[Cboldt]

Just to set your impression clear, Elliott did not change his statement between May 4 and August 8 of this year. Not once. He did not "retract" and then "go back" to wehre he was, he has consistently held the same position. More particularly, that Kerry had not been forthcoming about the events that led up to an award of the Silver Star. Note, however, that Elliott did support the issuing of the Silver Star, as recently as 1996. So, he did change his mind between 1996 and 2004. He more carefully explains the reason he changed his mind in this regard, in his affidavit of August 6, 2004. Note however, his position in the July 21 affidavit and his August 6 affidavit are EXACTLY THE SAME.

The media engaged in bald-faced misrepresentation and lie.

[JLO]

Hey, thanks for clarifying. I was trying to do the same thing too! I've been watching this story very, very closely since March, I think it was when they first came out. Did you see their C-SPAN2 coverage back a few months ago?

I was only trying to clarify that Friday's coverage by media was BS!

See here: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040806/us_nm/campaign_kerry_vietnam_dc_6

Lots of miscommunication.

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THIS IS HIS FINAL SAY SO, AS FAR AS I SEE:
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"Elliott also wrote: "Had I known the facts, I would not have recommended Kerry for the Silver Star for simply pursuing and dispatching a single wounded, fleeing Viet Cong."

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This week a group calling itself the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth launched a television spot accusing the Democratic candidate of betraying his country by speaking out against the war when he returned home.


On Friday, a member of that group who was one of Kerry's supervisors in Vietnam, George Elliott, appeared to back off an earlier affidavit in which he suggested Kerry did not deserve the Silver Star. In the affidavit, he said, "I was never informed that he had simply shot a wounded, fleeing Viet Cong in the back."


In Friday's Boston Globe, Elliott was quoted as saying: "It was a terrible mistake probably for me to sign the affidavit with those words. I'm the one in trouble here."


Elliott told the Globe Kerry did deserve the medal.


PLAYING GOLF


Inundated with calls to verify the statement, Elliott grew media shy and said through his wife he would not talk. Earlier in the day, Mrs. Elliott said her husband was playing golf and would call back when he returned in the afternoon.


Elliott later issued another affidavit -- witnessed and notarized -- this time saying he was misquoted by the Globe and reaffirming his belief that Kerry has "not been honest about what happened in Vietnam."


Elliott also wrote: "Had I known the facts, I would not have recommended Kerry for the Silver Star for simply pursuing and dispatching a single wounded, fleeing Viet Cong."


Martin Baron, editor of The Boston Globe, said in a statement: "Regarding George Elliott's statements on John Kerry's military service, which ran in the Globe this morning, the Globe stands by the article. The quotes attributed to Mr. Elliott were on the record and absolutely accurate."


Next week the group will step up its campaign against the candidate with a book, "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry."
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I've posted this info a few times, Cbolt, to try to clear things up, just like you seem to be doing. Many folks only heard Elliott backed off from original claim. Just recently read by many. And I'm pretty darned sure those folks don't know he went back to his original statement.

Hope we both understand now, we're both after the same goal, ok? Sorry if I was unclear.