So, Tanner's response on the fake combat medals thing wasn't a response... it was a rather bogus press release.

When the entirety of your political reporting staff has never bothered to serve, I suppose this kind of thing is to be expected.

Let's remember here, boys and girls, I NEVER disputed that Tanner served in Vietnam.

What I disputed and STILL dispute is that he ever received "numerous combat awards" for that service.

Stephanie Rice, never big on accuracy when it comes to me, responds with this political blog post, again put up without contacting or calling me, falsely inferring if not claiming that I questioned that Tanner had ever served in Vietnam, or more specifically, in the waters around Vietnam.

I, of course, never did any such thing.

What I questioned is whether, while serving as an electricians tech that he ever received any COMBAT MEDALS, a claim mentioned on his campaign bio.

Of course, he did not.

He received Combat THEATER SERVICE MEDALS, obviously a distinction without a difference to the non-veterans writing about this, yet another subject they know absolutely nothing about.  he did not, apparently, even earn the lowest level award for combat the Navy issues, the Combat Action Ribbon.

Naturally, Rice left out the part that I had contacted Tanner's campaign requesting that he list his "combat medals," or that Tanner had never bothered to respond; it's not like she didn't know... she just chose to leave that little factoid out under the broad heading that I, along with Lew Waters, "questioned how Tanner earned combat medals."

Well, guess what: Tanner never responded to me... but in his response/press release to Lew Waters, he provided evidence that I was in fact, correct, that Tanner had not, in fact, earned ANY MEDALS OF ANY KIND FOR COMBAT.

Since the closest Rice ever got to serving in the military was to drive by a recruiter's office, it's not surprising that she holds me and Waters up like Pinatas because most out there are unable to differentiate between "service medals," the "I was there" variety, and COMBAT Medals... like the Bronze Star with V device that Infantry veteran Tom Mielke received as a member of the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam back in 68.

I've contacted Rice via Facebook with this information.  Will she do anything with it to correct the record?

Are you kidding me?