Discussion Thread: Kerry's Appearance on GMA Regarding Medals

Good Morning America - ABC News

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Let's see if I can kick this off.

During the promo at the beginning of the show, where he was standing by live in West Virginia, and throughout the interview itself, Kerry tried hard to keep this huge "what me worry?" smile plastered on his face. He coupled it with numerous condescending head shakes that seemed to imply "these poor benighted fools who so miserably misunderstand the greatness that is John Kerry."

[cyncooper]

Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to check it out.

[rocklobster11]

MedalGate

What does Kerry know and when will he know it?

[BlessedByLiberty]

You are absolutely correct. Kerry is attempting to play VRWC and word games about the definition of "medal" to divert attention from his reprehensible conduct after the war. Gibson should have also asked him about his trip to Paris to meet with North Viet Namese representatives.

[mwl1]

I have a slightly different take on all of this -- the Kerry goal of this latest flap is to retreat to the "He's attacking my patriotim" lie to blunt the attacks of the new Bush commercials on weapons and defense.

[BlessedByLiberty]

That would work if he had the finesse to pull it off. That's the problem with JFK-wannabe, he lacks, charisma, charm and finesse. He does not have the ability to lie like Clinton and he certainly does not have the honesty or everyman appeal of President Bush.

Gore is an empty suit. Kerry comes across as someone who is a stand-in in his own life; no conviction, no trait that comes across as personable. His is a wannabe persona: wannabe JFK, wannabe rich (marries to achieve it), wannabe intellectual, wannabe hipster manifests itself in many ways with him: antiwar, environmentalist, abortion rights, all of the trendy cool causes. No matter what he champions,he still comes across as a pretentious overgrown wannabe.

[guitfiddlist]

The best part of this was the 197l video of Kerrey.

We definitely need the transcript of that 1971 interview that was part of the GMA segment. Can anybody with TiVO post it??

[O Neill]

He is wearing his ribbons (or medals, as he calls them) on BDU's, which is never to be done.

Full Medal Jacket, BDU

[Irene Adler]

Is your first name Crystal? (Sorry, couldn't help myself.)

[O Neill]

What are the other 7?

2nd row on the left is "Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal", I'm pretty sure (photo's at a slight angle)...

[Terry Mross]

Okay, so that's five total. How does he explain throwing "nine" medals/ribbons over the fence?

[Mike Bates]

Here's one Vietnamese memento I bet he'd never dream of tossing:

[O Neill]

How does he explain throwing "nine" medals/ribbons over the fence?

I believe his answer (on the new tape) was "...6 or 7...or 8...or 9..." He apparently didn't even know how many ribbons he was authorized to wear on his dress uniform.

Odd...I certainly knew EXACTLY how many ribbons I was authorized...AND...

I'm having a lot of trouble matching THOSE ribbons on the BDUs to a chart of all authoized NAVY ribbons...IOW

Those on the BDUs may just be ribbons he picked up at the nearest military base...Army, Navy, Air Force, whatever...to wear on his little 'in your face' BDU costume for the cameras!!!!

[guitfiddlist]

The Fundamental Lie About The Medals

The Kerry interview on "Good Morning America" provided a barrel of laughs, as he twisted and contorted his past and current statements into dimensions physicists can only postulate about.

Some salient samples of his statements:

In 1971, Kerry was asked if he gave back the Bronze Star, Silver Star and three Purple Hearts he was awarded for combat duty as a Navy lieutenant in Vietnam. "Well, and above that, [I] gave back the others. I gave back, I can't remember, 6, 7, 8, 9 medals," " he said.

But years later, trying to gain a patriotic union's endorsement, he stated, "No, I didn't throw the medals away."

And this last Friday, asked about throwing away his medals, he said "I never ever implied that I did it."

When Charlie Gibson told him that he himself was there and saw Kerry throwing medals, Kerry then scrambled to say, "I threw my ribbons over. I threw the medals of two veterans who asked me to throw them over, after the ceremony."

But then he trips himself up again: "We threw away the symbols of what our country gave us for what we had gone through....you know, ribbons, medals were absolutely interchangeable."

These statements merely illustrate the brazen and petty nature of this presumptive nominee's lies. After all, ribbons are pieces of cloth and medals are little pieces of metal, with no intrinsic significance. Their significance instead lies in what they symbolize - honor, bravery and/or sacrifice in service to this country. And there's no doubt in any of his earlier statements, that he renounced and denounced what these ribbons/medals signified, by publicly throwing either the ribbons or medals away in front of the White House. "We threw away the symbols of the war. I'm proud I stood up and fought, stood up and fought against it."

However, those miraculously recovered medals are now ostentatiously framed in his Senate office, "I'm proud of my medals, he says, "I always was proud of them", and this is the fundamental lie of this sorry episode.

[O Neill]

"I always was proud of them", and this is the fundamental lie of this sorry episode.

I agree and would only add that medals & ribbons are NOT "symbols of war". They are symbols of noteworthy SERVICE to our nation in supporting & defending the Constitution through obedience to the orders of superior officers & officials appointed over you through Constitutional means.

The Constitution does NOT authorize arrogant punk-dopes high on Alice B. Toklas Brownies like Kerry to make decisions that serving Presidents must be brought down or that an ongoing conflict with another nation must be terminated at their whim.

And I'll use every means at my command to see that Hanoi John, or any other of these traitor-pukes, ever rises again, ala Slick Willie, to the highest office of THIS land!

[Recon by Fire]

One of the medals you get for pulling KP (NDSM).

[Recon by Fire]

Yeah and this clown was an officer in charge of people.

[ArmstedFragg]

I'm having a lot of trouble matching THOSE ribbons on the BDUs to a chart of all authoized NAVY ribbons...IOW

And I'm having trouble determining whether that picture of him wearing those ribbons was taken before or after he "threw them away".

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" The real scandal:
FOR THIRTEEN YEARS (1971-1984) HE PERPETUATED THE MYTH ABOUT THROWING "MEDALS". THAT WAS HOW LONG HIS ANTI-WAR PROFILE SERVED HIS POLITICAL PURPOSES! "

Exactly. On Oct 15, 2002,Brian Willson wrote an angry letter to Kerry, which was published in CounterPunch- " An Open Letter to Sen. John Kerry on Iraq."

Willson was one of Kerry's Dewey Canyon denizens,worked with Kerry when he was Lt Gov and later a Kerry campaign supporter and member of the Kerry Commandos.
Willson is furious and calls Kerry a sell out on many issues.

Willson says the first hint that Kerry was a sell out, was during his 1984 Senate campaign, when Kerry issued a press release in which Kerry denied that he had thrown his own medals, but,had thrown the medals of a WWll " acquaintance" at his direction.

Kerry had led his anti war people to believe he had thrown his own medals,until it became politically inconvenient.
Or Kerry did throw his own medals and when it became politically inconvenient,he made up a new story.

Willson is angry that Kerry lied to the anti war people for 13 years.

From Willson's letter.
"All those 13 years everyone thought you had the courage and leadership to return medals...I guess then that you knew you were to be running for office."

Since the Kerry campaign themselves said that Kerry threw the medals of an acquaintance, if he is still alive, they should be able to bring him forward to clear up the mystery.
Or if he is deceased,the family might still be able to clear up the mystery.

However, the name of the acquaintance is probably going to be sealed securely in Teresa's bank vault, where Kerry keeps the names of the foreign leaders who have endorsed him.

[ArmstedFragg]

Okay... got the answer.

The picture's April 22, 1971. The "Medal toss" was the next day.

[jslade]

bttt