Posted on 08/28/2004 7:30:49 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
Kerry citation a 'total mystery' to ex-Navy chief
August 28, 2004
BY THOMAS LIPSCOMB
Former Navy Secretary John Lehman has no idea where a Silver Star citation displayed on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's campaign Web site came from, he said Friday. The citation appears over Lehman's signature.
"It is a total mystery to me. I never saw it. I never signed it. I never approved it. And the additional language it contains was not written by me," he said.
The additional language varied from the two previous citations, signed first by Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and then Adm. John Hyland, which themselves differ. The new material added in the Lehman citation reads in part: "By his brave actions, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant (jg) Kerry reflected great credit upon himself...."
Asked how the citation could have been executed over his signature without his knowledge, Lehman said: "I have no idea. I can only imagine they were signed by an autopen." The autopen is a device often used in the routine execution of executive documents in government.
Kerry senior adviser Michael Meehan could not be reached for comment on Kerry's records.
Thomas Lipscomb is chairman of the Center for the Digital Future in New York
Yikes!
I think you are right!
Yes. That is exactly my thought. Look at Silver Star citations issued in the same timeframe as the one signed by Lehman, and see the language in them, particularly the concluding sentences.
Once again, Free Republic has come out with fresh news information (that you caught and reported on FreeRepublic.com on 4-22-04). However, it has taken the MainStreamMedia 4 months before a reporter actually asked the Secretary of the Navy about this.
Why sure, there may be some fluff, there may be some silliness on FR, but wouldn't some reporters be wise to at least consider this website a news source?
This episode is very likely going to lead to a serious Congressional investigation of the military's practice of awarding medals. Every medal ever awarded in modern times is going to possibly have to come under scrutiny.
IMHO, that could be a good thing. I have heard a lot of rumors about these matters over the years.
I'm an American.
I am equal to other Americans.
This isn't a Monarchy where I have to hold my tongue and bow to those with higher bureacratic authority.
You and others can disagree with me all you want, and that is fine.
But to knee-jerk that language is dangerous and some are above questioning is facism.
We shall see if he lied or not.
He allowed Gorelick and her damage to our national security with her "wall" to taint the 9/11 Commission and I won't forget it. You give him far more credit than he deserves, IMO.
Yup!
This is to all the comments along the line that the Swifties have all of the papers already as well as the one above, that a campaign has already been carefully crafted.
I say, for the two or three cents that it's worth, that all of that line thinking is absolutely correct.
These guys aren't stupid and I begin to think that finally, neither are the Pubs.
The Swifities even recruited a former PR guru from the Pubs as I recall, something that is perfectly legal no mind that screaming Dems. Just because I worked for the Republicans once doesn't mean that I can't work for a 527 so long as I don't collude.
I'll offer several reasons why I think this, y'all may ruminate and disagree as required.
First, and this is vague but risible I'd argue, the odd serenity so many of the right wing types have exhibited these past months, to include the President himself. Rush has been pouring balm on our wounds so long that he's got to know something. I almost pulled my hair out through that 9/11 commission debacle, the Michael Moore thing, the sudden screaming for Bush's reserve records, all of it ad nauseum. Their behavior was one of those who knew something was percolating.
Second, one night one of the swifties was getting the hell beat out of him by the very angry Chrissy Matthews. Ole Chris has a straight line into the Dem party via Ron Reagan Jr and the Swifties are really messing up his parade. Anyway, the Swiftie asserted that the reason his medal's documentation made reference to enemy fire was because Kerry wrote the after action report. Chris yelled and literally spit in the man's face "Do you have any proof that Kerry wrote the after action report?"
The swiftie (forget who it was) didn't sadly deny it, he didn't say a word in fact. I knew, right then, that those Swifties had those after action reports and so I must follow that likely they have it all and had it all well in hand before one word hit a page. Just one woman's speculation but I've gotten pretty good at it.
Finally, the way the swifties are timing all of this is simply exquisite. They have a three pronged plan, first to attack his questionable medals, second to attack his lies before congress and the biggest one I've finally deduced is coming, footage of Kerry meeting with Viet Cong, his picture in North Vietnam, the question if even his dabbling with this "peace" process was legal in that he was still in the navy. I know many here have alluded to this but so far the swifties are keeping it back.
