[WOSG]

“I left the country thinking well of Gardner and even tried to find him several times. But his stories are made up. It’s sad, but that’s the way it goes in war, and especially in politics.”


----

Mr "Winter Soldier" knows whereof he speaks!

[Porterville]

I'm not sure what to say- is this Time Magazine? The communist rag?

[LibWhacker]

. . . explaining how Kerry never backed down . . .

Except when it came to serving his full tour . . . Then he backed down as quickly as he could pull strings.

[woofie]

So 9 out of 10 say Kerry was a leader? ..BS ...This guy sounds right on....

[Mo1]

Well .. the only way to find out who is telling the truth is for Kerry to release his military records

[kcvl]

Kerry has been extremely lucky that 9 out of his 10 crewmen have almost identical stories about his valor during various firefights and skirmishes.

Maybe it wasn't just luck, especially since some of them miraculously showed up at his CAMPAIGN, as he tried to tell us that it was a surprise. Later we found out that was a lie. He knew all along they were going to be there. His campaign had contacted them and arranged the meetings.

[fella]

If all the others have the exact same story that means that they've been coached because any group of people will recall an incident differently and not exactly the same.

[lorrainer]

At various times in our interview he complained about Kerry “running around with Hanoi Jane” after the war and having a “rich wife.” And—like Limbaugh—he is determined to convince people that Kerry is Slick Willy incarnate.

And the problem with this is.....?

[thegreatbeast]

Over the next three years Gardner served as gunner on four different Swift boats, each with a different commanding officer. His least favorite was his last: Lieutenant (j.g.) John F. Kerry of PCF-44. Kerry was on the swift boats for what, FOUR months? You call it.

[Sabertooth]

After interviewing Gardner for over an hour it essentially boils down to one word: politics. A strong supporter of President George W. Bush, Gardner is sickened by the idea of Kerry as president. “Anybody but Kerry,” he says. “I know what a disaster he’d be.” So what brought Gardner out in the open? The answer turns out to be Rush Limbaugh’s talk show.

Good thing Brinkley told us this up front, and editorialized and paraphrased his way through Gardner's account.

I was afraid I might have to think for myself.

[Benrand]

Brinkley should be called not so slick Briinkley. He tried to claim that the only reason Gardner doesn't like Kerry is pure politics.

I've said it before, I don't think Brinkley is all that smart.

The smear machine gears up...

[R. Scott]

No two men remember combat exactly the same way so Kerry has been extremely lucky that 9 out of his 10 crewmen have almost identical stories about his valor during various firefights and skirmishes. But memories can vary from person to person; Gardner insists that the Kerry he knew in Vietnam was a singularly un-heroic figure. He dismisses the glowing eyewitness accounts of his crewmates Jim Wasser (Radarman), Bill Zaladonis (Petty Officer), Drew Whitlow (Boatswain’s Mate) and Stephen Hatch (Boatswain’s Mate) as bunk. “Kerry sat some of them down and convinced them to buy into his side of what happened over there,” he explains in bizarrely conspiratorial fashion with no evidence to back him up. “When you’re as persuasive as Kerry it’s not hard to make a guy change something that he saw.”

If this did happen, it could be a good example of implanting false memories. The crewmen were a tight bunch of people, more than willing to back each other up. They were also in the limelight because a national figure like Hanoi John was paying attention to them. It wouldn’t be difficult for Hanoi John to use this to his advantage.

[KC Burke]

keeper

[#3Fan]

How does your "respect Kerry's service" look now?.

[Free State Four]

When did the Democratic Party and the left-leaning mainstream press fall in love with the Viet Nam War? just curious....

[sport]

I believe him.

I do not believe kerry and his "band of brothers."

[atomicpossum]

So, why does Brinkley write a story about this forgotten figure, just to tear him down? Pre-emptive strike, to establish him as untrustworthy if he gets notice somewhere else? I think Mr. Brinkley's pretty transparent with his parenthetical dismissals....

[The Mayor]

I located him in Niagra Falls, New York

3 miles from me....

if John Kerry gets to be president of these United States, it’ll be a sorry day in this world for us. We can’t stand another Democrat like that in there again. We’ll get our asses in such a sling this time; we won’t be able to get out of it

chickenshit.... Will this hit the news? will any of this hit the news??

[kabar]

I find all of this bizarre to say the least. Kerry was on two boats for a total of four months. How can anyone build up such ties during such a short period of time with all but one of the crew members?

It is obvious that Kerry went to Vietnam to further his political ambitions. This reluctant warrior kept extensive "war diaries", put himseslf in for awards, and used a technicality to initiate a request to curtail his tour of duty. His "band of brothers" have been election props over the years. Having served almost 8 years as a naval officer, including in Vietnam, I just don't buy this story.

[syriacus]

Have we heard much about Kerry from the crew members of his first swift boat (caution: web page takes a long time to load)--- PCF44?

Here's Mother Jones' rundown of Kerry's service around that time.

November 17, 1968: Kerry arrives in Vietnam, where he is given command of Swift boat No. 44, operating in the Mekong Delta.

December 2, 1968: Kerry gets his first taste of intense combat, and is wounded in the arm. He is awarded a Purple Heart.

January, 1969: Kerry takes command of a new Swift boat, completing 18 missions over 48 days, almost all in the Mekong Delta area.

You don't want to see their comparison with Bush