It's absolutely true that Kerry could have defused this whole thing if he hadn't fought back. He could have said, "I respect these vets and they have the right to their opinion and to their memories. My memories and opinions are different." and as he has said earlier, "I was a young man in 1971 and I was quoting other vets and went overboard, I was caught up in the moment and I apologize."
That would have ended the story but he made it a battle of who lied.
Exactly. But Kerry and his minions are so arrogant, they won't even acknowledge that fellow veterans even have the right to criticize them!
I don't remember sKerry ever apologizing. Do you have a source?