Pat Tillman was a noted professional football player with a salary over $500,000 a year and a brilliant future ahead of him in the National Football League. The exact opposite of a "Chickenhawk," and after 9/11, Pat Tillman dropped everything, turned down a 3-year, $3.6 million contract and enlisted in the US Army to help his country.

Two years later he died in Afghanistan. The Pentagon told Tillman's family that he was a hero who had been killed by enemy fire. At first, Tillman's death was a useful propaganda tool for the right and a tool to encourage patriotism for the war.

The left was accused of of being anti-American and demons when Tillman's death was first announced. The Left Smears an American Hero,

With the body barely cold, the Left has begun demonizing the late Pat Tillman. Tillman is the former NFL star who turned down a $3.6 million contract to join the Army Rangers after 9/11. He was killed last month in Afghanistan after Islamist soldiers ambushed his jeep. For most Americans, such noble service would qualify Tillman as a national hero, but it has unleashed a torrent of hatred on the Left.

But then reality started messing with the storyline the administration was using.

It emerged that Army investigators covered up that he was killed by "friendly fire." Then it was revealed that in fact, there was no engagement with the enemy at all - Pat Tillman was still a hero, but his death was a tragic mistake Then AP reported,

Within hours of Pat Tillman's death, the Army went into information-lockdown mode, cutting off phone and Internet connections at a base in Afghanistan, posting guards on a wounded platoon mate, and ordering a sergeant to burn Tillman's uniform.

It finally came out that Tillman had been against Bush's policies, and was an atheist.

At this point, as Pat Tillman's family sought closure on his death, they and America watched something very disturbing. No longer the convenient cover boy for the war, Pat Tillman became instead a target of smears and attacks.

Just as Ann Coulter attacked Bobby Muller a Vietnam Veteran in a wheelchair with a pithy:

'People like you caused us to lose that war.'

Now it was Pat Tilmman's turn. The leader of the second cover-up investigation called Tillman "worm dirt" because he was an atheist. Lasast week the extent of the Pentagon and Bush administration's mendacity became more and more clear - evidence surfaced that Tillman may have been shot at close range,

Army medical examiners were suspicious about the close proximity of the three bullet holes in Pat Tillman's forehead and tried without success to get authorities to investigate whether his death amounted to a crime, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press.

As the news goes from bad to worse for administration the distraction strategy is elevated. Time and time again, we have seen this used, sadly, often with great success.

If you don't want to talk about John Edwards plan to end Poverty, talk about his hair.

If you can't compete with Hillary on her policies, talk about her cleavage.

It is a tactic that deprives the American people of a conversation about the real problems of our country. It is a strategy that keeps good men and women out of running; and the media is part of the problem, not part of the solution as they should be.

He wasn't so much a patriot as he was apparently an antiwar leftist who enjoyed chomping on Noam Chomsky.

... Not the first, won't be the last leftist in the ranks. Fact is so is his brother, Kevin. Shame. We used to sniff them out in basic training and help them "out".

Pat Tillman is a hero. The military leaders who covered up his death and at the same time, promoted his sacrifice as a propoganda tool, there the ones that should be sniffed out and helped 'out' of the service of this country.



YearlyKos NOTE: We will be hosting a "Smoking Politics" Roundtable on Saturday Morning. Join us as we would love to meet you and discuss the issues we've been bringing up in these posts.