The Lessons of Vietnam Ignored.

Former Congressman Rob Simmons is a decorated veteran of the war in Vietnam.  His suspension of his campaign for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate this morning demonstrated that he has not applied the lessons of that bitter conflict to his political fight.  The fatal error in American policy in Vietnam was, according to one school of thought, is that a war requires the use of overwhelming force.  When in a battle, bring to it everything you’ve got.  There can be no half-measures like those that policy makers in Washington imposed upon the armed forces during critical moments in the fight to save South Vietnam from totalitarian aggressors.

Candidates should apply the same rule to political campaigns.  No sauntering.  Simmons, who always had a surfeit of energy when he sought public office, will now force a primary against his tormentor, Linda McMahon, but will not participate in it.  This seems like an unsatisfactory course of action from every angle.  His showing at the state convention on Friday night allows him to move on to a primary, which he has done.  At the same time, he has announced that he will not participate in the campaign. Elections should have meaning.  Simmons will diminish himself by bathing in petulance for the next 10 weeks.  That’s a long time to sustain public pique.  This stunt suggests that his campaign was not about issues, but rather only a way to find a path back to Washington.