Tribune editorial staff

President George W. Bush's Vietnam-era service in the Texas Air National Guard surfaced last week as a campaign issue for Democrats, thanks to the party's chair Terry McAuliffe.

At issue is whether or not Bush was AWOL during his Air National Guard service. Even though Bush received an honorable discharge in 1973, indicating he met all his obligations, it has been reported he missed weekends of training - 18 months worth by some accounts.

Bush's service record was mentioned during the 2000 presidential election, but was less of an issue than what it is sure to be in 2004.

In both the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections, President Bill Clinton's alleged draft dodging was a major campaign issue for the Republicans. Look for Bush's service record to hold similar weight on this year's campaign trail.

The Democrats, no doubt, will attack Bush's service record in the months leading up to November's election. They will question how a man who allegedly went AWOL, as McAuliffe put it, could lead a nation to war in Iraq, where more than 500 Americans have died already.

As Bush's stint in the Air National Guard is studied further, it will fire up the anti-war crowd and, possibly, drum up even more support for the Democrats. And, if Sen. John Kerry happens to win his party's nomination, Bush's service record will be an even bigger issue.

Even though McAuliffe says he is not supporting any of the Democratic presidential hopefuls, bringing up the issue last week obviously indicates he is bracing for Kerry, the front-runner in the primary election, to be Bush's opponent in November's general election. Kerry, after all, is a decorated soldier for his service in Vietnam. The Democrats will look to win over voters by painting this picture: Who would you vote for, a Vietnam hero or an AWOL zero?

Sleazy campaigning? Maybe, but it could be very effective. Any opportunities the Democrats have to exploit the president's weaknesses on issues ranging from the war to the budget deficit will only increase their chances of winning the presidency in 2004.