Discussion Thread: Kerry's Appearance on GMA Regarding Medals

Good Morning America - ABC News

[Terry Mross]

Actually, the National Defense award does come with a medal. During the Viet Nam war if you enlisted and completed basic training you got a ND medal. Well, everyone in the Navy got one anyway.

I was told you NEVER where them with civilian clothes or work uniforms unless you were on watch where you might greet the public. Now, keep in mind, the Navy has work uniforms that are, or were, identical to dress blues except there was no piping on the collar. You were allowed to wear the ribbons with this uniform. I never did but I saw others wearing them. But you NEVER wear ribbons with dungarees or utilities (green).

[bondjamesbond]

ABC News

Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Since April 26, 2004.

[gdc61]

HEY, don't insult Jeep owners like that! ; )

[Interesting Times]

Obscured by all the medals / ribbons hoopla is just how radical and anti-American this event actually was. Click here for a video clip of the "throw your medals and denounce your country" lineup in which Kerry participated (5.8MB). More Vietnam Veterans Against the War clips, documents and flyers are available here, from WinterSoldier.com.

[prairiebreeze]

Yup. I think you've nailed it. Ever since Drudge broke this GMA segment last night, we've thought that it smelled like Hillary. (sorry)

Prairie

[jackbill]

Then again, it appears he asked for replacement medals in 1984. I think he DID throw his medals away.

I believe that in Douglas Brinkley's book, he mentions that the medals are in Kerry's Boston house.

We also hear the they're hanging in his DC office.

Perhaps he wanted duplicates so that he wouldn't have to move them back and forth.

I suspect that he's also bought additional copies to hang in his (Teresa's) other houses.

[MEG33]

This will get some play today.I may watch CNN and MSNBC to see if they have it ..coming up on Fox.

[prairiebreeze]

Yes, and this isn't the end of the Kerry/VietNam story to be told, as FReepers are all quite aware. His actual accusations, made under oath, need reviewed as well as his role in the assassination plots of the VVAW.

Fox News running segment on this medal thing right now

Prairie

[Terry Mross]

Again, I don't think you can purchase the actual medal. If medals could be purchased, he would have sent some flunky down to the nearest Navy base and bought a whole bag of 'em. No, he had to request "replacements" and they were signed by Lehman. I'm beginning to wonder if he ever was awarded any to begin with. I'm wondering since he had political connections did he get Lehman to give him some medals he wasn't awarded to replace the ones he didn't throw over the fence.

[rocklobster11]

The videotape could very well have been in his FBI files. Let's see, who has copies of FBI files?

I heard that the tape was archived in some Nixon files. I'm sure when the audio tapes showing Nixon's interest in Kerry surfaced several weeks ago, someone decided to go back thru Nixon's stuff to see what else there was on Kerry.

[cyncooper]

...the vote was taken. i was not in favor of throwing them over the fence.

Before he threw them over the fence...

[EllaMinnow]

[hchutch]

The press can be quite provincial...

Evne then, just ABC will knock John F'n Kerry down a couple points.

Kerry shored up his base and little more.

[NCjim]

Oh no! I hope that Kerry is not following this thread... you have given him the perfect out: He had to request replacements because the dog ate the originals!!!

[Terry Mross]

I fell down/I don't fall down.
I have an SUV/My family has an SUV.
I voted for the bill/I didn't vote for the bill.
I threw the medals over the fence/I didn't throw the medals over the fence.
I won't question how anyone served/George Bush can't even prove he served.

What have I left out?

[weegee]

But I'd love to know the backstory on how and why ABC got this footage. Especially since there's so much else they're willfully ignoring...

There was much more that Howard Dean could have been nailed on more than the scream but that started a fad that gave them a "safe" way to tank him.

This let's people walk away from Election 2004 thinking he lost becuase of ONE lie. He was a traitor, possibly a war criminal, and IS a habitual liar. Some would rather let the skeletons of Vietnam remain buried.

Michael Dukakis never stood much of a chance but his failure is blamed on that stupid photo of him in a tank.

If Kerry's post service Vietnam past is not fully outed, he can still serve in the Senate. Heck, known traitors are probably okay there. Former KKK Kleegles are, just ask Robert Byrd.

[prairiebreeze]

So, medals and ribbons aren't really interchangeable then, if there are ribbons that don't have corresponding medals. Am I reading you correctly?

Also interesting about the BDU pictures of Kerry. Undoubtedly photo-op material.

Prairie

[cajungirl]

Oh, give the poor guy a break. Those weren't his medals, those were his family's medals. He kept them in his family's suv, before he didn't get it.

[cyncooper]

Well, that just put all the Winter Soldier stuff into play. There is some serious scandal there involving assassination plots.

The New York Times actually published an article about that in the low-circulation Saturday edition, but still---they asked him about that Kansas City meeting and they used the word "assassination".

[kabar]

When you receive an individual medal like the Silver Star or Bronze Star, you are provided with a presentation case that includes the ribbon, minature medal for wearing on a dress uniform, business suit, or tuxedo, and the regular sized medal.