Heartbroken at the death of our beloved war hero and Senator Max Cleland. Despite sacrificing 3 limbs in Vietnam he was maligned by the right, and implored Democrats to defend our patriots as he led the creation of our “Fighting Dems” and @DNCVetsMilFams Council. #RIPMaxCleland 
We met in 2003 when Senator Cleland asked me to interview a former staffer of his. Got to know him in the Kerry for President campaign when Cleland tried to stop the swiftboating of another Vietnam War Senator by another Republican who hadn’t seen combat. He insisted on …
learning from his 2002 Senate loss. Max Cleland paid a painful price: his PTSD from losing 3 limbs in the Vietnam War used against him in a vile Republican campaign smear comparing him to bin Laden and Saddam Hussein for defending workers’ rights at the Dept of Homeland Security.
I worked with Cleland cofounding the @DNC @DNCVetsMilFams Council - I started it as a DNC Veterans Outreach resolution and Max said add military families; this is Operation We Care. He was right. After we won that, Max held “wireside chats” in 2005, inspiring Fighting Dems to run
and when 55 veterans ran for Congress as Democrats, calling for a new direction in Iraq and a post-9/11 GI Bill of Rights built as a federal benefit (not like the original GI Bill administered through the racist Jim Crow states), he helped Democrats win the House and Senate.
Max Cleland generously sat with me, dispensing “call to service” advice for my @pelosibootcamp book, and heartily supported candidates especially those under attack as he had been. He gave despite having every reason to withdraw from politics… that’s part of why we loved him.
Senator Max Cleland served under President Carter as VA Secretary and President Obama at the Battlefield Monuments Commission. He was patriotic and personable, with deep wisdom and a great laugh. We lost a great hero, champion for military families and dear friend. #RIPMaxCleland
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