CANDIDATES OF 2028: My guess [is] that in the not so distant future senior elected offices -- in the Congress, statehouses, and certainly the presidency -- would be very difficult to obtain for the young men of today who did not volunteer to come to the defense of their country after it had been attacked on 9/11. Not impossible, but very difficult. Very, very difficult. ... The failure to serve would not be a bar to a successful life in many other fields, but politics is unique in that it requires the consent of voters, and voters generally look for leadership. I don't think it is a stretch to conclude that young men who declined the opportunity to serve in uniform during this war will find themselves being asked "Why didn't you come to the defense of your country after it was attacked?" -- Hugh Hewitt, townhall.com, 12/14/06