Posted on 08/25/2004 2:03:21 AM PDT by kattracks
Sen. John Kerry was so eager to confront accusations that he lied about his Vietnam War medals that he telephoned one of his former bunkmates - and was bluntly told off, the former sailor said yesterday.Kerry also brought his campaign to defend his war record to Manhattan yesterday, accusing the Bush campaign of using "fear and smear" tactics to avoid tougher issues.
The sharp exchange between former Navy officers took place Sunday when Kerry called Robert (Friar Tuck) Brant, a skipper on a Navy Swift boat patrolling the Mekong Delta in 1968-69 and a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
The group has charged that Kerry exaggerated or lied about his wartime exploits and injuries to rack up five medals.
Brant said Kerry telephoned him Sunday and seemed surprised when Brant told him he had joined the veterans' campaign against him.
Brant said he told the Democratic presidential candidate he was incensed when Kerry returned from the war and accused soldiers of committing atrocities in Vietnam.
"I said, 'You know that's not true,'" said Brant. "That's been simmering in me about 35 years."
Brant said Kerry told him that he didn't mean everyone was involved in war atrocities and offered to meet Brant, but Brant declined. "I know what I know," Brant said he told Kerry.
Brant said he did not witness any of the incidents that led to Kerry's medals, but they shared a barracks. He said he talked with Kerry at two Swift boat veterans reunions in recent years, including one at Kerry's Washington home in 1995, but had never voiced his disagreements with Kerry until Sunday.
The Kerry camp wouldn't return calls about Brant.
The furor over Kerry's war record continued to dominate the campaign as Kerry came to Manhattan just days before the Republicans to accuse President Bush of a "calculated effort" to evade a truthful debate.
"The Bush campaign and its allies have turned to the tactics of fear and smear because they can't talk about jobs, health care, energy independence and rebuilding our alliances," he said in a speech at Cooper Union in the East Village.
Bush and his backers, Kerry said, are the ones who are misleading the American people, not him.
"My duty is to be a President who tells the truth instead of hiding behind front groups saying anything and doing anything to avoid the real issues," said Kerry, a clear reference to the Vietnam allegations.
Kerry scoffed at the image he predicted the GOP will present at next week's convention."Mark my words, they're going to bend over backward with last-minute proposals and last-minute promises to make up for all that they haven't done and to pretend that they're not who they really are," he said.
In another development, a lawyer for Bush's reelection campaign, Benjamin Ginsberg, revealed that he has been providing legal advice to the veterans group. The disclosure furthers Kerry's claim that the group is illegally coordinating its efforts with the Bush campaign.
With Maggie Haberman, Helen Kennedy
and News Wire Services
Originally published on August 25, 2004
Oh please! Kerry was so eager to confront accusations that he laid low for three weeks while the Swifties did a number on him.
Kerry should direct some of this new found eagerness towards filling out a 180 form.
Brant said Kerry told him that he didn't mean everyone was involved in war atrocities...
The MSM just can't bring themselves to report everything Brant said. I can see why. Letting people know that Kerry told Brant he didn't mean the Swiftees were baby killers and war criminals, just all of the other Vietnam vets probably wouldn't go over to well.
"That's not my SUV, it's my families." - Folks, this guy NEVER takes responsibility for anything. He really, truly is mental disturbed.
"My duty is to be a President who tells the truth"
JUST INCREDIBLE! The gall, after now having admitted to telling several lies (Cambodia, first PH) is unbelievable. This guy truly lives in his own fantasy world, AND thinks the public is just so stupid and gullible. These rats are so used to having their blind, dumbed down sheep believe all of their lies that they lose complete touch with reality.
Kerry has been caught lying about Cambodia and fleeing an attack. Liberal 527s have massively outspent conservatives ones.
Yep, Kerry serves up more whoppers than Burger King...
So why don't you do it? Your "truth" has major holes in it, F'n.
Did Kerry invent the "Dogapult"?
And there is a very rich irony here. The Kerry camp is running around saying that if a vet wasn't on Kerry's boat, he is not in a position to testify as to Kerry's conduct. But Kerry is here saying that HE was in a position to testify as to atrocities committed by vets OUTSIDE the Swift Boat flotilla.
I once had a cat named Bunkie - he was a very good cat.
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