Matthews: Kerry Has 'Hanoi Jane' Problem

Newsmax.com ^ | 2/10/-4 | Carl Limbacher

[truthandlife]

MSNBC "Hardball" host and longtime Democrat Chris Matthews said Tuesday that a photo showing Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry protesting the Vietnam war with "Hanoi" Jane Fonda is a real problem for his party's top candidate.

While offering sharp criticism of President Bush for not serving in Vietnam, Matthews told radio host Don Imus Tuesday morning, "You've got the Jane Fonda problem on the other side. The thing with her is, she was on the other side - she was on Hanoi's side during that war.

"And I'll tell you," Matthews continued, "everybody I knew, including me, who was against the war - I wouldn't have anything to do with a person who supported Hanoi."

Kerry, then head of the radical anti-war group Vietnam Veterans Against the War, worked closely with Fonda on two war protests; a Sept. 1970 rally in Valley Forge, Penn., where Fonda and Kerry spoke from the back of the same pick-up truck. And a Jan. 1971 protest they called "The Winter Solider Investigation," where fabricated testimony of U.S. war atrocities was presented.

Asked about the NewsMax.com photo showing Sen. Kerry protesting the war with "Hanoi" Jane at Valley Forge, Matthews observed, "That will be in the Republican [campaign] ads."

[lady lawyer]

I wonder if Matthews ever criticized Clinton for not serving at all.

[rintense]

The color one is real and was originally posted from Corbis.com. I think too many people thought the bearded guy behind Jane Fonda was Kerry, when, in fact, he was a few rows behind. There is no mistaking that droopy face, which is probably why he's getting botox now... 'That's not me! My face doesn't look like that!'.

[bushfamfan]

John Kerry attended anti-war protests with Jane Fonda, called those still serving in Vietnam war criminals, degrades Old Glory on the cover of his book and leads the radical VVAW-you can bet that will be relevant when he is only running on being this Vietnam veteran 'hero'. Our very own Captain America, folks. Kerry's a joke. Demonrats are a joke.

[cinFLA]

I wonder if Matthews ever criticized Clinton for not serving at all.

I am not sure but he has a deep hatred for what Clinton did (to the democratic party).

[EllaMinnow]

Yeah, this one is real...he's right over the shoulder of the girl with glasses...

[joesnuffy]

Kerry doesnt have a 'Hanoi Jane' problem he has a 'Hanoi John' problem

[BluH2o]

"And I'll tell you," Matthews continued, "everybody I knew, including me, who was against the war - I wouldn't have anything to do with a person who supported Hanoi."

So the parallel that can be drawn here ... Kerry equates to Benedict Arnold of Revolutionary War disrepute. Arnold fought bravely for the Colonies then sold out to the British. He spent the rest of his life in England, shunned by both the Americans and the British ... who considered him a traitor as well.

[CougarGA7]

I think we all understand now why Kerry bemoaned using Vietnam as a political issue during the Clinton race. He really just wanted to cover his own butt. This guy is a discrace to the uniform he once wore.

[TomGuy]

I've seen that pix. What are the letters superimposed over Fonda's face ?

Apparently, a photo supplying company called Corbis owns the rights to that pic. They use the raised 'Corbis' lettering to show ownership. Corbis is a photo archive and supply company who owns rights to many, many photos of historical interest.

In order for Corbis to have the rights to that photo, they must have purchased the rights from the original photographer/owner, I would assume.

[OrioleFan]

And a Jan. 1971 protest they called "The Winter Solider Investigation," where fabricated testimony of U.S. war atrocities was presented.

If he new the testimony he gave was a lie, then he lied under oath. If he denounces it today then he lied under oath. He should be asked if he stands by the testimony he gave to Congress and if not then did he know he was giving false testimony at the time. How Clintonesque this guy is turning out to be. Next there will probably be stories of womanizing...

[tdadams]

I think the Dems are seriously underestimated how this will be played in the general election campaign. They're also giving too little estimation as to how their Democratic base will react to it. They think it's no big detriment. They couldn't be more wrong.

There are many die-hard, lifelong Democrats (like my uncle) who served in Vietnam who would poke their own eyes out before they voted for anyone who allied with Jane Fonda. They number in the tens of millions.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Well...does this, then, authenticate Kerry actually being in the crowd ?

[joesnuffy]

The Clintons will torpedo this not-so-Swift Boat commander before Nov

[TomGuy]

Probably, someone somewhere, in an old shoebox or album of 60's photos, has a pic of the anti-war activists. Whether any pic surfaces showing Kerry and Hanoi Jane together (as opposed to being in the same crowd) may be a matter of time. Someone, somewhere....should be going through those old pics in the attic.

[mewzilla]

Hanoi Jane in action.

[BluH2o]

I wonder if Matthews ever criticized Clinton for not serving at all.

Matthews has to tread lightly when it comes to criticizing Clinton's draft dodging. Matthews served a stint in the Peace Corps (South Africa) during that era ... and did not serve in the military. Matthews did criticize the way Clinton lied in order to evade the draft.

[fml]

I thought it had to be a fake at first - it's just too good to be true. Probably won't make one bit of difference though, they rarely care about the facts of a matter.

[tdadams]

just because you're in a photo together doesn't mean you agree 100% on any issue. And they aren't sitting right together either, so there's nothing to it other than they both attended an anti-war rally at the same time.

You're absolutely kidding yourself if you think that picture isn't a campaign manager's worst nightmare. No, they're not sitting side by side, but they don't have to be. They're in the frame together, obviously attending the same rally, looking at the same speaker. The inferrence is more than enough to tarnish him badly.

[Conservative Coulter Fan]