Former POWs reject Kerry's bid -- The Washington Times

The Washington Times ^ | 8-4-2004 | By Richard Tomkins

[Thanatos]

Sen. John Kerry's bid to become commander in chief of wartime America has opened old wounds among some former Vietnam-era prisoners of war who bristle over the Massachusetts Democrat's anti-war activism.

His activities and statements, pushed out of sight by a campaign that spotlights Mr. Kerry's service in Vietnam, were used by the POWs' North Vietnamese captors to sap the morale of prisoners and U.S. troops still in the field in South Vietnam, say former POWs.

"They were always talking about [anti-war demonstrations], and they picked right up on Kerry's throwaway line, 'Don't be the last man to die in a lost cause, or die for a lost cause,' " said Kenneth Cordier, an Air Force pilot who spent 2,284 days as a prisoner. "They repeated that incessantly.

"They used these photographs and inputs, voice tapes, whatever, from these peace people to try to convince us the whole country had turned anti-war and we were showing a very bad attitude and would never go home."

Jim Warner, a prisoner of the North Vietnamese in the Hoa Lo prison complex known to U.S. servicemen as the Hanoi Hilton does remember. In 1971, a North Vietnamese guard and interrogator nicknamed "Boris" by the prisoners pulled papers from his pocket and gave them to Mr. Warner to think about, he said.

Apart from clippings from a leftist newspaper in the United States, there was a typewritten transcript of Mr. Kerry's testimony before a U.S. Senate panel in which he repeated charges that U.S. troops were committing atrocities routinely, attacked the war and said communism was not a threat in Vietnam.

Mr. Warner said Mr. Kerry and the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, which had staged large demonstrations in Washington, were often mentioned in the radio broadcasts that played incessantly over the camp's loudspeakers.

[Thanatos]

"The measure of a person's character is their whole history up until the present," Mr. Cordier said.

[LOC1]

"My name is Steve Gardner. I served in 1966 and 1967 on my first tour of duty in Vietnam on Swift boats, and I did my second tour in '68 and '69, involved with John Kerry in the last 2 1/2 months of my tour. The John Kerry that I know is not the John Kerry that everybody else is portraying. I served alongside him and behind him, five feet away from him in a gun tub, and watched as he made indecisive moves with our boat, put our boats in jeopardy, put our crews in jeopardy... if a man like that can't handle that 6-man crew boat, how can you expect him to be our Commander-in-Chief?"
-- Steven Gardner

The above quote was from a press conference given at the National Press Club in Washington on May 4, 2004. You may view Steven’s comments at the following web site. Just scroll down to Steven’s picture and click on it.

http://www.swiftvets.com/index.php?topic=SwiftVetQuotes


Searching through that web site, you will find 250 men who served on Swift boats, including the entire chain of command above Lt. Kerry, agree with Steven Gardner that Kerry is not fit to be Commander-in-Chief. That compares to the 13 crew members who support his candidacy.

[Happy2BMe]

STEP BACK FOLKS - We've got a REAL, GENUINE WAR HERO HERE! * *

The John Kerry The DNC Doesn't Want You To Know About

* *

(click on “hero’s” face to see the video)

Kerry's Voting Record (Michael Moore's Hero)

* * John Kerry – UNFIT FOR COMMAND

* *

• Two of John Kerry's three Purple Heart decorations resulted from self-inflicted wounds, not suffered under enemy fire.
  
  
• All three of Kerry's Purple Hearts were for minor injuries, not requiring a single hour of hospitalization.
  
  
• A "fanny wound" was the highlight of Kerry's much touted "no man left behind" Bronze Star.
  
  
• Kerry turned the tragic death of a father and small child in a Vietnamese fishing boat into an act of "heroism" by filing a false report on the incident.
  
  
• Kerry entered an abandoned Vietnamese village and slaughtered the domestic animals owned by the civilians and burned down their homes with his Zippo lighter.
  
  
• Kerry's reckless behavior convinced his colleagues that he had to go -- becoming the only Swift Boat veteran to serve only four months.
  
