FBI called Kerry `glib, cool' critic of Vietnam War

AP via Houston Chronicle ^ | May 5, 2004, 11:32PM | no byline

[weegee]

WASHINGTON -- The FBI considered John Kerry a "glib, cool" spokesman for Vietnam war protesters when he was attached to an anti-war veterans group, but the bureau focused on more radical elements of the organization during an investigation spanning four years, documents show.

In more than 9,000 pages from the early 1970s, the FBI is seen tracking the protests, manifestos and myriad activities of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and concluding that the group took a more extreme turn in the years after Kerry, now the Democratic presidential candidate, quit it.

FBI files on the organization were released Wednesday in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the Associated Press and other news organizations.

Kerry is accused in the file of little more than charisma.

An FBI summary of the anti-war protests he helped organize in April 1971 says Kerry, a decorated war hero, "overshadowed" many of the organization's other leaders and was "a more popular and eloquent figure" than the rest.

"Kerry was glib, cool, and displayed just what the moderate elements wanted to reflect," the summary says.

Although the FBI was watching Kerry and the other protesters earlier in 1971, it placed the group under active investigation in August of that year after reports from many field offices that members were "engaging in illegal and subversive activities," an FBI memo says.

Kerry left the group before the end of 1971 and was not implicated in violent activities or conspiracies attributed to other members in the file.

That memo, which does not mention Kerry, says that in 1972, the group "moved toward increased militant and revolutionary-type activities in addition to continued cooperation with communist-dominated groups and foreign elements hostile to the U.S."

By then, Kerry had moved on to an ill-fated run for a seat in Congress.

Campaigning Wednesday in Los Angeles, Kerry welcomed the release of the records.

"I think it's great," he said. "I'm very proud of my efforts to end the war. I welcome anybody's perusal of them. I'm proud that I stood up to Richard Nixon. And you know, I personally have also requested those documents. So I'm happy to have them out there. It's terrific."

Kerry is mentioned only sporadically in the file, most of which covers the group's activities from 1972 to 1975.

An April 12, 1971, FBI memo from Baltimore quotes a confidential source as saying that Kerry had been telling the group that "Congress is prepared to listen" to their anti-war agenda but cautioned that it was critical that demonstrations remain nonviolent. Kerry was on the group's national steering committee at the time.

[weegee]

An FBI summary of the anti-war protests he helped organize in April 1971 says Kerry, a decorated war hero, "overshadowed" many of the organization's other leaders and was "a more popular and eloquent figure" than the rest.

Do you think that the FBI summary characterized John Kerry as a "decorated war hero" or is that just a "helpful" reminder from AP?

[MEG33]

DUH

[opinionator]

More proof of FBI imcompetence!

[GottaLuvAkitas1]

More proof of FBI imcompetence!


LOL yup!

[Fedora]

This article is inaccurate in stating that "Kerry left the group before the end of 1971", for Kerry continued to work with the group into 1972, as has been discussed on other FR threads; and the article is also very selective and misleading in its summary of the FBI's files. Well before 1971, as early as 1965, J. Edgar Hoover briefed the Johnson administration on the antiwar movement's ties to foreign Communist influence, which is discussed in Athan Theoharis and John Stuart Cox, The Boss, 448-449. During this period the Bureau, in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis, was particularly concerned with Cuban influence on the civil rights and antiwar movements via groups such as the Socialist Workers Party/Young Socialist Alliance, the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, the Venceremos Brigade, and various other groups. Accordingly, during the Johnson and Nixon administrations the FBI conducted extensive surveillance of antiwar groups such as Students for a Democratic Society and the Weathermen; and this surveillance formed the context of the Bureau's investigation of the VVAW, which was linked to various other antiwar groups. As part of its investigation of the antiwar movement, the Bureau monitored such Communist publications as The Daily World, which reported on Kerry prominently during 1971. During 1971 the Bureau focused surveillance on close allies of the VVAW such as George McGovern and Ramsey Clark (cf. Theoharis and Cox, 478, 481-483). The Bureau's Surreptitious Entries files pdf file 23a, pp. 18-19 mention surveillance of VVAW the Bureau conducted in November 1971. The 1972 surveillance of VVAW is discussed in the Bureau's file on the related group Clergy and Laity Concerned About Vietnam, pdf file 1a, pp. 94-121, which traces CALCAV's suspicious activity back to the mid-60s. In this context note that Kerry joined VVAW while working for the antiwar clergyman Fr. Robert Drinan. The notion that the Bureau's interest in Kerry was limited to his charisma is patently absurd.

