Posted on 09/12/2004 3:35:47 PM PDT by Pikamax
Vietnam Vets Rally Against Kerry in D.C.
1 hour, 7 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Chanting "Kerry lied," hundreds of Vietnam veterans on Sunday rallied against fellow veteran and Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites).
AP Photo
Comrades died because of people like Kerry and Jane Fonda, asserted Larry Bailey, a U.S. Navy (news - web sites) veteran and president of Vietnam Vets for the Truth.
With the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop, Bailey accused Kerry of lying three decades ago when he returned from Vietnam and gave testimony before the U.S. Senate in 1971 alleging widespread atrocities by American troops.
"We can tell him (Kerry) and spit in his eye while we're doing it, 'we served honorably and compassionately,'" Bailey said to cheers from the crowd of approximately 1,000.
Bailey's speech was interrupted when a shouting match broke out between a lone Kerry supporter in a wheelchair, Vietnam veteran Bobby Mueller, and a number of the anti-Kerry vets.
Before the rally, a group of supporters held a news conference nearby to defend Kerry and call for an end to the TV ads attacking the military record of the Massachusetts senator.
"What we ought to be talking about is what's happening today and that includes the best person to lead us out of the mess we've got ourselves in Iraq (news - web sites)," Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak, a former chief of staff of the Air Force, told reporters.
McPeak, who is advising the Kerry campaign and is a Vietnam veteran, said those who have questioned the five medals Kerry was awarded for Vietnam either weren't directly serving with him or their accounts have been directly contradicted by other vets who were side-by-side with Kerry.
Yes dad!
I read a post somewhere today (wish I could find it) that a FReeper asked one of the policeman there for his estimate, and he said over 5,000. I was there, and it sounds about right. Most of the people (I'd guess 75%) were off to the side in the shade, out of C-Span's carefully chosen camera range.
the disabled vet IS the disrupter. The blonde in the black cap was a speaker at the rally. Her dad was killed in VN.
Your thread...
Can we pretend her screen name is BykrBayb? I wouldn't mind. Well, I guess she would. Nevermind.
Thank you Tonk, for your past and continued service to our Country. Thanks to all of our veterans, I am humbled by your heroism then, and now.
You were there, in our hearts.
How wonderful, thank you for taking the photos and sharing them with FR. It reminds me of our march on Halloween several years ago. Nothing better then being with like minded folks. Hope you enjoyed my old stumping grounds.
???
Who was the lady who spoke immediately after John O'Neil? That speech needs to be broadcast to the nation.
I haven't seen this many photos of one person since Anna Kournikova won something. (That is you in the red hat - no?) You should feel lucky.
I'm no Marine - but Semper Fi - eh?
She was the daughter of "Black Bart", a Huey gunship pilot who was killed in Vietnam, I believe.
The Vietnam Veterans for Truth Website )kerrylied.com) doesn't list any of the speakers. Bummer. They were talking about a DVD at the rally but nothing on the website yet.
I wanted to post them so others could see what went on there. There was no 'after action report' that I could find on FR so after 2 days, I posted my pics. I have TONS more. Should I post them too?
OOPS< my bad.
Here's the thread from Sunday and the post with a link to my photos of the Rally.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1214176/posts?page=70#70
As was said above, most of us were over to one side or the other, in the shade under the trees. I'd guess at least 4 times the number who braved the middle in the sun. (and I'm sorry I broke your camera)
Thanks Vets!
Y'all take a gander at my new KERRY - EDWARDS BUMPER STICKER!
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