Vets Attack Kerry On Vietnam (CBS News FULL Story)

CBS News ^ | 5-04-04

[jmstein7]

It's a favorite tactic of the Kerry campaign. So in Albuquerque on Tuesday, John Kerry, war hero, was greeted by Vietnam veterans, his band of brothers.

But 1,600 miles away in Washington, a different band played a different tune about the John Kerry they served with in Vietnam, reports CBS News Correspondent Byron Pitts.

"The John Kerry that I know is not the John Kerry that everyone else is portraying," said veteran Steve Gardner.

"He was aggressive, but vain and prone to impulsive judgment. He was a loose cannon," said retired U.S. Navy Adm. Roy Hoffman.

For nearly an hour, this group, called Swift Boat Veterans For Truth, unleashed decades of bitterness, attacking Kerry's service record and his anti-war testimony before Congress, which they say painted them all as war criminals.

But if you think this is just a concerned group of veterans, think again. Some of the organizers have a track record of going after Democrats, even Republican opponents of President Bush.

John O’Neill, who spoke first, debated Kerry about Vietnam on the "Dick Cavett Show" in 1971. Back then he was handpicked by the Nixon administration to discredit Kerry.

"John Kerry is not fit to be commander in chief," O'Neill said.

These are some of the same Republicans linked to attacks on Sen. John McCain's Vietnam war record when he faced President Bush for the Republican nomination in the 2000 campaign.

They even went after Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., in a TV ad – and Cleland lost three limbs in Vietnam.

"That sticks in my craw and it ought to stick in yours, because if you didn't go to war don't throw rocks at those who did," Cleland said.

The Bush-Cheney campaign quickly denied any part in Tuesday's news conference.

The Kerry campaign was just as quick to say they were behind it.

"It smells like another dirty trick from the Bush-Cheney team," said Vietnam veteran Wade Sanders.

Vietnam: Politicized then, politicized now.

[Semper Paratus]

Too bad CBS doesn't apply the same scrutiny to those professional "Families of 9-11 Victoms".

[jmstein7]

Yup. If you think these are just ordinary 9/11 families, think again (gee -- never saw THAT line in the Peaceful Tomorrow stories).

[Petronski]

...unleashed decades of bitterness...

SeeBS: These men were both tortured by decades of bitterness and frauds just schilling for the RNC. Right.

[Creightongrad]

PUKE. What does Max Cleland have to do with anything?

And that's the entire story? How about some more FACTS and quotes.

A hit piece by CBS. No surprise.

[tet68]

Ah, more unbiased reportage from CBS.

God I'm tired of the propagandist media in this country,
makes me want to burn out some editors offices.

The Atlanta journal/constitution today covered Pat tillman's funeral, the front page picture was of some guy
pouring a beer, and picture and a quote from Pats father about,"I don't know the ranger motto but I'm sure pat lived up to it."

Made me sick.

Damn them!

[jwalsh07]

The only good veterans are Kerry veterans, the rest of us are lying, baby killing, drug/alchohol addled lunatics.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

How refreshing to see the "fair and balanced" approach of SeeBS.

< /SARCASM >

[The Shrew]

This just has to go to Media Research Center!

Regards,

TS

[Redcoat LI]

"Vietnam: Politicized then, politicized now."

Which candidate talks non-stop about Viet Nam?

John Kerry and his Band-aid Brothers can talk about it ,but O'Neill and his people can't?

C.B.S Sucks.

p.s Max Cleeland don't pick things up off the ground.

[Wolverine]

John F Kerry and 'The Bandaid Brothers'

[Paul_B]

A smear, pure and simple. Because "some" of the vets have Republican roots, the whole group is partisan.

SeeBS, once again.

[Diddle E. Squat]

From this prior thread:

Kerry 'Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief,' Say Former Military Colleagues

"We have 19 of 23 officers who served with [Kerry]. We have every commanding officer he ever had in Vietnam. They all signed a letter that says he is unfit to be commander-in-chief,"

So every direct supervisor Kerry had in Vietnam says he is unfit to lead. How are those not relevant facts? Yet CBS chose to omit them, completely changing the story. That is lying by ommission, a complete breach of journalistic ethics(I know, an oxymoron), and nothing more than propaganda for the Democrat Party.

[Shermy]

But if you think this is just a concerned group of veterans, think again. Some of the organizers have a track record of going after Democrats, even Republican opponents of President Bush.

And they don't name one. and who are the "organizers?"

[ThreePuttinDude]

They even went after Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga.

There are some veterans down here in S/W Florida that remember Max, and they say he was more of a hinderance than anything else. Rather similar to what they are saying about Ketchup Boy today....

[Prince Caspian]

"That sticks in my craw and it ought to stick in yours, because if you didn't go to war don't throw rocks at those who did," Cleland said.

Then why, Mr. Cleland, are your fellow liberals throwing so many rocks at a few military members who WENT TO WAR IN IRAQ over alleged prisoner abuse?

[Gabz]

The only good veterans are Kerry veterans, the rest of us are lying, baby killing, drug/alchohol addled lunatics.

Not in my mind.

[jmstein7]

DUers very happy that the press came to their rescue and spiked or spun the story:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1528049

[ladyinred]

Well, CBS comes through again, attacking the messenger as long as the message is against a liberal! Were this about Bush, they would be truthful, concerned citizens with no reason to speak out except their patriotism.

[BushisTheMan]

"unleashed decades of bitterness..."

Gee, why would Vietnam Vets have to be bitter about? Oh yeah, a liar who called them all baby killers who committed atrocities.

Notice how Max Clelland is a hero to CBS. "That sticks in my craw and it ought to stick in yours, because if you didn't go to war don't throw rocks at those who did," Cleland said.

Maybe we need Clelland's original quotes about how he wasn't a hero. Like Kerry, Clelland is rewriting history about his heroism.