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McCain: Hanoi Hilton Guards Taunted POWs with Kerry's Testimony
Newsmax.com ^ | 2/17/04 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 02/17/2004 9:46:04 AM PST by truthandlife

These days former Vietnam war POW Sen. John McCain has nothing but praise for his fellow Vietnam veteran, Sen. John Kerry, the Democrats' current presidential front-runner.

But after he was released from the Hanoi Hilton in 1973, Sen. McCain publicly complained that testimony by Kerry and others before J. William Fullbright's Senate Foreign Relations Committee was "the most effective propaganda [my North Vietnamese captors] had to use against us."

"They used Senator Fullbright a great deal," McCain wrote in the May 14, 1973 issue of U.S. News & World Report. While he was languishing in a North Vietnamese prison cell, Kerry was telling the Fullbright Committee that U.S. soldiers were committing war crimes in Vietnam as a matter of course.

Sen. Ted Kennedy, a key Kerry presidential backer, was "quoted again and again" by jailers at the Hanoi Hilton, McCain said.

"Clark Clifford was another [North Vietnamese] favorite," the ex-POW told U.S. News, "right after he had been Secretary of Defense under President Johnson."

"When Ramsey Clark came over [my jailers] thought that was a great coup for their cause," McCain recalled. Months earlier Sen. Kerry had appeared with Clark at the April 1971 Washington, D.C. anti-war protest that showcased his testimony before the Fullbright Committee.

"All through this period," wrote McCain, his captors were "bombarding us with anti-war quotes from people in high places back in Washington. This was the most effective propaganda they had to use against us."

McCain biographer Paul Alexander chronicled the Arizona Republican's anger toward Kerry during their early careers in the Senate together.

"For many years McCain held Kerry's actions against him because, while McCain was a POW in the Hanoi Hilton, Kerry was organizing veterans back home in the U.S. to protest the war."

In his 2002 book, "Man of the People: the Life of John McCain," Alexander says that the two Vietnam vets finally reconciled in the early 1990s after having "a long - and at times emotional - conversation about Vietnam" during a mutual trip to Kuwait.

Later, Kerry sought to minimize the rift, telling Alexander, "Our differences occurred when we were kids, or at least close to being kids. It was a long time ago, and we both came back and realized that there were a lot of difficulties in the prosecution of that war."

NewsMax gratefully acknowledges the help of U.S. Veteran's Dispatch editor Ted Sampley for supplying McCain's revealing 1973 account in U.S. News.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 1973; 2004; hanoihilton; kerry; mccain; northvietnam; powmia; pows; tedsampley; vietnamwar; vvajk; vvaw
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1 posted on 02/17/2004 9:46:06 AM PST by truthandlife
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To: All
How will this play?
2 posted on 02/17/2004 9:47:06 AM PST by olde north church (there is no tagline on this message)
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To: olde north church
JF*K can think himself and McAullife for opening up Vietnam.
3 posted on 02/17/2004 9:49:22 AM PST by Semper Paratus
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To: olde north church
It'll be ignored by the media, of course.
4 posted on 02/17/2004 9:49:35 AM PST by Preachin'
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To: truthandlife
Fullbright was always the handyman that carried water for the communists for years.
5 posted on 02/17/2004 9:49:45 AM PST by cynicom
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To: truthandlife
I really had not heard McCain praising Kerry. When was this?
6 posted on 02/17/2004 9:49:49 AM PST by tirednvirginia ((But things are looking up!))
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To: truthandlife
Good post!

BUMP
7 posted on 02/17/2004 9:50:52 AM PST by international american
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To: truthandlife
I expect McCain will lend a hand in Kerry's torpedoing...
8 posted on 02/17/2004 9:51:04 AM PST by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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To: truthandlife
Later, Kerry sought to minimize the rift, telling Alexander, "Our differences occurred when we were kids, or at least close to being kids.

Sorry, Kerry, that dog won't hunt. You weren't a "kid" when you betrayed those soldiers in Vietnam, you were a military officer.

9 posted on 02/17/2004 9:51:41 AM PST by Tamzee (PhilDragoo says... Senator Kerry for Information Minister!)
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To: truthandlife
Finally! This is a great find, thanks.
10 posted on 02/17/2004 9:51:51 AM PST by EggsAckley ({...................troll patrol........on duty...................})
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To: olde north church
How will this play?

