Free Republic

October 20, 2004 Mr. Leonard Downie, Jr., Executive Editor Mr. Michael Getler, Ombudsman The Washington Post “The story is a legend now, but it really did happen.” So begins page one of The News About The News: American Journalism in Peril, the book co-authored (with Post colleague Robert Kaiser, 2002) by Leonard Downie, Jr., an omnibus review of the condition of American news media. The legend referred to is Watergate. Mr. Downie reminisces about the unfolding of the Watergate saga—he had a ringside seat as the direct supervisor of Woodward and Bernstein at the time--and the Post’s role in driving...

During the first week of September, a documentary that looked into what impact John Kerry’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1971 had on American prisoners of war still held in Vietnam was featured at a media screening in Washington, DC. The film, “Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal” was put together by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Carlton Sherwood, himself a decorated Vietnam veteran. Thirteen POWs appear in the documentary to offer their stories of torture at the hands of the Viet Cong during their long confinement. They tell of how John Kerry’s words were used in an...

Sinclair to Air `A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media'                   BALTIMORE, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sinclair Broadcast Group (Nasdaq: SBGI) announced today that on Friday, October 22, 2004 at 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. central time) certain television stations owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. will air a special one-hour news program, entitled "A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media." In order to minimize the interruption of normally scheduled programming in those markets where Sinclair owns and/or programs more than one television station, the news special will be broadcast on only one of those stations. A...

Last month, I wrote this piece about the rally held by the Vietnam Vets for Truth in Washington D.C. To me, the most moving speech at the rally was delivered by Laura Armstrong, daughter of Roger ("Black Bart") Bartholomew, a First Air Cavalry rocket artillery helicopter pilot who was killed in Vietnam on Thanksgiving Day 1968, when Laura was eight years old. Ms. Armstrong was kind enough to provide me with the text of a letter she sent to ABC Nightline regarding its attempt to enlist Viet Cong Communists against the Swiftvets. Here is what she wrote: To say that...

The day John Kerry decided to apply for the commander-in-chief's job backed by a “war-hero” résumé, we felt compelled to come forward to explain why he is unfit for command. We formed Swift Vets and POWs for Truth as a way to reach out to the others who served with us and who know the real John Kerry. As more and more Americans discover the truth about John Kerry, we’ve decided to turn education into action. A petition has been drafted to demand that Senator Kerry to come clean about his war record and the irresponsible statements he made about...

To say that Nightline found "the one group" who hasn't weighed in on Kerry's Vietnam service is total BS. While we've all heard ad nauseam from the 9-11 families and have heard the press talk about how Bush has offended them by using the images of 9-11, WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF VIETNAM, who had to endure John Kerry's legacy of lies, both then and now, during this campaign? I am one of those children, and had to endure teachers who censured me, people who told me (as a small child) "YOUR DADDY DESERVED TO DIE IN VIETNAM -- HE...

Dear Friends, John Kerry's truth-twisting squad is out in full force and we are the only thing standing in their way. Now is the most crucial time of our effort to tell the American people about the true John Kerry. We need your help. We are only advertising in three states right now and without your help we cannot continue to get our message out to all the places it needs to be heard. It's obvious we have been the most effective communicators of the truth about John Kerry's time in Vietnam and his anti-war activities. However, we have been...

The in-laws are away for the weekend, so we are, among other things, taking in their mail. My wife showed me this very nicely done 12-page mailer addressed to my father-in-law, a Vietnam vet (USN 1966-1970). The cover is that "Band of Brothers" photo that Kerry was using. It identifies those who support Kerry (3 of them, besides Kerry) and those who say Kerry is unfit (I count 12 of them). There are two not available and two deceased. Next follows many of the people featured in the latest SwiftVet ads and their comments. They talk about Kerry's testimony in...

Swift Vets Air Two Ads With Largest-to-Date $3 Million Ad Buy Swift Vets and POWs for Truth released two new ads yesterday, which will run in the final weeks of the presidential campaign. This $3.14 million ad buy on national cable stations and in the states of Ohio, Colorado and New Mexico is the largest in the Swift Vets' history. In Ohio alone, $2 million of the advertising dollars will be spent in the coming weeks. The two latest ads feature more than 75 Swift Vets united in their battle to know the truth about John Kerry. The first ad...