[Fedora]

Ping.

[weegee]

The "revived" public Media Schadenfreude and and Media Shenanigans lists PING

[dyed_in_the_wool]

"Kerry was glib, cool, and displayed just what the moderate elements wanted to reflect," the summary says.

I see his role has not changed.

[Liz]

Charisma, my Aunt Tillie.

Kerry's money and his connections paved the way for him then, just as he thinks now he's "entitled" to be president b/c of his wealth. Let's not forget one of his first public appearnces when announcing for president was to beat the public over the head about his family connections.....that he'd just found out his father changed his name, and that he had Jewish roots. At the same time, he touted his Irish-Catholic roots to get elected to his Senate seat by that predominant ethnic group.

As the saying goes, Kerry got tonsured for the Catholic vote, circumcized for the Jewish vote, and now he carries around a prayer rug for the Muslim vote.

[Grampa Dave]

+

+

=EARLY OUT AND PATHWAY TO BE A US SENATOR!

[cyncooper]

I was going to point out that he was being identified as a leader of the group well after 1971, too, but scrolled first to see if someone caught that.

I do see that now the record from Kerry has been amended that he left "at the end of '71". A few months ago (and for years) Kerry was claiming that he left that summer--so he could deny attending the assassination meeting in November.

And again with Nixon. Kerry is obsessed with Nixon (proud he "stood up" to him).

[cyncooper]

Kerry left the group before the end of 1971

Ahem:

Kerry Still Called Himself The Head Of VVAW In January 1973

[calcowgirl]

I just called the FBI D.C. FOIA office to see if they were going to add these files to their online Electronic Reading Room. They are not, however, the files will be made available to anyone requesting them. Info is as follows:

The files are on 3 CD Roms.  Total Cost: $45.00 (incl mailing).

Request by FAX:  202-324-3752

Request by Mail:  Attention David M. Hardy
                  935 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
                  Washington, D.C.  20535

Ref: FOIA files - Vietnam Veterans Against the War

If requested by Fax, they will ship immediately... and bill you 
(no payment required in advance)

[calcowgirl]

Ping... please pass it on to any researchers, TIA.

[cricket]

"Do you think that the FBI summary characterized John Kerry as a "decorated war hero" or is that just a "helpful" reminder from AP?"

Think this report gets enhancement by every lib who writes a story on it; read one yesterday; could tell where the report began and the 'fill' ended. Of course, they have to do this because we wouldn't understand the whole thing anyway.

Do wonder, though if this report was not cleaned up before release, in any event.

[cricket]

"As the saying goes, Kerry got tonsured for the Catholic vote, circumcized for the Jewish vote, and now he carries around a prayer rug for the Muslim vote."

LOL! and for sure. Wondering if there is anything archived on Kerry giving a speech; say on St. Patrick's Day - or even culling the Irish Catholic vote - where he may have played upon his very 'Kerry' name. Would be great to see. . .

[tiki]

I think we need a doctored picture of SKerry with Christmas decorations. "a decorated war hero"

[Liz]

Wondering if there is anything archived on Kerry giving a speech; say on St. Patrick's Day - or even culling the Irish Catholic vote - where he may have played upon his very 'Kerry' name. Would be great to see. . .

Kerry, Irish in March 18, 1986: "For those of us who are fortunate enough to share Irish ancestry, we take pride in the contributions of Irish Americans."

Kerry, not Irish in Feb 2003: "John Kerry has never indicated to anyone that he was Irish, and corrected people over the years who assumed he was." Kerry spokeswoman Kelly Benander, Feb. 2003.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Kerry, Irish in March 18, 1986: "For those of us who are fortunate enough to share Irish ancestry, we take pride in the contributions of Irish Americans." "

Which really means: "If I was Irish and shared your ancestry then I would also take pride in the contributions of Irish Americans."

So if Kerry was a Republican the headline reads:

KERRY SAYS IRISH AMERICANS HAVE NO PRIDE