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.
Yes, we are after exactly the same thing as far as clarifying reality for readers. I read Elliott's affidavits, as well as the Globe stories, and it is perfectly clear that Elliott never recanted ANY part of his July 21 affidavit. Any representation or innuendo that he did is false. He did not "change his mind and change back." He never changed his mind!!! The media got it completely wrong in the first place, but can't figure out how to report that (Ha!).
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1186934/posts?page=70#70 <-- Mash here for ...
I read the Globe article [by Susan Milligan, dated August 7] Am I supposed to believe it?
Taken literally, why not? The story is somewhat incoherent, however. It does not repeat the quotations of Elliott, or provide sensible context. It may be that Elliott said he "made a terrible mistake" in signing the July 21 affidavit, by not explaining how he -now- and -still- holds the belief that Kerry shot a Viet Cong in the back. No matter, either way, says Elliott, that conduct did not merit issuing a Silver Star. The Globe does not dispute that conclusion either, you'll notice.
Likewise, the Globe merely reports the difference between Elliott's support for Kerry in 1996, including a statment that "Kerry deserved the Silver Star," and Elliott's position today, that Kerry was not forthcoming, and that if Kranish's version of events that resulted in awarding the Silver Star are correct, that he (Elliott) would not have recommended the award. That is, Elliott has changed his point of view, and has fully justified his change in position. The Globe does not dipute that, either!
What the Globe does not address is the innuendo that Elliott had backed away from his current position. For that, the Globe is shown to be untrustworthy.