"Ask yourself this: How and why did a young naval officer with only 600 people in his organization, VVAW, manage to obtain an audience with the North Vietnamese? Was it through surrogates like Ramsey Clark and others?
Fact is, Kerry is in Paris meeting with the North Vietnamese and negotiating for the release of POWs."
Here I'd suggest Kerry was following in the footsteps of other antiwar leaders who had been "negotiating" on POWs prior to the VVAW going over there--notably Joseph Elder of the Armed Friends Services Committee; David Dellinger; Cora Weiss; Noam Chomsky; and also, through such channels, Ted Kennedy had been given what the North Vietnamese claimed was a complete list of POWs in December 1970, and he received updated lists in summer 1972. I'd deduce it was through contact with these circles--via his contacts with the VMC, Drinan, and VVAW/CCI--that Kerry gained audience with the North Vietnamese and got involved in the POW "negotiations".
BTW. when Kerry was meeting with the NV in Paris he was on Uncle Sams payroll still, and recieving checks.