[Taliesan]

I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter. He was present at the meeting, he spoke and voted against it, then resigned. It spins as "Kerry, man of principle".

How you folks can so naive about the national media after all we've seen is beyond me.

[VadeRetro]

He was present at the meeting, he spoke and voted against it, then resigned.

Apparently not. He was still happily identifying himself to the media as a VVFW spokesman well into 1972.

And where are the records that he tipped the authorities to the assassination plot?

[jwalburg]

I thought someone posted a photo of Kerry watching Nixon on TV yesterday that captioned him as the head of VVAW in 1973.

[syriacus]

I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter

Not if people realize he was a coward or a lazy bum for not reporting the plot to the authorities.

This is one more example of Kerry running away from something difficult. Kerry is great at rebelling, but can't seem to do anything positive.

[kennedy]

I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter. He was present at the meeting, he spoke and voted against it, then resigned.

I think the reason he has always denied that he was at the meeting is that he knew of a terrorist plot to assassinate U.S. Senators and did not report it.

[ModelBreaker]

I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter. He was present at the meeting, he spoke and voted against it, then resigned. It spins as "Kerry, man of principle".

Actually its not a non-starter when viewed as a coverup. Remember what got Nixon. There was never any evidence that he had anything to do with the Watergate burglary. But he participated in the coverup.

Kerry first denies having been there. When evidence comes out that he was, he finally remembers being there but says he has no recall. His pitch will be 'I resigned because of it.' But how can he not recall why he resigned from the organization that he founded and was the whole jumping off point in his career. An organization to which he devoted his life--especially when that reason was the assasination of US Senators.

There's probably more shifts in position to come. But if he sticks to the "I don't remember" spot, his credibility is thin thin thin. It's pretty obvious what's going on. If he says he now recalls after having thought about it, does that mean that assasination of US Senators is such an unimportant topic to him that his memory had to be jogged and rejogged?

Given his other mealy mouthed waffling depending on which way the winds are blowing this minute--which the president is starting to drive home to the voters--this could turn into a big issue. Not that he supported assasination, but that he lied about and admitted only to what he thought folks would catch him on.

I used to practice law and I loved cross-examining witnesses with this particular character trait. They thought they were smart enough to lie selectively and to stay ahead of a well prepared attorney. They always goofed up.

[Swamp path]

It may be a non starter but I do believe if you are present at a meeting where assassinations of political figures or indeed anyone is discussed, you may be required by law to report it. Any lawyers here?

[blanknoone]

It spins as "Kerry, man of principle".

I agree that is the way the media will spin it, but I think middle America says to itslelf, "What the heck was doing with that bunch in the first place?"

[xzins]

Because the guy who proposed the plot has just been presented as a possible addition to the Kerry campaign.

If he knew the guy wanted to assassinate Senators once upon a time, what does it say of his judgement that he now wants to make him a part of his presidential campaign.

[CDHart]

"I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter. He was present at the meeting, he spoke and voted against it, then resigned. It spins as "Kerry, man of principle"."

You're right -- much as I hate to say it.

Carolyn

[Callahan]

If Kerry and his drones thought this made him look good, they wouldn't be talking in circles claiming he wasn't there.

[twigs]

The spin breaks down when people wonder why he didn't report what was discussed. Now, the fact that he's lied about his presence there can be added to his problems. He had no business ever being seated as a senator, much less as president.

[Galatians513]

I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter. He was present at the meeting, he spoke and voted against it, then resigned. It spins as "Kerry, man of principle". How you folks can so naive about the national media after all we've seen is beyond me.

It's not the crime, it's the coverup!

[Mo1]

I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter. He was present at the meeting, he spoke and voted against it, then resigned. It spins as "Kerry, man of principle".

IF he was a man of principal .. then he would have reported the assassinating plot of U.S. Senators to the proper authorities

I'm gonna take a guess that he didn't do this or it would be in the FBI file

[cyncooper]

I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter. He was present at the meeting, he spoke and voted against it, then resigned. It spins as "Kerry, man of principle".

How you folks can so naive about the national media after all we've seen is beyond me.

Yes, and he lied about his attendance because he was too modest to speak up about taking this stand. /sarcasm

As to the idea that we should all shut up because the media runs the show and they'll decide how to spin it, you can forget about it.

The fact is the idea that Kerry was part of a group that would even entertain such a plan is news and will be disseminated. None of us are naive enough to think all will be horrified. We have eyes and ears. But it IS horrifying and it WILL be discussed.

I don't think he quit based on principle but because of political calculations and the fear of being caught.

That's my opinion watching how Kerry operates and reading and hearing how he thinks. I don't think he was against the idea per se. Just listen to how he'll say the name "John Ashcroft" when he's at a campaign rally and it's easy to picture a young John Kerry being attracted in a way to the idea of assassinating hard right-wingers who were pro-Vietnam War.

[alnick]

I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter. He was present at the meeting, he spoke and voted against it, then resigned. It spins as "Kerry, man of principle".

Except that Kerry:

1. Didn't report it to the authorities, and

2. Assured them that he (Kerry) would be available to speak at future events for the group.

Any man of principle would have immediately reported this to the FBI and would have completely disassociated himself from the group rather than offer to continue to speak at their functions.

[breakem]

I was waiting for the part about reporting the conspirators to the FBI or at least the local police.

[Colonel Jim]

Look, the mere fact that Senator Kerry was associated with a group contemplating assassination is very telling. One would be naive in thinking that this instance was the first time this group of people contemplated killing to advance their cause.

[unsycophant]

I hate to disabuse everybody, but this is a non-starter.

Thanks for trying, but I don't think you're going to have much luck convincing people around here.

[Conservative4Ever]

I disagree...it's not the fact he was there...it's the convenient lapse of memory or lying about the issue that is the undoing. Martha went down for just the same thing.

Red

[unsycophant]

Reminder bump. Whatever happened to that guy Kerry anyway?