Bush Re-election Machine Busy Tearing Down Another War Hero (MEGA-BARF ALERT)

The Columbus Dispatch ^ | 8-22-2004 | Joe Hallett

[buccaneer81]

Bush re-election machine busy tearing down another war hero Sunday, August 22, 2004 JOE HALLETT

If John Kerry wins the Democratic nomination, I mused on Jan. 17, President Bush will do back flips to avoid comparisons of their respective military records.

On a stage in Des Moines, Iowa, that night, I watched a retired policeman embrace the Massachusetts senator, creating the most poignant moment of the Democratic campaign for president.

Jim Rassmann had come from Oregon to tell the world that 35 years earlier, then-Navy Lt. Kerry, wounded, turned his swift boat around against enemy fire and fished Rassmann out of the Bay Hap River in Vietnam.

‘‘He could have been shot and killed," said a teary Rassmann, a Republican. ‘‘I figure I owe this man my life."

Kerry was given a Bronze Star for that heroic act. He also got a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam.

Score one for Kerry, I thought, standing amid the cheering Iowa Democrats. With questions lingering about Bush’s stateside service in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, military records weren’t likely to top Bush’s discussion agenda during the campaign.

And it didn’t help that influential hawks in his administration — Vice President Dick Cheney, Attorney General John Ashcroft and Defense Department Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz — found ways to avoid military service during the war.

But then, I had forgotten some recent history and once again underestimated just how good Karl Rove & Co. are at winning elections.

As Bush scores with voters by lauding the heroism of troops he sends to war, his allies systematically tear down old war heroes for political gain.

In 2002, Republicans painted Sen. Max Cleland, a Georgia Democrat, as unpatriotic. Nevermind that Cleland lost two legs and his right arm in the Vietnam War. Cleland’s GOP opponent, Saxby Chambliss, ran a television ad showing Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and Cleland, contending that Cleland ‘‘voted against the President’s vital homeland security efforts 11 times." Chambliss won.

Two years earlier, in the bitter 2000 South Carolina presidential primary, Bush supporters sponsored a rumor campaign against Sen. John McCain of Arizona, suggesting he was loony from five years of torture in Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camps.

A couple of weeks ago, McCain saw a 60-second TV spot sponsored by a group called ‘‘Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." The ad, financed by Texas Republicans and aired in Ohio and two other battleground states, said Kerry lied to get his Bronze Star. Livid, McCain referred to Bush backers and said, ‘‘It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me." He called on the Bush campaign to repudiate the ad; it declined.

Voters in key states now are debating whether Kerry really earned his Vietnam War medals. Exhaustive reporting by the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and other newspapers has discredited most statements made by the ‘‘Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." But Bush’s ubiquitous AM talk-radio surrogates loyally and doggedly fan the fire.

At the Veterans of Foreign Wars annual convention last week in Cincinnati, vets were buzzing about Kerry’s war record. It was clear that Bush backers were successfully doing to Kerry what they tried to do to Cleland and McCain: sully the honor of war heroes.

With practiced discipline, Bush allies adroitly had shifted the discussion away from Bush’s lack of a war record to whether Kerry’s is bogus.

Realizing he was being hurt, Kerry fired back Thursday, accusing Bush of using front groups ‘‘to do his dirty work." Kerry said if Bush wants to ‘‘have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: ‘Bring it on.’ "

At the VFW convention, Peter Rebold, 61, a Cincinnati lawyer who had led U.S. and South Vietnamese troops into battle as an Army captain, said the effort to smear Kerry won’t work.

‘‘All you have to look at is one thing: Kerry was in Vietnam. Bush wasn’t there. Cheney wasn’t there. Kerry volunteered."

Kerry’s postwar protest activities and his Senate voting record on defense issues are fair game for critics. But twisting his valorous war record for political purposes is shameful.

If the tactic works, none of the men and women now fighting in Iraq can trust that the medals they earn won’t someday be used against them.

Joe Hallett is senior editor at The Dispatch.

jhallett@dispatch.com

[freddiedavis]

BUMP FOR THE SUPPORT OF SWIFT VETS HERE... http://www.swiftvets.com/

[EGPWS]

I hope Mr. Hallett's editorial gets considerable national attention, as I assume Dubya feels the same way.

Thanks Joe for your input is greatly appreciated by us who want to see another four years!

