Twins in Uniform

Why aren’t Barbara and Jenna Bush in uniform? They have college degrees, and by all indications they would make fine officers.

After all, it would have an incredibly positive effect on the morale of the country, it would no doubt drive up enlistments in all branches of the service, enlistments which are now at a dangerously low level and dropping monthly, and it would shore up W’s rapidly slipping poll numbers.

And, as their father proved so many years ago, it’s not like they’d really have to DO anything. They really wouldn’t even have to show up for most of it.

But I guess they'd rather party down at those tony Georgetown nightspots instead of following the lead of presidential children of earlier generations.

Consider the four sons of Theodore Roosevelt: Quentin, the youngest, was a pilot who died in action in WWI. The remaining three sons, Ted Junior, Kermit and Archie, served with honor and distinction both in World War One AND in World War Two.

Ted Junior, a Medal of Honor winner, was the only general to come ashore at Normandy on D-Day. A week later he was dead at the age of 56, the victim of a heart attack.

Consider the four sons of Franklin Roosevelt. They, along with Robert Lincoln, and the husbands of the daughters of Lyndon Johnson, share the rare distinction of being the only presidential children to serve in a war fought while their father was president.

James, Elliott, Franklin Jr. and John Roosevelt all served with honor in World War II and they came home decorated heroes.

Both Charles Robb and Patrick Nugent, the Johnson sons-in-laws, served with honor and distinction in Vietnam.

But there it ends.

The husbands of Richard Nixon’s daughters did not serve in Vietnam.

None of the children of Ronald Reagan donned a uniform.

And the offspring of George Bush Senior? Well, we know about that already.

Now we are once again engaged in a war in which there are presidential children of military age.

But, unlike those earlier generations, the Bush twins apparently feel no need to serve in a war over which their father has command.

Unlike those presidential children of earlier generations, they apparently feel no need to show even symbolic support for their father’s war.

Come on, you two. Show your support for the troops and for your father's war. Do the right thing for yourselves and for your country. Enlist today.

Besides, there's something about twins in uniform...