  

[maryz]

Apart from clippings from a leftist newspaper in the United States, there was a typewritten transcript of Mr. Kerry's testimony before a U.S. Senate panel in which he repeated charges that U.S. troops were committing atrocities routinely, attacked the war and said communism was not a threat in Vietnam.

He promises to "defend this country" as president, just as he did as a young man. Well, Liveshot, that's just what we're afraid of.

[Happy2BMe]

HMMMMmmm 250 delsional war vets suffering from agent orange ~vs~ 13 honorable war heros.

[Defender2]

Below is excerpted statements to Congress, 22 April, 1971 by Lt. John F. Kerry USNR(Inactive Reserve Status).


"Mr. KERRY. My feeling, Senator, is undoubtedly this Congress, and I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but I do not believe that this Congress will, in fact, end the war as we would like to, which is immediately and unilaterally and, therefore, if I were to speak I would say we would set a date and the date obviously would be the earliest possible date. But I would like to say, in answering that, that I do not believe it is necessary to stall any longer. I have been to Paris. I have talked with both delegations at the peace talks, that is to say the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government and of all eight of Madam Binh's points it has been stated time and time again, and was stated by Senator Vance Hartke when he returned from Paris, and it has been stated by many other officials of this Government, if the United States were to set a date for withdrawal the prisoners of war would be returned."

Furhter paired down to:

"I have been to Paris. I have talked with both delegations at the peace talks, that is to say the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government and of all eight of Madam Binh's points..."(kerry and his VVAW negotiated in Paris with the then enemy.)

Stated by kerry to Our U.S. Congress which is in the Official Congressional Record, 22 April, 1971.

I'll let ALL of you think your own thoughts about this, however, I cannot for the life of me, picture kerry in any elected office, never mind being Commander in Chief!!!!

Why kerry was not indicted, tried and convivted for Treason and Sedition under the appropriate Articles, We will never know.

The Media SHAMELESSLY hides this TRUTH(In the Congressional Record, dated 22 April, 1971) from the Public!!!! They are equally Treasonous and Seditionous as kerry is!!!!This Blatant Example of the media shows that we no longer have a FREE and TRUTHFUL Press(Straight ALL the Way LEFT of Center)!!!!

kerry had his VVAW which led to the deaths of thousands or hundreds of thousands of deaths in Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia after he and his VVAW accomplished their mission in getting U.S. withdrawal in South Viet Nam. kerry and his VVAW forever tarnished the image of U.S. Viet Nam Vets!!!!

The Democratic Party is no longer the Democratic Party!!!! For them to select kerry and his two forunners Clinton and Gore show they have become the party of our enemies!!!!

We cannot ALLOW this to STAND!!!!

Defender2

[Defender2]

Some More Interesting historical news about kerry:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1091943/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1160580/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1165078/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1181426/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1181954/posts

Some of kerry's friends listed below:

http://www.cpusa.org/

http://www.dsausa.org/

DSA's "Progressive Caucus" Links below:

http://bernie.house.gov/pc/

http://bernie.house.gov/pc/members.asp

They are the Enemy Within!!!!

I have at least one or two interesting posts about said such subject matter, below:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1165983/posts


And see:

http://tonkin.spymac.net/hanoikerry1.html

More: Communist Party Backs the RATS!!!! below:


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1171176/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1172055/posts


More!!!! Socialists(DSA) backs kerry!!!! Below:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1179854/posts

More of the Enemy within!!!!


Even More!!!! Red China Backs kerry!!!! See Below:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1180437/posts


Avoid the Socialists/Communists backed johns(not capitolised on purpose) like the Plague!!!!

D2

[RedEyeJack]

There is a tag line there that could have legs...

The American public is afraid that John Kerry will defend the United States as President EXACTLY like he defended it as a young man. Ask a former POW...

[Texas Termite]

Does anyone have any idea how we can get the "MEDIA" to publish the truth?? ABC, CBS and NBC are nothing but a bunch of "Bushwackers" !! They "drool" when they speak of Kerry and his wife (who,in our opinion, can't hold a candle to Mrs. Bush)..

