Kerry's Testimony

Los Angeles Times ^ | August 26, 2004

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.......Many of those who condemn Kerry for opposing the Vietnam War are too young to have been politically aware during that period. The rest are fighting very old battles. But the fact is that the argument over Vietnam was settled long ago, and a majority of Americans decided that Kerry was right.

Members of the Swift boat group and like-minded Americans are free to try to re-litigate the basic Vietnam question. They say, from the comfortable perspective of 2004, that the antiwar movement emboldened the enemy and thus lengthened the war. That's their premise: We could have won the war by 1971 if not for Kerry and his ilk. Of course, after continuing the war for three more years, we still didn't win it. So even accepting the dubious premises of these Hindsight Hawks, blame for the lives lost after Kerry's testimony goes primarily to the leaders in Washington who kept the war going needlessly.

But most Americans came to accept Kerry's view that the war was ill advised and unwinnable at any reasonable cost. Only when that happened did the war end, and the antiwar movement made it happen sooner. If that historical judgment is correct, which we think it clearly is, then Kerry saved the lives of many more Americans in his antiwar role than he did as a Navy officer.

Kerry's testimony in April 1971 was eloquent, persuasive and damning. Consistent with his cautious instincts, Kerry never joined the extremist America-haters who hoped for a North Vietnamese victory, but instead he patiently explained to senators why the war was a disaster.

Undoubtedly, Kerry was overwrought when he declared that atrocities by American soldiers were ubiquitous. They weren't. But it is ignorant fantasy to suppose that the United States emerged from Vietnam unblemished by horrible misdeeds................

[uncbob]

But the fact is that the argument over Vietnam was settled long ago, and a majority of Americans decided that Kerry was right.

BUT BUT Now he claims he WAS DEFENDING THE COUNTRY

I guess defending the country in an UNWINNABLE war is non contradictory to the LA TIMES

[Alberta's Child]

Kerry's testimony in April 1971 was eloquent, persuasive and damning.

Ironically, this will end up being the most damning aspect of his 1971 testimony in terms of its impact on this 2004 campaign.

The really problem Kerry faces isn't just the content of his testimony -- it's the delivery. The most recent SBVT ad has been devastating to Kerry because it paints an accurate, but damaging picture of him. How many undecided voters from swing states like Missouri and Ohio are going to cast a vote for him after hearing his limp-wristed, New England prep-school act as a backdrop to those former POWs who talk like real Americans?

[uncbob]

During the interview Mr. Tin was asked if the American antiwar movement was important to Hanoi's victory. Mr. Tin responded "It was essential to our strategy" referring to the war being fought on two fronts, the Vietnam battlefield and back home in America through the antiwar movement on college campuses and in the city streets.

All that is very trues and add in the medias support for the commies BUT

The war was lost because Johnson and NIxon tied the miliatry's hands and fought a NO WIN war

LBJ had the majority of the public behind him at first and so did Nixon BVUT BOTH wimped out
If Nixon had cranked up the B52s (like he did to get the POWs back ) when he first took office and kept it up till they were on their knees it would have been a different story >
But neithet LBJ or RMN had the character to wage a winning war. Both were political hacks in above their heads

In additionj blame the highest levels in the military who went along with this madness withbout RESIGNING in porotest
MacArthur or Ike would have never put up with this kind of BS

[blue-duncan]

"eloquent, persuasive, and damning", but a lie, just "poetic license" from a privileged "Yalie".

[cricket]

"This is why they're shrill like the wicked witch of the west, they're seeing all their beautiful communist designs shrinking."

Have to say; CW, it is happening to slowly for me; I want them to implode - like the 'wicked witch' - just melt back into the amorphorous slime they came from; right before our eyes.

No doubt Bush is encouraged by the few points he has gained; I think; if they handled this better; he would be celebrating a wide-point spread and Kerry would be in a melt-down; smoking as we speak, right now.

Bush camp too restrained; just like four years ago; the election should never have been close.

We have got to do better and do it faster. . .

Bush needs to be leading the 'charge' here; not responding to Kerry's albet 'lame charge'. . .for which Max Cleland is both metaphor and poster boy.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bush is a fisher man.

He's letting them circle the bait.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Kerry's Testimony....

Will be aired tonight at 8:00 on C-Span.

[cricket]

"Bush is a fisher man. . .He's letting them circle the bait."

Needless to say; I don't fish!

So, OK; then I would wish that the RNC and GW get a 'fish feeder'; more bait ie the 'truth' including that of the Swift Vets; and a faster delivery resulting in a Demrat feeding frenzy - so we can catch them quickly; and 'release' after the election. ;^)

I don't know; sounds reasonable to me. ;^)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bush "hooked" Kerry real good when he asked him...."Knowing all we know today, would you have......?

[NYCVirago]

NEWSFLASH: CSPAN will air in its Entirety John F'nn Kerry's testimony in April of 71 before congress at 8:00 tonight. Get the Popcorn ready, and make sure you have your DVD Burner ready to go!

That's good, but how many people watch C-SPAN, as opposed to reading a newspaper? I just find it telling that the LATimes proclaims what Kerry said back as no big deal, when they won't even quote from it.

[NYCVirago]

How many undecided voters from swing states like Missouri and Ohio are going to cast a vote for him after hearing his limp-wristed, New England prep-school act as a backdrop to those former POWs who talk like real Americans?

He does sound like Thurston Howell, doesn't he? You almost expect him in the testimony to star talking about Lovey!