MY NEW HERO
Seth Moulton
From Charlie Pierce, the feel-good political story of the day: There’s this Democrat guy running for the 6th Congressional district in Massachusetts, Seth Moulton, who made it onto the radar of Boston Globe reporter Walter Robinson because while Moulton is a veteran of the Iraq War, his campaign literature has treated his service rather quietly. To Robinson, this smelled fishy — he’s made a specialty of revealing fake claims of military service and unearned medals by any number of politicians. But when Robinson started digging, he found something almost unheard-of in modern politics. Moulton’s been playing down his service in Iraq out of humility, not because he has anything to hide.
This space is usually chock full of stories about liars, creeps, narcissists, charlatans, blowhards, or, as I like to call them, politicians. It’s not that being part of the political class translates ipso facto to one being of questionable moral character and possessing a lust for power…though it certainly doesn’t hurt. In a culture in which “opposition research” and the politics of personal destruction rules, politicians beat down their opponents because they accidentally blew their nose on their sleeve in 1983. Likewise, resume padding is hardly breaking news among those seeking or holding public office. That sort of puffery is almost de riguer. The challenge for the media hasn’t been determining if a politician is lying or cheating. It’s been divining how and to what degree. In that light, it’s not hard to understand why everything surrounding politics is rife with suspicion and cynicism.
This is why I found the story of Seth Moulton so refreshing. Moulton, a Democrat running for the 6th Congressional district in Massachusetts, is a veteran of the Iraq War, has seen serious combat, and could charitably be described as a hero. Given the norm for politicians, one might reasonably expect Pierce’s campaign website to trumpet his service: “SETH MOULTON FOUGHT TO PROTECT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR FREEDOMS!” It would even be understandable…but you won’t find that on the website. Nor will you find this:
Moulton won the Bronze Star medal for valor, the nation’s fourth-highest award for heroism under fire, for his actions over two consecutive days during an August 2004 battle for control of the strategic city of Najaf, one of Islam’s holiest cities. According to the citation and accompanying documentation, his platoon was attacked and pinned down by intense mortar, rocket, sniper, and machine-gun fire. With four of his Marines wounded, Moulton “fearlessly exposed himself to enemy fire,” moving among his men while ignoring incoming mortar rounds and sniper fire, and directing supporting fire that repelled the attack. The platoon again came under heavy fire the following day when Marines expelled soldiers from the Mahdi Army from another section of Najaf.
And that’s only part’s of what Walter Robinson learned about Moulton’s meritorious service. The guy’s a legitimate, balls to the wall, undeniable hero who also fought in the battle for Nasiriyah in 2003, the first major battle of the Iraq War. He wasn’t a rear echelon soldier who’s playing his service for maximum political benefit. He’s a warrior and the definition of a hero…and yet he’s not playing his service for ANY benefit.
There’s no way Moulton could be faulted for telling his story if he chose to do so…because it’s true. In a culture where braggadocio and chest thumping is the norm, his take on his service is as honest as it is refeshing:
“Look,” he said, “we served our country, and we served the guys next to us. And it’s not something to brag about.’
The greatest honor, he said, his voice choked with emotion, had nothing to do with the medals. “The greatest honor of my life was to lead these men in my platoon, even though it was a war that I and they disagreed with.”
I’m notting figuratively patting Seth Moulton on the back because he’s a Democrat. I’m doing it because he’s what so many politicians AREN’T: modest, self-effacing, and humble. Lord knows we could use more like him in Washington…from either party.
Who says there aren’t good people in politics these days? Or would you rather have more public servants/American Taliban ideologues like Anthony Culler?
