I thought you wanted to research the issue, which is why I gave you the link. I spent hundreds of hours at the SBVPOWFT discussion forum in 2004, and I promise you that there is a great deal of factual information available to the seeker.
Of course it's unproven supposition, and "Hanoi" John could have cleared up everything had he simpily signed the 180, made it unredacted, available to everyone, and issued it to the National Records Archive in St. Louis, MO like everyone was asking him to do, instead of issuing a 180 to the Navy, available only to two friendly reporters. The simple fact that he had the chance to shut everyone up, and he chose to play his cards against his chest, causes me to believe that he's hiding something that would be damning to his cause.
It's a proven fact, by his own testimony before the Senate, that Hanoi John met secretly with the Viet Cong in France during the Vietnam war. For ANY citizen that was an illegal act. And for someone who's still in the Naval reserves, it goes against the UCMJ. Had Kerry already been given a DD214 at that time, or was he subject to the UCMJ? Hmm. I'd like to know, and Hanoi John doesn't want me to know.
Occam's razor indicates to me that he's either hiding a less than honorable DD214 or he's hiding the fact that he met with the enemy before he got a DD214.
Unfortunately "Occam's Razor" doesn't support your contention that the DD214 in question was the product of a Carter amnesty reissuance. Let's be damn careful here.
By the way, in poking around the net, I stumbled onto an exchange on this subject that you might find to be of interest...
"Did Sen John Kerry receive an Honorable Discharge from the Navy?"