Posted on 08/06/2004 1:31:45 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Elliott said he was no under personal or political pressure to sign the statement, but he did feel ''time pressure" from those involved in the book. ''That's no excuse," Elliott said. ''I knew it was wrong . . . In a hurry I signed it and faxed it back. That was a mistake."
The affidavit also contradicted earlier statements by Elliott, who came to Boston during Kerry's 1996 Senate campaign to defend Kerry on similar charges, saying that Kerry acted properly and deserved the Silver Star.
The book, ''Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry," is to be published next week. Yesterday it reached number one on the bestseller list on Amazon.com, based on advance orders, in part because of publicity about it on the Drudge Report.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
In one affidavit, for example, Van O'Dell, who said he had been in a boat near Kerry on that day, declared that Kerry had ''lied" about what happened on that day and said that Rassmann was not under enemy fire when Kerry pulled him aboard.
Elliott, asked about the contradiction between his recommendation and his new questioning of Kerry's third Purple Heart, responded, ''It makes me look kind of silly, to be perfectly honest."
But he said: ''I simply have no reason for these guys to be lying, and if they are lying in concert, it is one hell of a conspiracy. So, on the basis of all of the information that has come out, I have chosen to believe the other men. I absolutely do not know first hand."***
good morning and thank you for the post, I agree the gloves are off
This is totally bizarre. Whether Kerry shot the VC in the back is irrelevant. If the VC had a weapon and was fleeing or charging he was still a legitimate target. What is totally ridiculous is winning a Silver Star for it. If he gets a medal for shooting the enemy then the award is meaningless since it takes no exceptional bravery or selflessness to shoot at the enemy.
As to getting a purple heart for having his arm bruised....c'monnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!
I must write my congressmen. It now appears I am entitled to about 15 purple hearts, and medals possibly as high as Distinguished Service Cross for the time I cut my finger opening a beer can when a mortar round landed a little too close and caused me to flinch. I needed two band-aids and it actually bled!
Bush needs to ignore Kerry and focus on his own record.
All this other stuff distraction.
is distraction.,..
It's too bad Kerry can't clear any of this stuff up by, say, releasing his Military records.
In 1971, '72, for almost 18 months, he stood before the television audiences and claimed that the 500,000 men and women in Vietnam, and in combat, were all villains -- there were no heroes. In 2004, one hero from the Vietnam War has appeared, running for President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief. It just galls one to think about it."
-- Captain George Elliott, USN (retired)
You keep repeating your statement on every thread on this subject. You seem to be unaware that Bush has NOTHING to do with this ad or these Vets. If you have FACTS to prove otherwise please provide them along with a link.
I bet we never know.
Regards,
TS
They are all lying, and I am going to prove it tomorrow! Stay tuned for my post......
I think you have nailed two important points.
1 - You shouldn't get a medal for shooting the enemy. In fact, in a Globe article some time back, his CO said Kerry's aggressiveness in chasing the enemy is what weighed on his mind - that he debated court martialling Kerry for recklessly endangering his boat by beaching it, but decided it was brave as well as stupid. Personally, I don't think Kerry did squat all that day - but engaging the enemy is NOT Silver Star material.
2 - a Purple Heart for a BRUISE? YGBSM! It would be shameful for anyone to put themselves in for one, and shameful for anyone to approve it.
OMG, they've gotten to him.
Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry salutes at the start of his speech at Democratic National Convention in Boston, July 29, 2004. Kerry promised to restore the world's respect for America and 'ask hard questions' before taking the country to war. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)
Not really but the article does it's best to confuse.
Hey Dems! All this anti-Kerry vietnam stuff is right out of the Democratic party play book. Remember "Farenheit 9/11?" You had nothing to do with that, did you? A third party put together a movie highly critical of Bush and you loved it. Now, to quote the ketchup lady, "shove it."
Mainstream press typical reaction.
No one questions Soros' millions to 527's, but one guy gives $100,000 to a Republican 527's and suddenly we have a huge conspiracy.
I don't know if the Swiftvets ad will have traction or not, but I do think Kerry's legal manuevering to keep the speech from the airwaves could cause problems for his campaign.
Problem is....will anybody in the mainstream press ask Kerry the questions that need to be asked about this issue (trying to muzzle the ad)?
Sorry, but I don't hold out much hope for that.
If he served so well, then what is he hiding?
His campaign demanded that Bush release his full service record and the President did that.
But we're still waiting for Kerry to do likewise. If he wants to prove the Swiftboat Vets wrong, it's easy -- just submit his form 180 and authorize both the Washington Times and the New York Times to receive and publish his entire service record. End of controversy.
But he's not doing that, so what is he hiding?
How much money has Teresa Heinz given to left-wing 527's?
Sure would be interesting to see those tax returns along with all of Kerry's military / medical records.
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