Someone come up with an idea and we'll help all we can!

*TT*, Beth & Nana

[FourtySeven]

Wasn't McCain interred at the Hanoi Hilton during this time too? If so, I wonder if he remembers hearing anything about Kerry. Of course, being the RINO he is, I doubt he'd say anything even if he did remember.

[rwfromkansas]

bump

[FourtySeven]

Does anyone have any idea how we can get the "MEDIA" to publish the truth?? ABC, CBS and NBC are nothing but a bunch of "Bushwackers" !! They "drool" when they speak of Kerry and his wife (who,in our opinion, can't hold a candle to Mrs. Bush)..

I honestly don't know, after all Mr. Gardner has said and done, what more CAN be done to get his message out about Kerry. The man couldn't be more reputable and trustworthy, at least as much so as Kerry's "13" he had up with him at the Convention. Yet, absolutely no one is listening to his story. I heard him on Savage last week telling his story, and even SAVAGE hadn't heard about him until that broadcast! At least that's what he said. I don't think anyone in the entire country, other than FReepers, know about him. It's an appauling display of journalistic laziness, if not out right dishonesty.

It's quite discouraging actually.

[Defender2]

"Does anyone have any idea how we can get the "MEDIA" to publish the truth?? ABC, CBS and NBC are nothing but a bunch of "Bushwackers" !! They "drool" when they speak of Kerry and his wife (who,in our opinion, can't hold a candle to Mrs. Bush).."

"Someone come up with an idea and we'll help all we can!"

"*TT*, Beth & Nana"


Beth and Nana, I'm not an expert in that field, however, I'm forwarding your perfectly good question to jmstein7 and mhking. Maybe they could give us a good answer.

Best FReegards,

D2

[tiamat]

McCain has made it a point to savage Kerry.

Quietly, and many people missed it.

Back when we were all wondering if Kerry would get McCain as a running mate, McCain recieved with Kerry something like SEVEN times. And McCain strung Kerry along, wasting time and Kerry's resources.

Now McCain is working for Bush.

there is no love lost between McCain and Kerry.

[Defender2]

Thanks for the Bump!!!!:-)

[isthisnickcool]

In the Book "Stolen Valor" Jug Burkett says that the words Kerry used in his testimony were written by a former speechwriter for Bobby Kennedy.

I posted a little bit from the book regarding this here.

I met Burkett in 1999 and spent part of the day with him. He and another Texan, John O'Neill (who has kept out of politics) have been carefully looking at Kerry's Vietnam past recently. I posted about this some weeks back and that Kerry "is toast" if he has things he is hiding. Because O'Neill and Burkett will find it.

If I recall correctly there was some audio someone posted about Richard Nixon talking about Kerry. That while the other "vets" (some were not actually Vets as Burkett revealed) slept on the ground in Washington as Kerry was sleeping in a Washington townhouse all nice and cozy.

I DARE THE NATIONAL MEDIA TO PUT JOHN O'NEILL ON TELEVISION! I DARE THEM! THE BIG THREE "ANCHOR/NEWS READERS". THAT LITTLE DEMOCRAT OPERATIVE PUNK LITTLE GEORGIE ON ABC WHO PRETENDS TO BE A JOURNALIST. CHRIS MATTHEWS. ETC, ETC.

I DOUBLE-DARE THEM TO PUT JOHN O'NEILL ON TV WITH JOHN KERRY!! HEY! WHY NOT HAVE DICK CAVETT DO THE INTERVIEW?

We had thousands of people murdered on 9/11. We lost over a trillion dollars after 9/11. Brave Americans are being killed by G-dless punks that hide behind a false god and a false religion. They hide behind walls and plant bombs then run away. Cowards that kill unarmed men, women and children. Cut people's heads off or shoot them while they are tied up.

These are serious times. And we need serious and steady men to lead this county. Because the worst is yet to come. And we cannot have girls like John Kerry and John Edwards even in the neighborhood when it's time to have serious people doing serious things.

