April 29, 2008 - 1:28pm
Cleland campaigns for Merkley in Portland
By Lauren Lafaro
Former U.S. Sen. Max ClelandVietnam veteran and former U.S. Senator Max Cleland campaigned for Jeff Merkley today, appearing at a town hall at Portland State University this morning, discussing the Merkley's views on the war in Iraq and veterans' affairs.
"Anyone who cares to make veterans an issue in a campaign I'm attracted to," the former Senator said on a conference call, praising Merkley for "pushing very positive and progressive legislation" in the Oregon Legislature, which waived tuition to college or technical school for the spouses and children of deceased soldiers.
Since the debate last weekend, Merkley has been hitting the veterans' issue hard, unveiling a plan to take the Oregon legislation to a national level. He has also outlined components of a new G.I. Bill, including full screening for traumatic brain injuries and full funding for veterans' healthcare.
Both Cleland and Merkley talked about the necessity of adopting a broader view of national security, one that reaches beyond military might.
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I wasn't there but I spoke to several who attended and I'm told it got pretty emotionally charged at times when PTSD was being discussed.
This is the kind of frank, open discussion that this state and this country need. War is not pretty and we damn well aren't taking care of our veterans like we should be.
It's a national disgrace that we lose more soldiers and veterans to suicide each day here in America than are killed in Iraq and Afghanistan each day!!
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