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Dole Defends Swiftees in Call From Kerry
NewsMax.com ^ | 8/23/04 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 08/23/2004 2:03:39 PM PDT by kattracks

Presidential candidate John Kerry telephoned former Sen. Bob Dole Monday morning to complain about Dole's demand a day earlier that he apologize to Vietnam veterans for protesting the war, the one-time Republican presidential candidate revealed Monday afternoon.

"John Kerry called me this morning, which surprised me," Dole told radio host Sean Hannity. "He said he was very disappointed, we'd been friends. I said John, we're still friends, but [the Swiftvets] have first amendment rights, just as your people have first amendment rights.

Dole told Kerry, "I'm not trying to stir anything up, but I don't believe everyone of these people who have talked about what happened are Republican liars.

"And very frankly, Bush is my guy, and I'm tired of people on your side calling him everything from a coward to a traitor to everything - a deserter."

Dole said he urged Kerry, "Why don't you call George Bush today and say, 'Mr. President, let's stop all this stuff about the National Guard and Vietnam - and let's talk about the issues."

Dole said Kerry responded, "I haven't spent one dime attacking President Bush."

But the Republican war hero shot back, "You don't have to. You've got all the so-called mainstream media, plus you've got MoveOn.org. and all these other groups that have spent millions and millions of dollars trying to tarnish Bush's image."

"Don't tell me you don't know what some of these people are doing," he told Kerry.

"Everybody like quiet heroes," Dole added, saying he told Kerry, "John, everybody knows you were in Vietnam and the less you say about it, the better."

Dole said he tried to end the tense conversation cordially by telling Kerry, "I wish you good luck, up to a point."



TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bobdole; dole; doleisright; kerry; swiftboatveterans
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To: escapefromboston
Perhaps his campaign could have been run better, but I clearly remember that election year as the time I discovered Dole's keen wit and audacity. Perhaps he didn't consistently show it on the campaign trail, but I remember hearing others speak about him, his quips on TV, and of course Elizabeth's wonderful speech about her beloved husband at the Republican convention. He was even funnier after the election.
261 posted on 08/23/2004 6:20:57 PM PDT by keats5
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To: MplsSteve

"I don't know why. Maybe he was afraid to or maybe his handlers kept him in check too tightly. "

It is amazing that a man who held political power for so long would actually let handlers do this, but it appears to be the case.


262 posted on 08/23/2004 6:23:01 PM PDT by WoofDog123
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To: kattracks
Here's a Little Something about Dole
263 posted on 08/23/2004 6:47:46 PM PDT by keats5
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To: lightingguy

Remember I mentioned about Bob Dole on Hannity's radio show? Check this out.


264 posted on 08/23/2004 7:16:18 PM PDT by agrace
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To: Victoria Delsoul
Talk about flip-flop!

Talk about jack@ss.

Or, as he might call himself . . . Jacques Asse.

265 posted on 08/23/2004 7:32:40 PM PDT by Alberta's Child (I made enough money to buy Miami -- but I pissed it away on the Alternative Minimum Tax.)
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To: kattracks

Bob Dole is a real war hero and a real Purple Heart winner. As far as I'm concerned, John Kerry isn't worthy enough to shine the shoes of real heroes like Bob Dole.


266 posted on 08/23/2004 7:40:39 PM PDT by stratman1969
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To: Alberta's Child
Or, as he might call himself . . . Jacques Asse.

LOL, you're right, there is some je ne se qua in French, for sure.

267 posted on 08/23/2004 7:42:34 PM PDT by Victoria Delsoul (Kerry, release your records as GW did. Prove you were in Cambodia under Nixon in 1968)
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To: kattracks
I notice Dole doesn't have to brag about his military career.
268 posted on 08/23/2004 7:45:27 PM PDT by dalebert
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As we speak, Chris Matthews is ridiculing Bob Dole for getting a Purple Heart for a friendly fire wound. It took Pat Buchanan to point out that Dole got another Purple Heart for having his arm shredded by Nazi gunfire.


269 posted on 08/23/2004 8:28:41 PM PDT by twgiles
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To: MeekOneGOP

Bump!


270 posted on 08/23/2004 8:39:39 PM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: Cboldt
"Both men served their country. Kerry should be proud of his service."
The only reason Kerry would not be proud of his service is if he knows his service wasn't something of which to be proud... Seems that JF'nK knows it wasn't honorable.
271 posted on 08/23/2004 8:48:45 PM PDT by Libertina (Abandoning Vietnam: 3.5 million died, (2.5 in Cambodia killing fields), 1.4 mil refugees)
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To: WoofDog123; GoLightly; ShandaLear; txrangerette
It is my fear that if President Bush uses the bully pulpit to praise Kerry service then Kerry can escape accounting for his lies about Vietnam vets.

We will see if Kerry anti Vietnam vets past continues to be an issue or if it disappears from main stream media.

At the very least W timing was terrible, just as Bob Dole took the point on this issue, W buries it.

Damn, damn, damn!

272 posted on 08/23/2004 8:52:55 PM PDT by jpsb (Nominated 1994 "Worst writer on the net")
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To: jpsb

Sorry, but I disagree and think you are mistaken.


273 posted on 08/23/2004 8:55:56 PM PDT by ShandaLear (Swifties v. MoveOn.org: David slays Goliath)
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To: ShandaLear

Like I said and we will see if I am right, the media can safely ignore the swifties and paint that story as an dirty tricks story without ever dealing with the substance of the story. Sorry swifties, but I fear it is over for ya.


274 posted on 08/23/2004 9:01:41 PM PDT by jpsb (Nominated 1994 "Worst writer on the net")
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To: kattracks
I listened to all of Dole's account. Kerry's responses are classically symptomatic of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

There can be no reasoning with such a person and Mr. Bush has got to stop.

Narcissists are good at what they do, and the best thing to do to knock them off the throne in their mind is what the Swift Boat Vets are doing. Again, Mr. Bush should shut up.

275 posted on 08/23/2004 10:02:57 PM PDT by Chaguito
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To: kattracks
"And very frankly, Bush is my guy, and I'm tired of people on your side calling him everything from a coward to a traitor to everything - a deserter."

God bless Mr Dole for his loyalty.

276 posted on 08/23/2004 10:52:14 PM PDT by montag813
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To: airstrike
Example of a quiet hero is Pat Tillman. Kerry is not a quiet hero and he really should be.

that is the funny thing. If Kerry had simply "cooled it" about Vietnam, as Dole says he told him 6 months ago, then he would be in much better shape today. nobody likes a braggard soldier-"hero".

277 posted on 08/23/2004 10:55:08 PM PDT by montag813
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To: Cboldt

It was the "family's" money. In other words, it belonged to his Stepmoney, TerAYsa.


278 posted on 08/23/2004 10:56:11 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day ("Everybody likes a quiet hero." -- Bob Dole to John Kerry)
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To: Chaguito
Again, Mr. Bush should shut up.

Ahem. That's President Bush.

279 posted on 08/23/2004 11:00:51 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day ("Everybody likes a quiet hero." -- Bob Dole to John Kerry)
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To: Choose Ye This Day
True, if I'm demanding that a sentence that contains the name "President Sadaam Hussein" and "Vice President" Al Gore should not contain "Mr." Bush. I can't prove it at this late hour, but I think you will find that there is a long history of referring to the president as Mr. in normal speech.

In any case, President Bush should put a sock in it regarding the Swift Vets =)

280 posted on 08/23/2004 11:27:52 PM PDT by Chaguito
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