You have, through your bias and idiocy brought Dubya closer to what I have proclaimed all along...A landslide victory for reelection. : )

[OldFriend]

Have the folks at DU figured out how to say three words without two of the being the 'f' word?

[OldFriend]

A thank you and a prayer for your husband......and you too.

[Rummyfan]

God Bless him and God Bless you and your children.

[Ghengis]

This idiot writes one or two editorials per week right off of the DNC fax sheet. This guy is one of the big reasons why I don't buy the columbus dispatch these days.

[eeriegeno]

Jim Rassmann had come from Oregon to tell the world that 35 years earlier, then-Navy Lt. Kerry, wounded, turned his swift boat around against enemy fire and fished Rassmann out of the Bay Hap River in Vietnam. ‘‘He could have been shot and killed," said a teary Rassmann, a Republican. ‘‘I figure I owe this man my life."

Hmmm, this newspaper is 100% sure that Kerry turned his boat around against enemy fire? The rag is 100% certain that there was enemy fire after one of the swift boats exploded from a mine? And that Rassmann wasn't knocked off of the boat by Kerry's fleeing the scene?

I wasn't there either BUT..............

If 250+ veterans of Viet Nam who served in this locale say that there was no enemy fire and a small handful who share the stage with who I consider to be a most opportunistic and pathological liar, who can't make his mind up on any given issue, say there was, which group do you think that I am going to believe?

Of course, John Kerry can quickly solve many of these mysteries by simply releasing all of his military and medical records? The bigger question that I have is not 'who shot John' (Judge Judy favorite) but what is Kerry hiding in those records?

I would think that in selecting the next President of the United States, while we are at war with radicals who want to blow us up, that each candidate would release all that is possible to release so that the majority knows all that they can about him.

Hmmm, but then again, wasn't John Kerry a member of the VVAW, the RADICAL group who voted to assassinate congressmen? Hmmm?

[Ohioan from Florida]

Joe Hallett has been an idiot for quite some time. It's too bad that what passes for journalism these days is so inadequate.

[sgtbono2002]

What is Rassmans claim to fame, I mean other than falling off the damned boat when Kerry goosd the throttles to run?

[Bahbah]

God bless both of you. Thank you both for your sacrifices and for the service to our country.

[jimbo123]

jhallett@dispatch.com

[Seniram US]

Thanks for the address. Don't know if it will do any good, but here is what I sent.

Dear Mr. Hallett:

Your article was read by me with great interest. Until I read it, although I live in Pennsylvania, it seemed to me that your paper presented the news, rather than a slanted editorial as news.

I was wondering what evidence you might be able to produce that proves the Bush Campaign is behind the Swift Boat Veterans.

I was also wondering if you have read all the conflicting stories, including the misinformation concerning Kerry in Cambodia on Christmas Eve, 1968 and have concluded that Kerry is telling the truth.

In addition, it seems to me that for Kerry to be telling the truth, all the other Veterans must be liars. Do you really contend that those decorated veterans have no right to voice their concerns and are you accusing all of them of being liars?

If you have evidence to support your allegations, please print them. If your allegations are true, the Bush Campaign has broken the law. If your allegations are not accurate, you are apparently willfully trying to tear down the character of the president of the United States.

Of course, with the media, I guess that isn't too, unusual.

Are you also going to attack the American POWS that are coming out against Kerry? That should be a good one. By the way, I doubt that the POWS in the commercial ever got a Purple Heart for throwing a grenade in a pile of rice and getting rice in the back-side.

You're allegation might prove accurate, but to help you in your search for the truth, why don't you request that Kerry sign the Form 180 releasing his records.

You probably know which form I mean. With all your wisdom and knowledge you probably served too. Did you serve in any of States or are you just a media observer. If you too are a veteran I would salute you even if you served in the States. The only exception would be if you also went to gathering with Jane Fonda.

By the way, one other item, a Mr. John O'Neil is either telling the truth in the book "Unfit For Command, or he, too, is in a lot of trouble. There are reports that Mr. O'neil has taunted Kerry and told him to sue if he thinks the book's reports are false. Maybe you could also suggest to Kerry if you bump into him while he is windsurfing, that he take the challenge and sue Mr. O'Neil and the veterans associated with him. That should get to the truth.

In closing, let me congratulate you on your cunning use of the English language. It is truly an art the way you imply that the Bush campaign is attacking Kerry, while you simultaneously attempt to assassinate the character of President George W. Bush. Have you no shame?

