Karl Rove,the White House political director, answers questions during an interview with the Associated Press on Wednesday morning, Sept. 1, 2004, before the third day of the Republican National Convention in New York. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Rove: Kerry Tarnished Vietnam Veterans
By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer
NEW YORK - President Bush's chief strategist said Wednesday that Democratic Sen. John Kerry tarnished "the records and service" of fellow Vietnam veterans with his anti-war protests, and compared the U.S. war on terrorism to the decades-old conflict in Northern Ireland.
"This is going to be more like the conflict in Northern Ireland, where the Brits fought terrorism, and there's no sort of peace accord with al-Qaida saying, 'We surrender,'" White House senior adviser Karl Rove said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Bush created a campaign stir this week by saying the war on terror cannot be won. Under pressure from Democrats, the president backed off the statement Tuesday by drawing a distinction between a conventional war and the shadowy terror fight.
The conflict over Northern Ireland claimed more than 3,000 lives from 1969 to 1994, with the IRA causing about 1,800 deaths, anti-Catholic outlaws about 900, and British troops and police about 350. About 185 people have died in politically motivated violence since, chiefly committed by anti-Catholic extremists and IRA dissidents.
On a wartime controversy dogging Kerry, Rove said Bush's rival "served with valor" in Vietnam, and he denied any connection with a GOP-leaning special interest group that has made unsubstantiated claims that Kerry exaggerated his combat record. But Rove took strong issue with Kerry for condemning the actions of some U.S. soldiers upon his return from the Vietnam War.
"It was a period of intense feeling on both sides for and against the war, but I think that was painting with far too broad a brush to tarnish the records and service of people who were defending our country and fighting communism and doing what they thought was right," Rove said during the 30-minute session with AP reporters and editors.
Testifying more than 30 years ago to Congress on behalf of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Kerry detailed atrocities he said were committed by U.S. troops in Vietnam, including rapes, beheadings and random killings of civilians. Kerry has said he was referring to incidents witnessed by others.
Pointing to his anti-war testimony is one of many ways the White House hopes to undercut Kerry's credibility as commander in chief. The Democrat made his combat record the centerpiece of his nominating convention in Boston, to the virtual exclusion of his economic agenda or a detailed plan to end the war in Iraq — two issues troubling Bush's candidacy.
The same group attacking Kerry's war record, "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," is airing a commercial critical of Kerry's 1971 testimony.
Rove said the organization and special interest groups working for Democrats should cease airing ads funded with unregulated contributions, or "soft money." Later, the campaign asked a court to force the Federal Election Commission to act on its complaints against anti-Bush groups that have spent more than $60 million in ads against the president. Outside Republican groups have spent far less, but they've vowed a late-campaign drive to close the gap.
"Can somebody explain to me why we have one set of rules in America for billionaires who hate this president and another set of rules for everybody else?" Rove asked.
He lashed out at liberal filmmaker Michael Moore for predicting a Bush defeat. "Michael Moore is known for wild flights of fantasy and delusion, and that's another one," Rove said. "I have no interest in meeting, seeing, hearing, talking, reading, or being in the presence of the man."