Democrats and Military Service

Why when Bill Clinton ran against two very decorated war veterans in 1992 (George H.W. Bush) and 1996 (Bob Dole), Democrats said military experience shouldn't be an issue? Bill Clinton actively avoided military service in Vietnam and favored a more interventionist foreign policy than either of his two Republican opponents.

However, in both 2004 and now, suddenly Democrats have decided that service in Vietnam is sufficient to be elected to higher office. Now according to these same really partisan Democrats, suddenly you are a "chicken-hawk" if you didn't serve in Vietnam even if you were not of age and you didn't actively avoid serve because you chose to go to college. Take for example the Virginia Senate race, Jim Webb has little grasp of domestic issues but somehow he is qualified to be Senator based on his distinguished military service and his really short stint as President Reagan's naval secretary yet George Allen who is quite knowledgeable on issues of governance is deemed to be unqualified because he was born a little later and was in college during the Vietnam War. What gives? My late grandfather was a distinguished World War II hero and I am proud of his service but I hardly believe that qualified him as an international affairs expert or a domestic policy expert who should be a U.S. Senator.