Offensive to attack Kirk on vets issues

Mark Sept. 17th down as the day that Dan Seals proved that he isn't worthy of being elected dog catcher, let along U.S. Congressman. I knew this race was going to get dirty when I saw the television ads accusing Congressman Kirk, a proven and strong moderate, of being a Republican rubber stamp. But I never thought that Dan Seals would stoop so low as to call Mark Kirk, an officer in the U.S. Navy of 18 years, bad for veterans.

How dare Dan Seals? Seals has never worn our country's uniform. Mark Kirk has. He served in Kosovo and was in the Pentagon on 9/11. Dan Seals has never done anything for veterans. Mark Kirk has. Kirk saved the North Chicago Veterans Hospital when government bureaucrats tried to shut it down. Mark Kirk knows veterans' issues inside and out; from his own experience and from his close relationship with 10th District vets. If Dan Seals knows anything about the military beyond what he's gleaned from episodes of M.A.S.H. I would be shocked.

As a veteran myself, Dan Seals offends me. His smug attempt to erase seven years of advocacy for veterans with a handful of out-of-context votes offends me. The lack of respect for veterans that he must have, to attack a fellow veteran in our name, offends me. His assumption that we are stupid enough to believe his baseless attacks offends me. Mark Kirk is a great friend to veterans. I know it, the VFW knows it, and I bet the rest of the 10th District knows it, too.

Jim Leahy

Deerfield