Dole Blasts Kerry on Purple Hearts, Urges Apology for War Protests

NewsMax.com ^ | 8/22/04 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

Severely wounded World War II combat hero Sen. Bob Dole questioned whether John Kerry deserved his three Purple Hearts on Sunday, and suggested that the top Democrat should apologize to his fellow Vietnam veterans for engaging in anti-war protests while they were still fighting the war.

"I respect his record - but three Purple Hearts, he never bled that I know of," Dole told CNN's "Late Edition." "They were all superficial wounds."

"As far as I know he never spent one day in the hospital, I don't think he draws any disability pay. He doesn't have any disability. And he's boasting about three Purple Hearts, when you think of some of the people who really got shot up in Vietnam."

Dole, who nearly died as a member of the US 10th Mountain Division from wounds he sustained during the 1944 invasion of Italy, is the nation's foremost champion of veterans causes, recently completing a successful mission to create a World War II memorial on the Capitol Mall this summer.

Drawing on those credentials, Dole called on Kerry to issue a public apology for calling his fellow Vietnam soldiers war criminals during his 1971 Senate testimony, telling CNN, "Maybe he should apologize to all the other two-and-a-half million veterans who served. He wasn't the only one who was in Vietnam."

"I think Sen. Kerry needs to talk about his Senate record, which is pretty thin." Dole added. "That's probably why he's talking about his war record, which is pretty confused."

[ridesthemiles]

When is one of these talk shows going to book Oliver North to discuss the medal controversy??? Never??

[Fast1]

Mr Dole very Good and very timely also not much wiggle room left for the chameleon like kerry for real hero's smell a rat.

[savedbygrace]

"I think Sen. Kerry needs to talk about his Senate record, which is pretty thin." Dole added. "That's probably why he's talking about his war record, which is pretty confused."

Classic!

[Dante3]

Good for Dole.

[rocklobster11]

It seems like all the media can do is keep harping on John McCain saying that the president should disavow himself of the swift boat commercials.

Someone needs to ask John McCain if he is satisfied with Bush's response that called for an end to all 527 ads, or if Bush needs to specifically denounce the swift boat commercial and embrace the Bush = Hitler ads put out by Moveon.org

McCains silence since his first remarks are what I'd call dishonest and dishonorable.

[radiohead]

"he never bled that I know of"

Amen, Mr. Dole.

Did you guys catch this thread - Big Lies for Bush, in which a writer for the Globe states, "Kerry, on the other hand, may have done more than Dole to qualify as a genuine war hero."

See http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1196675/posts

I thought I would lose my dinner.

[pookie18]

That was his name on Bob Grant's show

Sean Hannity's as well...I believe (as well as others on WABC).

[Martin Tell]

I'd like to see the MSM field this one...

A prediction: The MSM will studiously ignore Senator Dole's comments. Whereas if he had condemned the Swifties, it would have been on the News Cycle 24/7.

[Dajjal]

Kudos for Dole!

[danamco]

We owe Bob Dole four thank yous.
For is WWII service
For his service in the Senate
For running against Clinton in 1996
For what he said today
God bless him.


And, when he ran, he gave up his Senate seat. John Scarry hold on to his seat, he wants it both ways!!!

[DOGEY]

That was better than anything he said when he ran for President.

[Republic Rocker]

GO BOB GO!

[Jeff Chandler]

I for one am a voracious consumer of news, as are most people on this forum, yet I haven't watched TV news or read newspapers for years, ever since I realized they were rat propaganda organs. When we talk to people who aren't yet tuned into the internet, FOX, and talk radio, we become force multipliers.

We need to get the word out, and DONATE to the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth.

[solzhenitsyn]

Thanks, Carl. I've always thought the world of Sen. Dole. I've read some very cruel things said about him right here on FR, like when someone called him a "tax collector for the welfare state". He fought a very lonely fight for many years in the Senate when the Republicans were in the minority, and he often had to make compromises he didn't like, because half a loaf is better than nothing. I suspect that for all their swagger, his contemporary detractors would have gotten nothing at all.

You have to play the hand you're dealt. Sen. Dole was dealt a very tough hand, but he hung in and fought with with grace and guts, year in and year out. He has always been a man amongst men, and a great American.

[The Wizard]

and about time, too....now where is McCain to complain that that kerry is slipping an ad on the web using McCain against GWB, EVEN though McCain has clearly endorsed GWB

[t2buckeye]

Exactly...if face, I wrote to McCain and asked him that very question...when is he going to denounce Kerry's ad?

[Captain Kirk]

Yes, I especially liked his attack on "Democrat wars" in the 1976 veep debate. When Mondale looked offended and said "Senator, you're not calling World War II a Democrat War," Dole's response was priceless. He held out his arm and said "I lost use of this arm in a Democrat war."

[NicknamedBob]

"So Vietnam was just a photo-op for kerry?"

Why else did he take his camera?

And did he take any pictures of anybody else?

[Gucho]

"As far as I know he never spent one day in the hospital, I don't think he draws any disability pay. He doesn't have any disability. And he's boasting about three Purple Hearts, when you think of some of the people who really got shot up in Vietnam."

Thanks Mr. Dole for those words, and from someone qualified to speek them.

[Iberian]

Hell, he would have won the election if Viagra was around then!! ;)