It is also a terrible tragedy that Max Cleland hurt himself in Vietnam and sustained such injuries to himself, but I was also wondering, if a soldier somehow drops a hand grenade and get badly wounded because of it, does he receive a Purple Heart? Maybe you could clear that one up too. It is my understanding that the grenade that wounded Cleland was from a friendly (if there is such a thing) grenade. Can you do the research and let your readers know if he got a Purple Heart?

Regards
xxxx

[goldstategop]

I can only imagine the depth of their despair. A week ago the conventional wisdom was Kerry was a lock to be President and the election was over. What a difference a week makes!

[OldFriend]

We could have a pity party for ketchup boy.

[okie01]

Joe Hallett is senior editor at The Dispatch.

And an unregenerate liberal Democrat.

[KeyLargo]

Jim Rassman was only 41 years old when he retired after only 18 years on the police department. Why did he leave early? What has he been doing since then?................. orchidweb.org/Nominating-Bios2004.doc Jim Rassmann Nominee for Executive Vice-President Jim Rassmann was born and raised in Los Angeles, and with the exception of time served in the military, resided there until 1993. His career with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department began in 1971; he retired as a Lieutenant in 1989, after working on patrol, as a detective commander and in various administration capacities, mostly in south Los Angeles. Jim served in the US Army as a Special Forces officer from 1966-69, including a one-year stint in Vietnam. Jim has a BS degree in Political Science from California State University Northridge. “I was introduced to orchids in 1973 by José Vazquez, the brother of Amado Vazquez, owner of Zuma Canyon Orchids,” says Jim. “I joined the Orchid Society of Southern California the same year and eventually held a number of offices in the local society, including that of president. I was introduced to judging by the late Don Herman, a neighbor, as well as to cattleyas. I was very close to Don and treasured our long friendship.” Jim and Julie, his wife of 31 years, moved to Florence, Oregon, a small town on the coast, in 1993. “The area’s moderate climate and pure water allow the culture of odontoglossum and other cool-growing genera that I love so much,” relates Jim. “In my (18 x 60) greenhouse, I also grow masdevallias, draculas, pleurothallids, miltoniopsis and many species. In addition to odonts, I have a special interest in Miltoniopsis vexillaria, which I’ve studied and photographed in Colombia.” In Oregon, Jim is a member of the Central Coast Orchid Society, the Pacific Orchid Society and the Mary’s Peak Orchid Society. He is currently serving his fourth years as Chair of the AOS’s Judging Committee. He is also the Society’s Assistant Treasurer and a member of the Board of Trustees. He has served previously as a Vice-President of the AOS, as well as a continuing lengthy tenure as a member of the Judging and Finance Committees. Jim has traveled extensively tied to his passion for the hobby. Orchid-related visits include Taiwan, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, England, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador … the later two on numerous occasions. “The American Orchid Society has been a major part of my life for nearly 30 years. The people I’ve met through the organization and those with whom I’ve worked have often become truly close friends and I greatly value those relationships. The Society’s ability to spread the enjoyment of orchids to the general public is really only just beginning, and we have great opportunities ahead. Our task in the next few years is to ensure the organization’s good health and continued membership growth. This can be accomplished by continuing our current efforts in this regard and pursuing new avenues for member satisfaction.”

[CurlyDave]

I watched a retired policeman embrace the Massachusetts senator

I watched a retired disgraced policeman embrace the Massachusetts senator...

It turns out the guy was "taking liberties" with female officers--in his police car.

[kittymyrib]

This is the Dem spin that Schneider regurgitated on CNN this evening. That the Swifties are Bush's hatchet men, the same kind of tactic that was waged against that paragon of virtue, McCain. He even played the clip of the FLA debate in 2000 where McCain was whining to Bush how someone had "hurt" him. Schneider said there was a good possibility the Swiftboat ads would stir up a backlash against Bush's campaign. Oh really...with the old lefty media scared spitless that their influence is dying, they will work day and night through the Republican convention to paint Bush's campaign with the brush of "dirty politics" and hope that the stupid voters (especially women) will buy it. Just stand and watch...

[Khurkris]

"My husband has been a Ranger four over 15 years and has been awarded several medals. The difference is Kerry used them to get out of service while my husband is still serving in Iraqi."

RLTW...God Bless You & yours.

[Lib-Lickers 2]

not that there is anything wrong with that,,,,LOL