It's a smashing plan and they learned it from none other than the experts, the Dems themselves!
I believe that every "I" has been dotted, "T" has been crossed and by using the example of the rabid Dems, the pubbies have orchestrated this entire thing.
Which is not to say the pubs are behind the Swifties, I don't believe this for a minute. The pubs are waaaaaay too smart for that; only the Dems are allowed to blatantly break the law. But you can't stop people from talking though McCain has tried. A whole bunch of smartening experience was combined with the keen intelligence of the Republicans. Man, if the Dems were so good at manipulating public opinion, think at how good the much smarter Repubs are now that they've been stung a time or two in their wing-tipped shoes.
The careful release of information, the well-documented book, the patience to endure the onslought from the Dems that they may do it first and they may indulge in the extremes that they are wont to do...man, it's genius.
The pubs, now that they realize the cheaters they are up against, are doing it cool and cute. They would never be so stupid as to send a crippled former congress critter to deliver letters.
The best and most beautiful of it all, there's truth behind the Swifties but hey, when did truth ever get a fair hearing? Playing the Dem games, the pubs have taken the challenge and damn, it's working like a charm.
Guess what else? The Dems know this. They know that their cheating will be countered and countered intelligently and lawfully.
Can you imagine how Lanny Davis must feel?
I'm saying it could be. I don't know that for a fact. I don't see that change in language having a substantive impact, either way.
Which is why they DEMANDED his records in advance. They thought they could dig up dirt just in case. They ended up having to make something up, and it isn't flying.
Tony Snow was questioning some Kerry bozo about Cambodia. The Bozo said that yes Kerry was in Cambodia during Christmas and other times too! And he was shot at! And by the way this Schachte had already been forced to change his story. Well, the Schachte story is the same as the one in the book, but I've lost count of the number of Cambodia variations from the kerry camp, I really have!
Excuse me, but I didn't command you to hold your tongue or be silent. I observed you were off the mark.
I stand by my well-considered (not "knee-jerk") opinion.
You can disagree with me all you like, too. So what.
You're the one saying because someone comments that you are "off the mark" that you are being told to be quiet and not to question and even invoking "facicsm". What nonsense.
Well, this is strange, because I saw Lehman in an interview on TV just a few days ago (http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1198985/posts) and he talked about this as if he did remember, and thought it was some sort of routine replacement.
It clearly was not routine, but Lehman didn't seem bothered by it at the time. I wonder what changed his mind?
http://www.securenet.net/3rdbn5th/valor.htm <-- Plenty of examples here
He probably hadn't actually checked his records when he was first interviewed....Maybe the interview caught him off guard, and he started having doubts, went back to records and realized he hadn't authorized it.
If someone shows you your signature, you know it's yours you are not going to deny it, but you are going to question how it got there?
http://www.securenet.net/3rdbn5th/valor.htm <-- Examples
By his courage, outstanding leadership and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Staff Sergeant JUSTIS upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.
By his courage, bold initiative, and selfless devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Lance Corporal Kuehlmann upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
By his steadfast courage, dynamic leadership and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, Staff Sergeant ORLETT upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.
By his courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty, Corporal Tyson upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his in the service of his country.
There are quite a few examples ... I just grabbed those at random.
I keep one in my car.
There must be one, and exactly one, way to counter any further comments by the Kerry campaign regarding the SwiftBoatVets and any commentary about Kerry's service in VietNam.
Sen.Kerry: PLEASE SIGN STANDARD FORM 180 !!!
You claim to have released all the records. Let us have that access, and then we can put this whole hoary episode behind us and get on with the important issues in this campaign.
.
Good question.
Referring to the medal toss...I'd never read that some of the protesters were throwing back their CITATIONS."Veterans hurled their medals high on the steps of the Capitol. Many cried. Someone put up a sign on the fence that read, "Trash." Soon, they began throwing not just Bronze and Silver stars and Purple Hearts, but citations, discharge papers, caps, jackets and canteens.
___________________________________________________________
Some are starting to smear Lehman. If Lehman's name is getting splattered, could he request release of the records behind the issuance of those citations with his signature on them??????
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