[marty60]

Kerry entered an abandoned Vietnamese village and slaughtered the domestic animals owned by the civilians and burned down their homes with his Zippo lighter

Well there goes the PETA vote, but he gets the Envirofascist, with the home burning.

[marty60]

The only ones with credibility on this issue are the Vietnam Veterans. They are the ones that must DEMAND to be heard. Just like the "9/11 Families" did. Kerry slandered the Men and Women in Vietnam, by claiming that everyone over there were war criminals. Now he is claiming he is a HERO. If the truth were known, What he actually means by HERO, is that he came back and demonstrated, and singlehandedly brought the War to and end. Never underestimate the Evil in Evil Dum.

[Defender2]

Posted by Defender2 to Thanatos; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; ALOHA RONNIE; Squantos
On News/Activism 08/04/2004 9:11:21 AM CDT · 6 of 17


Below is excerpted statements to Congress, 22 April, 1971 by Lt. John F. Kerry USNR(Inactive Reserve Status).


"Mr. KERRY. My feeling, Senator, is undoubtedly this Congress, and I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but I do not believe that this Congress will, in fact, end the war as we would like to, which is immediately and unilaterally and, therefore, if I were to speak I would say we would set a date and the date obviously would be the earliest possible date. But I would like to say, in answering that, that I do not believe it is necessary to stall any longer. I have been to Paris. I have talked with both delegations at the peace talks, that is to say the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government and of all eight of Madam Binh's points it has been stated time and time again, and was stated by Senator Vance Hartke when he returned from Paris, and it has been stated by many other officials of this Government, if the United States were to set a date for withdrawal the prisoners of war would be returned."

Furhter paired down to:

"I have been to Paris. I have talked with both delegations at the peace talks, that is to say the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government and of all eight of Madam Binh's points..."(kerry and his VVAW negotiated in Paris with the then enemy.)

Stated by kerry to Our U.S. Congress which is in the Official Congressional Record, 22 April, 1971.

I'll let ALL of you think your own thoughts about this, however, I cannot for the life of me, picture kerry in any elected office, never mind being Commander in Chief!!!!

Why kerry was not indicted, tried and convicted for Treason and Sedition under the appropriate Articles, We will never know.

The Media SHAMELESSLY hides this TRUTH(In the Congressional Record, dated 22 April, 1971) from the Public!!!! They are equally Treasonous and Seditionous as kerry is!!!!This Blatant Example of the media shows that we no longer have a FREE and TRUTHFUL Press(Straight ALL the Way LEFT of Center)!!!!

kerry had his VVAW which led to the deaths of thousands or hundreds of thousands of deaths in Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia after he and his VVAW accomplished their mission in getting U.S. withdrawal in South Viet Nam. kerry and his VVAW forever tarnished the image of U.S. Viet Nam Vets!!!!

The Democratic Party is no longer the Democratic Party!!!! For them to select kerry and his two forunners Clinton and Gore show they have become the party of our enemies!!!!

We cannot ALLOW this to STAND!!!!

Defender2

"Does anyone have any idea how we can get the "MEDIA" to publish the truth?? ABC, CBS and NBC are nothing but a bunch of "Bushwackers" !! They "drool" when they speak of Kerry and his wife (who,in our opinion, can't hold a candle to Mrs. Bush).."

"Someone come up with an idea and we'll help all we can!"

"*TT*, Beth & Nana"

Beth & Nana, Better Yet, I'm forwarding All of this to SFConservative

[timpad]

there is no love lost between McCain and Kerry.

I think you're right about this.

After all, McCain was still in the Hanoi Hilton when Kerry was running around with VVAW and testifying before the Senate. Has McCain been holding his fire until his speech at the convention in NY? What would it mean to the Kerry campaign if McCain came out that night with a forceful denunciation of Kerry's post-war activities? Something to the tune of "While I rotted in a North Vietnamese prison, John Kerry was telling the US Senate, and by extension the world, that I was a war criminal."

Inquiring minds want to know, and only time will tell.