Eli Stokols, Politico – November 3, 2016
Donald Trump, despite making a concerted effort to stay on script, deviated from his prepared remarks Thursday during a rally here focused on military and veterans issues and asserted that top generals don’t want Hillary Clinton as their next commander in chief. With a number of decorated veterans seated on stage behind him, Trump extolled their bravery as greater than his own.
Olivier Knox, Yahoo! News – July 28, 2016
Retired four-star Marine Gen. John Allen, who has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, told Yahoo News in a Thursday interview that there is “no question” that American troops will take orders from a woman commander in chief.
Dan Merica, CNN – July 25, 2016
Hillary Clinton told a group of veterans on Monday that even she needs to get used to the fact she could become the first female commander-in-chief in November, an unusual nod to trepidation around her gender by the presumptive Democratic nominee. “I know that this is the first time that one of our major parties has nominated a woman,” Clinton said. “I know that it takes a little getting used to, even for me.” The former secretary of state added, “But here is what I want you to know, I will get up every single day in the White House doing everything I possibly can to protect our country, to treat our men and women in uniform with the care and concern and respect they deserve, to make good on our nation’s promises to our veterans. That is how I was raised, that is what I have done, and I promise you that’s what I will do.”
Sam Stein, Huffington Post – June 15, 2016
Hillary Clinton said she backs legislation requiring women to register for the draft, moments before the Senate voted in favor of the measure. “I do support that,” Clinton told The Huffington Post on Wednesday. The provision would have little practical impact, at least in the short-term. The United States has relied on an all-volunteer army since 1973, which Clinton said she continues to favor.
Rosie Gray, Buzzfeed – February 19, 2016
The Republican primary hasn’t had many easy openings for a candidate to separate himself and stand alone on a policy issue. Ted Cruz found one earlier this month: the draft.
Amanda Taub, Vox – February 10, 2016
Ted Cruz spent the final days of his campaign for the New Hampshire primary, in which he finished third, speaking out against an important issue: the risk that the government might use the draft to force innocent girl children into single combat against psychotic supervillains thrice their size.
Samantha-Jo Roth, Huffington Post – December 6, 2015
Ben Carson told veterans at an event in Waterloo, Iowa, on Saturday that the military is not the place to deal with the “transgender thing.” “I do not appreciate using our military as a laboratory for a social experiment,” Carson said at a town hall hosted by Concerned Veterans for America. “You know, we have too many important things to do.”
Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Carrie Dann, Meet the Press, NBC News – November 19, 2015
In a speech she’ll deliver this morning in New York, Hillary Clinton will describe her strategy to combat ISIS. And you can expect a hawkish-sounding address, especially compared with President Obama’s rhetoric.
Bonnie Kristian – The Week, November 18, 2015
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made her foreign policy experience a focus of her presidential campaign, and Republican Carly Fiorina won marks for gamely answering questions about the Middle East which Donald Trump couldn’t handle. But following last week’s attacks in Paris, both may struggle to convince voters of their national security chops. That’s because Americans tend to place less trust in women’s ability to deal with foreign policy.
Alan Rappeport, New York Times – November 16, 2015
Jim Webb may have abandoned his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, but the former senator from Virginia is not finished criticizing Hillary Rodham Clinton. Mr. Webb, a former combat Marine, accused Mrs. Clinton of “disparaging” the United States Marine Corps when she said that she was turned away when she wanted to serve in 1975.