[franklog]

This article is about as clear a repudiation of Kerry's story as one could expect from a lefty pub. Were it fairly written, that which is "between the lines" would be stated. You could be sure if Bush published a book full of lies, the WaPo would not hesitate to say "Bush published a book of lies." There would be no lines to read between.

By the way, since when do the words of some Veterans in interviews or in a book warrant MORE scrutiny than the words of a Presidential candidate? That must be new. I'd always thought that someone aspiring to the highest office of the land should be held to a higher degree of scrutiny. I guess '98 took that expectation away - - for Democrats anyway.

That said, it is a start and it opens the door for other publications.

I do believe that Kerry is toast. Apart from all of the revelations, his total meltdown has begun with his "finger pointing" speech the other day and the FEC filing. He will lose his mind, and the race, over this issue and his immature reaction.

[faithincowboys]

You're right. If they were completely objective, Kerry would be a goner.

go to his website and search for Jim rassman. It says that Rassman was on another boat. Same thing in Brinkley's book. WaPo should be sured for journalist malpractice for not including that glaring discrepancy.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

"This article is about as clear a repudiation of Kerry's story as one could expect from a lefty pub. "

The title is totally misleading.
I think the article buttresses the SBVFT.

Kerry was the only skipper on the river that day, who refused to be interviewed.
Skip Barker, a swift boat commander who backs up Kerry's version-
is not listed in the official records or unofficial records as being on the river that day.
Skip Barker refused to be interviewed.

Douglas Brinkley has " exclusive " rights to Kerry and some of Kerry's crew mates.
So, they are not talking.

" Brinkley, did not reply to messages left with his office, publisher and cell phone."
" The Kerry campaign has refused to make available Kerry's journals and other writings to The Washington Post.."

Rassmann says that Kerry got rice and pieces of rice imbedded in his buttocks, earlier in the day.

Someone filed an " erroneous " personal casuality report stating that Kerry suffered an injury to his left buttock, during the mine incident.
Kerry did not suffer any injury to his buttocks that day-only a bruise to his right forearm.

Disagreement among Kerry supporters as to the nature of the explosion-" beneath " or " near" Kerry's boat.
May have been a " mine underneath "- Kerry's version.
RPG close by- Del Sandusky.
SBVFT deny there was a 2nd explosion.

Kerry did flee- " anywhere from a few hundred yards to a mile."
Kerry told Brinkley he wanted to get his men ashore and out of harm's way.
But,according to " Unfit For Command "- page 91
Kerry filed a " false " after action report stating that there were three and a half miles of enemy fire coming from the shoreline, so this makes no sense.
The only ones who say that there was fire from both sides of the river-are Kerry's crew and Wayne Langhofer ( see below.)

" But both the Kerry and anti-Kerry camps continue to deny or ignore requests for other relevant documents,
including Kerry's personal reminiscences (shared only with biographer Brinkley),
the boat log of PCF-94 compiled by Medeiros (shared only with Brinkley)
and the Chenoweth diary."
Chenweth refuses to give the WP his diary, but, he did read passages to the author over the phone.

Author slams the Kerry campaign for stating on their website that they have released all relevant docs.
There are 100 pages still on file at the Naval Personnel Command.
Author thinks the SBVFT are still harboring hard feelings about Kerry's anti war actions- as if that's an invalid motivation.

Two new names in the mix- Wayne Langhofer and Richard Pees. Langhofer was a gunner on the boat behind Kerry's and claims there was gunfire from both sides of the river.
He was approached by the SBVFT and refused to cooperate with them.

Richard Pees is another skipper on the river and he supports the SBVFT version of no enemy fire.

More nonsense about the funding of the SBVFT - how dare anyone in Texas take part in the election process !
A swipe at GW's Air National Guard service.
William Rood, a friend of Kerry's an editor at the Chicago Trib is added to the mix.
But, he has no knowledge of the Rassmann incident-clearly another smokescreen , the Dems will try and spin this.
Rood was present when Kerry shot the naked kid-another incident with many different versions.

The most important things from the article:
No one from the Kerry camp would cooperate with this interview.
Kerry fled down river.
Kerry was hit in the butt earlier in the day with rice projectiles.
"Someone " filed a false report claiming Kerry had suffered a buttocks injury later that night on the river.
The author does not discuss Kerry's USS Gridley ship mates coming forward to dispute Kerry's version of their time together onboard.
Kerry refuses to release his diary, his writings or his full record.

[TOUGH STOUGH]

"This article is about as clear a repudiation of Kerry's story as one could expect from a lefty pub. Were it fairly written, that which is "between the lines" would be stated. You could be sure if Bush published a book full of lies, the WaPo would not hesitate to say "Bush published a book of lies." There would be no lines to read between."

This is about as fair an article as we can expect from the left. But were it Bush, you are correct. It would be treated as you suggest in the above quote.

[R. Scott]

By the way, since when do the words of some Veterans in interviews or in a book warrant MORE scrutiny than the words of a Presidential candidate?

< massive sarcasm> Because a man could not rise to the level of Presidential Candidate in a respected political party like the Democrats’ without being 100% forthright, honest and beyond reproach! Why can’t we see that?
Besides, all Viet Nam Veterans are war criminals who did nothing but run around burning villages and killing babies. These despicable actions were even brought before the US Senate by a very respected personage of breeding and culture back in 1971! < / massive sarcasm>