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Posted on 08/17/2004 12:47:45 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
.........Since the anti-Kerry ad first surfaced, Kerry's crewmates have fanned out in his defense. Along with Rassmann, crewmates Del Sandusky, leading petty officer with Kerry on PCF-94, and Gene Thorson decried the allegations as politically inspired "garbage."
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a Vietnam veteran who has endorsed Bush, called the ad "dishonest and dishonorable." He said that "none of these individuals served on the boat [Kerry] commanded," adding that he believed "John Kerry served honorably in Vietnam."
In a lengthy interview between the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's first news conference in May and the controversy last week, Kerry called the group's allegations pure "politics."
"Some of them don't like the fact that I opposed the war, and 35 years later some people still want to argue about that," Kerry said in the June interview. "It's way beyond me, can I tell you? It's so far beyond and past now. I feel sad about it."
He said he respected the service all Swift boat crews gave to their country and lauded their courage.
"So I'm at peace with myself, and I'm sorry they feel the way they do," Kerry said, "because I respect them. I really do."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
And that's not the only issue that reporters are curiously incurious about. At least one of Kerry's Purple Hearts has been challenged by his unit's medical officer, who notes that the wound was barely visible and was treated with a Band-Aid. Some questions should also be asked about his Silver Star: Should shooting a wounded, fleeing Viet Cong in the back — as justifiable as it was as an act of war — be worthy of the nation's third-highest award for courage?
To those of you who say such questions are unseemly, consider that John Kerry's principal claim on the presidency is that he served four months and 11 days in Vietnam. OK, fine. Let's examine the records — all the records, which, unlike Bush and contrary to popular perception, Kerry has not released — and have a debate. We would be if it were George W. Bush. The media would see to it.
Cearnal is the special projects editor at the Chronicle. A former Marine helicopter pilot, he served in Vietnam from mid-1968 through mid-1969. Readers may e-mail him at lee.cearnal@chron.com
Is there any reason why President Bush can't pull those records since he is the Commander of the Armed Forces?
Wouldn't it be great to see that in a public debate?
My dad and uncle who both served their FULL TERMS and then some find that McSTAINS signing of North Vietnamese documents that accused the US of the same things Kerrys lying mouth spewed out makes him dishonourable and dishonest.
I think both are putrid has beens who probably had better members of the military that could have taken their places and done far better jobs than either of them. Instead, they stayed in there for their future political occupations, making lying their daily routine.
Sorry if I seem harsh, just the truth needs to be told about both of these phoney wastes.
John McCain makes these allegations because, unlike these Swift-boat sailers who were with him in Vietnam, serving along side him, John McCain never saw John Kerry in Vietnam so he should know........right?
Another thing, if there was a two automobile crash, and there were people who were not in the cars that crashed, but were in other cars at the scene of the crash when it took place, would thoses witnesses who "were not in the cars that crashed" be unreliable witnesses because they were in "other cars" not the in the ones that crashed? They would most assuredly be better witnesses that those in the cars that crashed since those in those cars will only have a limited view and perspective of what took place. But those who witnessed the crash in "other cars" would see the entire scenario unfold before their eyes and can tell police officers about the movement of both cars, and how the accident took place, the speed of the cars involved in the crash, how they collided, and who was probably at fault.
So, the Swift Boat sailors who were in "other boats" and saw what happened would have a better vantage point to see what really took place. So these detractors who keep using the phrase "they weren't in the same boat as Kerry" don't have a leg to stand on. Plus most of them weren't even in Vietnam period, nor ever been in a Swift boat, nor engaged enemies under combat situations to be able to draw intelligent conclusions as to who is telling the truth and who is lying.
As much as I dislike McCain, and as obvious as it is that he has NO qualifications to comment on Kerry's war record - I don't believe he ever served on Kerry's boat, I refuse to criticize actions taken under severe torture.
In fact, I believe it is now military policy to give prisoners under torture significant slack in what they say/do - otherwise, one mild slip can lead to the total destruction of a man's pride. Once that happens, the man is completely broken.
There is plenty to criticize McCain on without blasting him for actions taken under torture.
All the media has to do is read "Unfit for Command" (it's an easy, well written, documented work - about 200 pages long) and then they can ask Kerry some questions instead of putting their fingers in their ears and blindfolds over their eyes.
McCain should have held his comments.
If he has courage, he should meet with the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and hear them out.
McCain ought to read the book.
Then, if he has courage, he should apologize.
McCain needs to do something honorable in this.
He slammed them without a hearing. He got out the broad brush and took his best shot.
I agree.
On the other hand, he was not under torture nor was he on kerry's Swift boat when he slandered so many of his fellow Naval officers by describing the Swifties' ad as "dishonest and dishonorable". His recent actions are despicable.
You know, it's like the unwritten law, if your a police officer you feel obligated to defend another police officer and so on. This is the only reason that McCain came out and defended Kerry, but in his heart, he really don't.
I would think McCain would hold his veteran buddies above his senate buddies. Or at a minimum give these vets a fair hearing.
The Swift Boat Veteran's for Truth needs all our support so they can get the story airtime!
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McCain is a LOYAL senator FIRST and foremost. His quick reaction comments show that he has no regard for his fellow veterans if they dare challenge a fellow senator.
If you recall, in 1969 he was figered in the Wash Post as the admiral's son who was a 'songbird in Hanoi Hilton' and veterans have attacked him for that. I lost all respect for him after his 'dishonest and dishonorable' comments about the SBVT.
Our U.S. Senate is rotted.
"Some of them don't like the fact that I opposed the war, and 35 years later some people still want to argue about that," Kerry said in the June interview. "It's way beyond me, can I tell you? It's so far beyond and past now. I feel sad about it."
To me you will always be a self aggrandizing, lying, backstabbing, seditious traitor.
Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., rides his bike in Galena, Idaho while vacationing on Monday, Aug. 16, 2004. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)
Really. A piece of work that should have been rejected by Inspector #17.
Too late. :)
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