Kerry Backs Off Statements on Vietnam War

ny times ^ | 4/19/04

[knak]

IAMI, April 18 — Senator John Kerry on Sunday distanced himself from contentious statements he made three decades ago after returning from the Vietnam War, saying his long-ago use of the word "atrocities" to describe his and others' actions was inappropriate and "a little bit excessive."

"If you wanted to ask me, `Have you ever made mistakes in your life?' sure," Mr. Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said in an hourlong interview on the NBC program "Meet the Press." "I think some of the language that I used was a language that reflected an anger."

[OESY]

The one good thing you can say about Kerry is that he is not an "unusually good liar" like the last Bozo -- just mediocre. With Kerry, you're always waiting for the next Flip to Flop.

Watching "Meet the Press" a viewer would not have to wait for long. Kerry answered most tough questions on Iraq, the economy, etc., by saying either he would "change" this administration's policy (no details beyond "I have a plan" -- and Russert is notorious for lack of follow-up), or "it depends on the situation" (read, polls). In fact, Kerry said "depends" so often I thought he was selling absorbent napkins, and was probably sitting on a small pile of them.

[onedoug]

How about the wounded VC Kerry murdered? Was that "excessive" too?

[Owen]

The great tan is about the Hispanic vote, and the reality that Bush has a permatan from a lifetime in Texas.