According to the National Review Online, Presidential wanna-be John 'Falafel' Kerry is apparently some sort of veteran. The news slipped out at a recent South Carolina campaign rally "speech to veterans" that Massachusetts Democrat, John Kennedy Kerry had served in Vietnam.

"...the sound of machine-gun fire, the bombs bursting, the sight of the wounded, are always with those who have served. I think being tempered by war, as President Kennedy said, is a valuable experience as you lead a country as commander-in-chief."

I had no idea. [/sarcasm] National Review's Mackubin Thomas Owens isn't buying what Kerry is selling, however. Owens writes:

...although Sen. Kerry did experience combat in Vietnam, earning the Silver Star, the third-highest award for valor, he did so as a junior officer. His actions there, no matter how exemplary, in no way prepared him to make the national-security decisions required of a president.

I think I would agree with that statement. Kerry's biggest hurdle will be getting elected from the Senate, which almost never happens. Most of our modern day Presidents were either a former Governor or Vice President. George W. was Governor of Texas, Clinton was Governor of Arkansas, George H.W. was a VP, Reagan was Governor of California, and Carter was Governor of Georgia. Ford was also a VP, although he was never elected, and Nixon was Eisenhower's VP before making his ascent to the Presidency. Although LBJ was a Senator, he only became President after Kennedy's assassination.