Brinkley Jumping Ship?

Power Line ^ | 9/5/04 | John H. Hinderaker

[CT]

Douglas Brinkley, author of the John Kerry biography Tour of Duty, was on Steve Malzberg's radio show today. He called on John Kerry to release his military records, saying: "Clearly some of these military records should be made available to the press."

Brinkley also said that if the Navy investigation reveals deception in connection with Kerry's medals, it "could be" the "death knell" for Kerry's campaign. Professing uncertainty about what to make about the Swift Boat Vets' claims, Brinkley said:

Right now it's unclear. So we have to just wait to see what all this adds up to.

While the piece linked to above provides only brief excerpts from the Brinkley interview, it sounds like he is trying to distance himself from Kerry, and has less than full confidence in Kerry's honesty. Considering that Brinkley's book has been termed a hagiography, and that until now he has been an unabashed advocate for Kerry, that's a striking development.

[Gator113]

I have had that same thought for over a month now.

[TheExploited]

Brinkley's sudden departure from the swift boat is a very significant development. He is in a position to be in the know, and he is heading for the hills. There is something underneath the rock. It's now only a question of time before it comes out and what it is going to do to JFK.

[Martin Tell]

I hear the trampling of the Hildebeast underbrush...

I've been thinking of the Torecelli option as well, but there is no time left to get Hitlery's name on the ballot.

If sKerry just withdrew, would it be Edwards? What if sKerry developed the Arkansas flu? That was how what's-her-name beat Ashcroft for MO senator in 2000; her husband croaked and the good people of MO elected a corpse. Of course if sKerry died maybe Mondale or lautenburg could be drafted to take his place.

Seriously, the way things are gonig in the sKerry campaign I have to wonder if he will resign. When I heard today Ter-a-za was in the hospital I wondered if it was so sKerry could resign to spend more time with the family.

[MediaMole]

A hagiography is either a biography of a saint or a worshipful biography.

[badgerlandjim]

...wouldn't that be political suicide?

Yeah, I think Her Thighness will be front and center sucking up adulation from her admirers and hogging all the attention she can without taking Kerry's place.

[CyberAnt]

So you're saying that because the documents on Kerry's website could only be obtained through a SF180, Kerry must have already done that ..??

If so .. then why hasn't the other media groups requested the documents ..?? I'd think NewsMax and Drudge would have been first in line, along with the RNC, and other right-wing media groups ..?? I wonder what's stopping them ..??

[risk]

KERRY sinking = HILLARY rising

Ronnie, you are so right. Hillary comes out looking oh-so responsible and mature after all of this.

We need to continue making a reasoned and restrained case to the American people that her Third Way is dangerous. The 3rd way is much more than taxation with representation, i.e. programs that most Americans believe we need. Her brand of socialism is not much different from Kerry's, and it, as Jane Fonda had said during the war, and as others have said, is all about adopting those Marxist tenets that the American left found acceptable in the communism we were opposing.

The more money these government officials get for their "it takes a village" style programs, the more power they get. The more power they get, the more influence they have. The more influence they have, the more they can start bribing America's poor and less fortunate while brainwashing them into believing that their condition is a direct result of Capitalism's irresponsibility.

What Hillary and Kerry are failing to tell us is that we could solve most of these problems with Capitalism without asking Karl Marx for any advice at all. Hillary and Kerry are pushing us in a direction of massive nationalization, from healthcare (one of our biggest industries) to education. We need to get the word out that there are alternatives. Look at Senator Bill Frist's speeches at the Convention. I actually think Frist is our brightest and most effective spokesman today. His care for the ordinary people is evident, and he was able to articulate how our changes to taxation and individual discretionary medical savings was magnificent. Let's continue looking to the privatization positives when we contrast the negatives of our opponent's third way...

In any case, Ronnie I think you're almost there. For 35 years you've been fighting communism here and abroad. When Kerry is defeated, many other barriers will fall. If he is not, you have still managed to get out a powerful message to the American people. By the way, I saw someone with a Free Vietnam flag in the audience of the RNC convention while I was watching it!

[Jenya]

Alex, I'll take, "Saving My Own Ass" for $200 please.

[Semper Paratus]

I guess Kerry's pet biographer really does want to have a career and reputation after the loser flames out.

Or his next gig will be biographer of Al Sharpton.

[rocksblues]

To me it smells like TOAST!

[Semi Civil Servant]

I'm starting to really think that Kerry won't make it to Election Day. The Dems/libs want Bush out too bad to let their current nominee keep going in a mortally wounded state. I hear the trampling of the Hildebeast underbrush...

What the Democrat political crooks could do in the banana republic of Jersey could only be done in a couple of other states. The Dems are stuck with Mr. Billionaire.

[M-cubed]

I feel the same way..The push should be to release the records..not what someone thinks is in them..

[ProudVet77]

Yes, that is what I am saying and have been saying all along.
How many in the media know what an SF180 is? How many in the MSM have been in the service? How many in the MSM think being a vet is an honorable thing.
Where do you think that Kerry got the 3 SS recomendations? They were not in the form you put on a citation, they were in the rough draft form from his service jacket.

[GreenHornet]

Okay, thanks! Now I get it.

[M-cubed]

Careful there!..that thought was a capital offense here a few months ago!...got ya a free pass into the "tinfoil room!"

[passionfruit]

The trouble with throwing your unquestioning support behind someone is that they may have skeletons in the closet that you don't know about. Perhaps Brinkley relied on Kerry to tell him the truth for his book, and now that he has written it, his own credibility is of the line. If I had done that, I'd be calling for a release of the record too.

[bootyist-monk]

Among other records to be examined is a citation of Mr Kerry for bravery that was apparently signed by the former Navy Secretary, John Lehman, and contributed to the award of his silver star. The glowing citation states: "By his brave actions, bold initiative and unwavering devotion to duty, Lt Kerry reflected great credit on himself." But Mr Lehman denies all knowledge of the commendation. "It's a total mystery to me," he said last week. "I never saw it, I never signed it and I never approved it." The inquiry will also investigate other reports and citations leading to the award of Mr Kerry's medals.

From another post regarding this, but bears repeating. I seem to remember that Freepers were the first to point out that Lehman had signed the Silver Star.

[igoramus987]

Brinkley's sudden departure from the swift boat is a very significant development. He is in a position to be in the know, and he is heading for the hills. There is something underneath the rock. It's now only a question of time before it comes out and what it is going to do to JFK.

Brinkley will try to salvage his credibility be saying that Kerry conned him too, like he is trying to con the public.

[Dark Knight]

"Right now it's unclear. So we have to just wait to see what all this adds up to."

As I just said in another thread, unclear can be a simple typo for nuclear.

DK

[GOPJ]

It does seem too easy...

Why does this thing smell? Could this be a set-up where Kerry releases his records and they find nothing? Maybe I'm just being paranoid.