re: Where does the piety originate?
I'm sorry...where did everyone get the idea that it was the GOP that was making Kerry's Vietnam service an issue? Kerry's campaign has pretty much made this the centerpiece of his candidacy since he started in the primaries. It's a running gag at the Wall Street Journal.
Again, as long as we can focus on thirty years ago, we can avoid discussing what Kerry would do now if he were President. I have a pretty good idea how both Bush and Kerry would handle the Iraq situation. So do the voters.
And if you're going to quote, I'd like to see a source link.