Kerry/Bush/ Vietnam and the politics from the 1960's to the 2000's

So I was watching TV last night, and an item came on about the Music For Change tour going on in the States, with Springsteen, REM, Dixie Chicks, and probably others, trying to mobilise the Democrat vote in the marginal or swing states. REM's Stipe and Mills were duly interviewed for their finely honed weighty political opinions. On being asked who suited the Presidential Office the most, Mike Mills proceeded to harangue Bush for his military record, and praised Kerry for his experience in Vietnam. "He actually shot at people, and was shot at...". Now, am I alone in thinking that the irony of this situation was beyond the pale? Wasn't it only a few short years ago, that any person smart enough to avoid the draft would have been praised for their savvy by the 'rock' community??? Obviously good ol' lads like REM now value the ability to be a soldier more highly than their forebears. They failed to mention that Kerry was a hero of the anti Vietnam movement at the time and is now being widely vilified for that, it being perceived as a weakening of his chances of beating Bush. In the past it would have been Bush who was the smart guy, avoiding the draft, and staying out of the flak. Now everything is switched, its like Tariq Ali [famous sixties political activist, think mass demonstrations outside the USA Embassies in UK, France etc] standing for the Tories, preposterous.

I am left believing that everything is seen through the looking glass, darkly.