I was debating facts with a Republican leaning toward Kerry

[Nightjock]

and winning every point but one.
I brought up the 12 retired admirals and generals supporting Kerry. I repeated what I had heard that their support for Kerry was "unprecedented."
He than told me "So what? There are hundreds of admirals and generals that are going to the Republican convention."
...and I did not know what to say.
Is this true? Can anyone help me be more informed?

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

1. Tell him this simple phrase:

"Name them."
(And members of his administration, like Powell, don't count.
Hundreds of admirals and generals?

[Caution]

2. "Yeh but the ones going to the RNC are under orders"

[progressivebydesign]

3. Of course you KNOW that the GOP is staging that...

.. if any military will be there, the GOP is insisting they wear a uniform. Count on it.

[XNASA]

4. How many 'retired' admiral & generals are going to the RC?

I don't think that active Admirals and Generals prefer to show their hands either way.

But how many retired ones are attending the Repub Con?

[City Lights]

5. Going to the convention isn't the same as

being part of a Band of Brothers. Are these generals and admirals going to give a speech about *'s stellar military career and about how many lives he saved while coming under enemy fire? No, they're just window dressing.

[wryter2000]

6. He could be right

Military tends to be Republican. This year, enlisted people and their families may swing from Bush, but top brass is likely to stick with him, I would guess.

What I try to point out with "strong on defense" types is that traditionally, Republicans favor spending lots of money on weapons systems whether or not they're necessary or efficient. (Dog bites man.)

However, any substantial defection of top brass from a Republican is news. (Man bites dog.)

[still_one]

7. You must also remember

That a person who is active cannot speak against the commander and chief

[joefree1]

8. You bet

They got to support their main client, the military industrial complex.

"Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty."
George Washington

[sangh0]

9. The cardinal rule when debating Republicans is

"Make them prove it!"

It's your debate opponents job to prove the statements s/he makes, not yours.

[Massacure]

10. There probably aren't hundreds of admirals around today.

There are only 35 four star generals/admirals according to http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004604.html

Most of them are pretty old. I would bet there are a similar number of retired ones.

[democrat_patriot]

11. There will be a crowd of General's and

Admirals sitting right behind the speaker for the entire convention.

Count on it, it's the smart play.

Kerry's military support volunteered. *'s will be there under orders. Why aren't they helping to fight the war?

Wasn't it strange how NO high ranking officers could come home from IRaq to answer questions about the torture because it 'would undermine the war effort'? There will be at least 20 "who have just come back from our liberation of Iraq, and they can testify to the good work we're doing there..."

I'm not sure I can handle this convention, it will make me ill.