Kerry Phones Swift Boat Foes (Drudge Siren)

Drudge Report ^ | 8/24/04 | Matt Drudge

[Callahan]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX TUE AUG 24, 2004 11:09:31 ET XXXXX

KERRY PHONES SWIFT BOAT FOES

**Exclsuive**

Dem presidential hopeful John Kerry personally phoned anti-Kerry swift boat vets, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

Kerry reached out to Robert "Friar Tuck" Brant Cdr., USN (RET) Sunday night, just hours after former Sen. Bob Dole publicly challenged Kerry to apologize to veterans.

Brant was skipper of the #96 and # 36 boat and spent time with Kerry in Anm Thoi. Kerry and Brant slept in the same quarters, and Brant used to put Kerry back to be at night when Kerry was sleepwalking.

Brant received a call from Kerry at his home in Virginia while he was watching the Olympics on TV.

The call lasted 10 minutes, sources tell DRUDGE.

KERRY: "Why are all these swift boat guys opposed to me?"

BRANT: "You should know what you said when you came back, the impact it had on the young sailors and how it was disrespectful of our guys that were killed over there.

[Brant had two men killed in battle.]

KERRY: "When we dedicated swift boat one in '92, I said to all the swift guys that I wasn't talking about the swifties, I was talking about all the rest of the veterans."

Kerry then asked if he could meet Brant -- man to man -- face to face.

Brant declined the invite, explaining that Kerry was obviously not prepared to correct the record on exactly what happened during Vietnam and what happened when Kerry came back.

Developing...

[concerned about politics]

Good news...(a new 527)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 - The United States Chamber of Commerce and other business groups plan to spend roughly $10 million attacking trial lawyers, including Senator John Edwards, by financing a new organization that will run television and mail advertisements in critical swing states

[demlosers]

crash and burn...

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

If Jane Fonda Kerry called any member of a 527, wouldn't this be a violation?

[BulletBobCo]

"I was talking about all the rest of the veterans."

Next contestant!

[dvwjr]

No, you remember wrong. The Dem spinner was MaryAnn Marsh and she said that "Bush betrayed this country" because he did not serve in Vietnam.

"Betrayed" is much harsher than "disgraced", wouldn't you agree?

dvwjr

[syriacus]

Kerry would be more convincing, I'd bet, if Brant were the leader of a foreign government....

[Indie]

EFnK is nuts. How soon until the straight jacket goes on and Hitlery comes forward? ;)

[EricT.]

The fact that Kerry is personally calling these guys is proof that it is doing HUGE DAMAGE to his campaign. It takes alot of worrying to get the head cheese to drop a dime.

[justshe]

"$10 Says Kerry doesn't have a CLUE on what he said

---

$10 says Kerry will deny having ever made the call...just more of the "fear and smear" campaign being run by Bush--with the help of his VRWC cohorts.

[kellynla]

The clown is certifiable!!!
And anyone who votes for him is just not paying attention! Period!

[beaversmom]

Brant used to put Kerry back to be at night when Kerry was sleepwalking

Kerry could always say his testimony during the 70's was just a sleepwalking episode and he doesn't remember any of it. It's worth a shot.

[mcg1969]

Douglas Brinkley is now saying that the diaries the Kerry Campaign still refuses to release weren't written at the time, but were instead "reconstructed" years later for a book proposal. They're setting up the defense of the first purple heart that Kerry was simply wrong when he wrote this in his "diary."

Wow, it would pretty much sink Brinkley's reputation if one of the primary sources for his supposed biography turn out to be unreliable---because he certainly should have known that at the time.

[sanchmo]

he will resign from office and remove himself from candidacy for POTUS

Uh-oh... I'm getting flashbacks to the NJ senatorial race. Any clue on how presidential election law handles a candidate from a major party droppin out of the race? Especially post-Lausenberg-precendent.

[Riley]

EFnK is nuts. How soon until the straight jacket goes on and Hitlery comes forward? ;)

2008. She's WAY too shrewd to jump into the middle of this mess. 2004 is a write off for the Dems.

[MHT]

Is this the fellow they were talking about on the news who served with Kerry but has not said anything good or bad about his behavior?

[OpusatFR]

Isn't this a violation for a presidential candidate to contact a 527?

[mcg1969]

KERRY: "When we dedicated swift boat one in '92, I said to all the swift guys that I wasn't talking about the swifties, I was talking about all the rest of the veterans."

What is of course absurd about this is that in the Dick Cavett debate with John O'Neill, he admitted to committing atrocities himself, thereby indicting his colleagues who were presumably at least witnesses if not co-participants in those atrocities.

[UsnDadof8]

Reminds me of the Nextel Cup race a couple of weeks ago, where Sterling Marlin cut a tire and couldn't make it to pit road. By the time he came back around again his tire was completely shredded and his car was on fire. That #40 Silver Bullet sure reminds me of Kerry's campaign right now.

[ApplegateRanch]

Hey, now? What's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin' down!
It's Kerry spinnin' and floppin' around!

There's a smokin' gun over there,
Kerry's spinnin' and tearin' 'is hair,
Whinin' that tellin' the truth ain't fair!

"Damn the phone calls! Full speed ahead, Mr. O'neil!"

"Aye, aye, Sir! Fire at Kerry, Mr. Gardner!"

[nyconse]

Darn right. I am a navy brat (proud of it). Both my parents were in the Navy. My brother and sister were marines. My Dad was a Navy medic attached to a Marine unit. My Mom was a navy nurse. Kerry called my Dad a baby killer. Thanks to Kerry, Jane Fonda and other assorted antiwar activist, others called my Dad a baby killer-among other hurtful, mean-spirited remarks. This hurt my Dad badly. I hate Kerry and will never forgive him. I have always believed if the guy you want loses the presidential election, then you have to support the other guy as President. In four years, you do your best to oust him: peaceful transfer of power. However, I could never support Kerry and would never consider him as my President. I sincerely hope Kerry is crushed on 11-2-2004