing people that deliver results over people that deliver good speeches. If our goal is a more muted and collegiate environment we get it by striving for a Democratic majority and electing patriots like Seth committed to truly putting country first.
As for deification, there was no Mark Salter or Patricia Broadwell book reminding us of how awesome he is-a rare humility about a privileged background and military valor. He also comes from a class that refuses to send it’s son into battle, and I respect the hell out of the fact that he volunteered straight out of Harvard before 9/11 rather than become another I-Banker.
With international crises dominating the news, I trust his outsiders approach to politics and insider foreign policy experience over the Boehner-Ryan agenda of knee jerk hostility to the President and reality denying gimmicks masking as policy proposals that Richard Tisei will vote with 80-90% of the time.
I wanted to back a trusted and talented progressive to take Tierney’s seat. Kim Driscoll would have been fantastic. Tierney didn’t retire, so that wasn’t an option.
Is there any evidence in Moulton’s past demonstrating commitment to progressive values? Anything? Volunteering for a campaign, donating to causes, publications, public support for anything? If there is evidence of that, I have not seen it. That’s why his statements about being a centrist and now claiming to be a progressive give me pause.
He has no real record on these issues that I’ve seen. He just has a website and campaign messaging. Keep in mind that he hired some of the best and most experienced campaign managers to run his campaign. They were hired for a reason.
Why? I take it as very smart campaign messaging, but something that should be potentially worrisome to progressives with his talk of “reaching across the aisle” in this Congress.
I want an effective Congress that passes laws good for most Americans. In my mind that’s progressive laws. Openness to working with a literally insane party scares me, as does the rhetoric about “fixing Congress” rather than fighting for particular values.
No doubt. That’s not at all what I am saying. He is better than Tisei. No question. Is he great or a trustworthy progressive? That absolutely remains to be seen. If you think otherwise, you are only basing that on his campaign rhetoric. He should win this race and be supported. Taking his campaign promises as a guarantee of what he will do is not something I’m ready to do.
But no need to attack the legitimate humility he displayed regarding his service compared to most, Tim Cotton for example or even John Kerry in 2004 (I for one wish he had emphasized his anti-war record over his war record but that’s not the kind of country we live in).
As for Seth he has two years to prove the naysayers wrong. As you said, Kim is waiting in the wings in case he falters.
I’ve said this elsewhere-but to me convergence is ok. That is when we work with Republicans who agree with us on the ends and you compromise on the means. McCain-Finegold is a good example. What Warren and Corker are doing on student loans is another. Moulton is in that mode rather than the do nothing and speak loudly mode that a DiFranco would’ve been. The voters overwhelmingly choose the fresh face with the civil message.
I was not able to support Seth during the primary out of 20 years of friendship and loyalty to John Tierney.
Seth won the primary contest fair and square and has taken up the progressive flag to champion all those values we believe in.
On a personal level, as I announced to the BMG community in an earlier post, this campaign has been particularly difficult for me. On September 15,1968 I lost my best friend and older brother, Peter, in Vietnam. He enlisted in the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant and was killed in action
leading his platoon into battle. He was awarded the Bronze Star for gallantry and the Purple Heart posthumously. He was 23 when he died.
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of Peter. It was because of him that I got interested in politics. He started the Young Democrats Club at Wakefield High School, was President of the Student Council, and we both volunteered on our first campaign together in 1960 for JFK. I was 10. He was 15.
This story of Seth’s valor in battle and genuine humility
in talking about it doesn’t surprise me.
It does make me want to work all the harder to elect him as my Congressman. We need more Unsung Heroes in this world.
Strength and Honor ,Seth. Semper Fi.
Your friend,
Fred Rich LaRiccia
Gold Star brother
Tierney for that matter. But as I meet more novice politicians, I notice that not all are as ideologically sophisticated as those who are experienced. People can and do grow, politically and ideologically. Maybe Seth Moulton is one of these people.
n/t
It was inspired/borrowed from a Wes Clark for President campaign button from 2003/04. It fit then and it fits now.
But go ahead. Lots of wishful thinking in this post.
But he is also a solid vote in ACA preservation, student loan reform, funding women’s health care, gun control, labor rights and protecting Social Security and Medicare. We have heard Tisei openly promise to eviscerate those programs starting with Obamacare and working his way down. The novelty of a gay man credibly running as a Republican doesn’t make him a progressive.
needs to think about John Boehner. Elections like this are in substantial part about the balance in the House. Until Tisei openly proclaims that he won’t support the current GOP leadership, a vote for him should be considered a voter for Boehner.
Send a moderate Republican to Congress and he’s just another Republican vote. Unless he’s the Messiah and he kept the fact out of his campaign literature, Tisei’s presence isn’t going to change a darn thing.
Would be nice to have at least one from MA in Congress in one of the majorities.
Not looking very good for the Dems as to control of either house.
Great argument though. I would be surprised if those still undecided even know who Boehner is.
be to have someone in the Republican majority in Congress? It’s not like they believe in earmarks or spending. What can they do for us?
I’ve asked him that before. If a 30 year incumbent like Peter King can have his Sandy relief bill torpedoed by some neanderthal freshmen from the south, I don’t see a more socially liberal rookie like Tisei, whose ‘lifestyle’ they will find far more objectionable, getting much traction to help deliver any kind of assistance to the Mammon that is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The basic point of this post is here is a candidate that consciously choose not to use a positive aspect of his past as political cache because he did not want to exploit something he cared so much for. The only wishful thinking I advanced is that may be a sign that he has the kind of principle that us uncommon among politicians.
Ironically, you sling one of those half-truth spins that I referred to in my closing (used by candidates on both sides of the aisle) to falsely question a person’s integrity. That’s all you (and Tisei) have got to use against Moulton…questioning his source of fundraising, when the reality is everyone who is successful at raising money (including Sen. Warren) is raising from the same sources. Weak…
It’s totally legit. Everyone loves loves loves Warren for taking on Wall Street.
You honestly think Moulton is going to work in that direction as well?
Again, a lot of wishful thinking. If Moulton had an R after his name everyone would hate him.
….he would also likely vote for Boehner and the rest of the leadership, and by extension their agenda. Yes, partisanship matters on issues we care about. It’s when it becomes obstructionism that it becomes a problem.
Via Politico:
I know my extended family and I will be casting Moulton votes next month.
Just saw this endorsement from Lawrence Lessig via MaydayPAC:
thought it was worth sharing. There is more on his website. Tisei’s paltry issues page does not mention campaign finance.