You're right about the border, especially pre Wall. As for learning about freedom by seeing the faces of a people living under Communism, Kerry, in his testimony during Dewey Canyon told the Congress that America was fighting a war against a mythological enemy in Communism. In other words, the Coummunists were not a real enemy of the U.S. and freedom. Like many statements and actions of the Democrat nominee they don't square.
Now that the Bush team knows who they are up against, they will use (hopefully) all of his inconsistencies against him?