The Pandernator

Sometimes, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ability to pander amazes and awes even me. One week it’s the environmentalists, the next it’s the firefighters. Everybody needs help, everybody needs some special exemption or set-aside.

This week, it’s Vietnam Vets. Specifically, it’s our governor’s call for us to celebrate the “first annual” Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day:

“Many years have passed since the Vietnam War was waged, and despite the divisions that existed in our country, our troops continuously demonstrated the best of the American spirit by performing amazing acts of heroism,” Arnold says in this press release. “Our Vietnam veterans deserve our respect and recognition for everything they did to defend freedom, which is why I am proud to proclaim March 30 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.”

Let’s ignore Schwarzenegger’s use of the word “continuously” in the sentence about American troops being heroic during the war. What’s up with this being the “first annual” Welcome Home day? I mean, didn’t the war end 35 years ago?