I was watching The Big Story w/John Gibson. He had a guy on at the end of the program that was a member of VVAW - Kerry's group - 33 years ago. John asked him a couple questions about if Kerry was at this KC meeting. The guy kinda stumbled around and said he did not know if he was there or not, it was 33 years ago, yada, yada, yada. Then Gibson got him on the Phoenix story and the guy said that one guy brought this up at the conference, wanted to make it a US thing. Gibson than asked what the Phoenix project was, the guy explained that this project was the killing of Viet Cong leaders. Than Gibson real quick asked what did Kerry say about this, and the guy rushed out and said that Kerry spoke out strongly against it. Never mind he said a few moments earlier that he could not remember if Kerry was there or not. Did anyone else see or hear this the way I did?
Barnes was one of the guys who had to stay outside and get messages. Only the most trusted of leadership were in that Mennonite hall. From Gerald Nicosia's book, Home to War ---
The rest of the members, even trusted leaders such as Randy Barnes and John Upton (who had earned their credibility in the mud and tears of Dewey Canvon III), were forced to wait outside on the grass, where messengers brought frequent word of what was going on inside. According to Barnes, everybody knew that the discussion in that hall "was grounds for criminal indictment of conspiracy."
"I was watching The Big Story w/John Gibson. He had a guy on at the end of the program that was a member of VVAW - Kerry's group - 33 years ago. John asked him a couple questions about if Kerry was at this KC meeting. The guy kinda stumbled around and said he did not know if he was there or not, it was 33 years ago, yada, yada, yada. Then Gibson got him on the Phoenix story and the guy said that one guy brought this up at the conference, wanted to make it a US thing. Gibson than asked what the Phoenix project was, the guy explained that this project was the killing of Viet Cong leaders. Than Gibson real quick asked what did Kerry say about this, and the guy rushed out and said that Kerry spoke out strongly against it. Never mind he said a few moments earlier that he could not remember if Kerry was there or not. Did anyone else see or hear this the way I did?"
The vet (and VVAW and Kerry campaign worker) is Randy Barnes. He is one of the guys who first said Kerry was there--but then changed his story after being heavily leaned on by Veterans For Kerry (and VVAW member) John Hurley.
And, no, you aren't alone. I didn't see the show, but I've seen others comment on it--such as here:
"John Gibson, interviewing a VVAW member who was at the 1971 KC meeting on Fox just moments ago, asked if Kerry was there. The gentleman said he did not remember Kerry being at the meeting at all.
But Gibson's redirect won the day. Gibson outlined the Phoenix Program (a military operation aimed at knocking off North Vietnamese leaders) and talked about Scott Camil's suggestion that VVAW pursue a domestic Phoenix operation to kill US Senators supporting the war. Gibson asked the vet (I didn't catch his name) how Kerry reacted to the plan. The vet said Kerry didn't like the plan and loudly argued against it. He thereby accidentally proved that Kerry was there at the meeting, and that he (the vet Gibson was interviewing) was not telling the truth when he said he did not recall Kerry being at the meeting at all. He did recall Kerry's presence enough to remember details about the argument, he just lied about it when asked directly earlier in the inverview.
Curious, no? Is Kerry asking veterans to go to bat for him and lie to the press about that meeting and his attendance? It sure looks like it.
Now why would he do that?"
http://junkyardblog.transfinitum.net/archives/week_2004_03_21.html#002958