McCain could be Bush's hole card, if Bush plays it right.

11 posted on 02/17/2004 9:52:30 AM PST by sinkspur (Adopt a shelter dog or cat! You'll save one life, and maybe two!)
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To: Frank_Discussion
I expect McCain will lend a hand in Kerry's torpedoing...

8 posted on 02/17/2004 9:51:04 AM PST by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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Only if there is something in it for Johnny McMe
12 posted on 02/17/2004 9:54:34 AM PST by Area51 (RINO Hunter, Big Time.)
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To: Frank_Discussion
I don't. I expect McCain will probably ride the fence and hope he gets to be SOD if Kerry wins. I used to think McCain would come to W's defense. But, so far, nothing!
13 posted on 02/17/2004 9:54:52 AM PST by Terry Mross
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To: sinkspur
I DO NOT trust McCain.
14 posted on 02/17/2004 9:57:57 AM PST by olde north church (American's aren't more violent, we're just better shots!!!)
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To: Terry Mross
McCain was "stumping" for Bush in New Hampshire... He seemed less than enthused at being there in my opinion.

He was on the "Daily Show" and ridiculed Bush and joined in on insulting W's intelligence with John Stewart. McCain can kiss my arse... One thing McCain should never do is trust a damn commie.

15 posted on 02/17/2004 9:58:17 AM PST by smith288 (http://www.ejsmithweb.com/FR/JohnKerry/)
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To: olde north church
McCain will NOT resurrect it. This article is all quotes from 1973. When asked about it, he will minimize it now. THe comity of the Senate will prevent him.

This is the same code of spineless comraderie that Orrin Hatch follows, such as when he admitted to Sean Hannity that if Jay Rockefeller had politicized the intelligence committee then Jay ought to be "criticized" (as opposed to being asked to resign).

By the way, this code of comraderie is a guide for Republicans only. Democrats can attack with impunity. And the Republicans are aware of this double standard imposed on them; it "troubles" them.

16 posted on 02/17/2004 9:59:11 AM PST by Taliesan
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To: tirednvirginia

McCain gives nod to Kerry campaign (MAJOR RINO ALERT!)


17 posted on 02/17/2004 9:59:40 AM PST by truthandlife ("Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." (Ps 20:7))
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To: tirednvirginia
McCain remarks on Brinkley's book about Kerry, Tour of duty: Atlantic Monthly - Cover Story, December issue

"The experience of war does a great deal more than make men out of boys. All wars, be they just and necessary or not, are epic calamities and their devastation and inhumanity will cause moments of doubt in the mind of the most ardent soldier and trouble all but the meanest conscience. In TOUR OF DUTY, an account of my friend John Kerry's experiences and great courage in Vietnam, and his role in our national debate over the lost cause, Doug Brinkley does a masterful job of showing how war, with its unique mix of sacrifice and malice, courage and trepidation, both burdens and strengthens the heart of the combatant, who learns in equal measure how cruel and how noble human beings can be." - John McCain

18 posted on 02/17/2004 9:59:59 AM PST by kabar
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To: tirednvirginia
McCain remarks on Brinkley's book about Kerry, Tour of duty: Atlantic Monthly - Cover Story, December issue

"The experience of war does a great deal more than make men out of boys. All wars, be they just and necessary or not, are epic calamities and their devastation and inhumanity will cause moments of doubt in the mind of the most ardent soldier and trouble all but the meanest conscience. In TOUR OF DUTY, an account of my friend John Kerry's experiences and great courage in Vietnam, and his role in our national debate over the lost cause, Doug Brinkley does a masterful job of showing how war, with its unique mix of sacrifice and malice, courage and trepidation, both burdens and strengthens the heart of the combatant, who learns in equal measure how cruel and how noble human beings can be." - John McCain

19 posted on 02/17/2004 9:59:59 AM PST by kabar
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To: truthandlife
Nice bombshell... cross-link:

-John Kerry- some selected, informative links...--

20 posted on 02/17/2004 10:00:57 AM PST by backhoe (The 1990's? The Decade of Fraud(s)... the 00's? The Decade of Lunatics...)
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