The actions of John Kerry in 1971 have a direct bearing on his possible conduct as President. Only some of the Vienam Vets are making this connection. . What could John Kerry as Commander-In-Chief say to the following hypothetical: A company of army rangers in Afghanistan decide that the Taliban were given a raw deal and we should not have invaded. This group even sends emissaries to Pakistan to discuss their wholehearted support of the terrorist agenda. They might even publicly condemn their fellow soldiers of atrocities and their leaders of war crimes. They appear on Arab TV and Radio...

Sorry [not really] about the vanity, but something happened last night on Hannity & Colmes that really burned me up. Swiftie Van Odell was on and when Colmes got his turn, he claimed that some Vietnamese civilians had come out and taken Kerry’s side about the incident where Kerry had pursued and killed either a teenager or a young man … the “loincloth” incident, and that the Swifties’ accusation was therefore false. Odell, very calmly, pointed out that their charge was not based on anything a Swiftie was saying, but came from Kerry’s own words in Tour of Duty. Odell...

Federal News Service APRIL 25, 1991, THURSDAY HEADLINE: HEARING OF THE EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE SUBJECT: PROSPECTS FOR NORMALIZATION OF US-VIETNAMESE RELATIONS CHAIRED BY: SENATOR ALAN CRANSTON (D-CA) SEN. CRANSTON: It's now my pleasure to call on Senator John Kerry, who has been a leader in this area as in so many others. And it was a special reason and background for his deep interest in a more sensible policy toward Vietnam. John? SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate this hearing which you and I talked...

While I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ted Koppel and ABC News I was appalled to learn that ABC News would go to the lengths of traveling to Vietnam to interview three Viet Cong communists in yet a third attempt by ABC to corroborate John Kerry’s version of the events that took place on February 28th, 1969.

A group of anti-Kerry Vietnam veterans whose television commercials attacking the senator shook the presidential race filed a report Friday showing it raised about $9 million through the end of September, and the group says it has raised millions more since then. The numbers came as the group announced its largest advertising buy ever - more than $3 million- this week. One commercial shows a series of veterans questioning issues like Mr. Kerry's service medals and his meeting with North Vietnamese in Paris at the time of the peace talks there. The last veteran states flatly, "John Kerry cannot be...

Statement by John O'Neill on "Nightline" Appearance Author: Dated: Friday, October 15 2004 @ 08:00 AM PDT Viewed: 1485 times While I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ted Koppel and ABC News I was appalled to learn that ABC News would go to the lengths of traveling to Vietnam to interview three Viet Cong communists in yet a third attempt by ABC to corroborate John Kerry’s version of the events that took place on February 28th, 1969. I would only ask the American people: "Who do you trust more, three members of a communist regime that tortured and...

The following statement from John O'Neil, member of Swift Boat Veterans and POW's for Truth, concerns a news segment that aired on October 14th on ABC's Nightline with Ted Koppel. "While I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ted Koppel and ABC News I was appalled to learn that ABC News would go to the lengths of traveling to Vietnam to interview three Viet Cong communists in yet a third attempt by ABC to corroborate John Kerry's version of the events that took place on February 28th, 1969. "I would only ask the American people: 'Who do you...

Over 30 years ago they put away their medals and their uniforms. They tried to bury their anger and bitterness and moved on with their lives -- and they waited. Revisionists are trying to change history, claiming the returning Viet Nam veterans didn't suffer all that much when they returned home. All that talk of being labeled animals has been exaggerated over the years. But the veterans know better. They were there. On the radio last week, one man related that he had unpacked the uniform that he wore home from Viet Nam all those years ago. It had not...

No matter how hard Koppel tried to discredit O'Neil and the Swifties. O'Neil was able to back up the Swifties assertions citing Kerry's own words. Koppel showed his true colors throughout the whole interview. He wondered why 22 Vietnamese would tell a different story than the Swiftvets. O'Neil wondered why Koppel would go to Vietnam to interview 22 villagers and not interview any swiftvets for this program. O'Neil's also showed Koppel the picture of Kerry that hangs in the Vietnam War Heros Museum honoring Kerry for his support. Koppel dismissed the question and assertion with some lame excuse and continued...

(I want New Yorkers, and anybody who watches "Sex and the City" or otherwise models their sensibilities on Big Apple chic, to Google the following piece and discover that—SHOCK! HORROR!—somebody who has or had "good" cultural values actually supports the president.) Please note that not every personal revelation in the following piece is something I'm proud of—but it's all true:"My idea of an ideal Saturday is catching a ride with a friend or family, and going to garage sales and flea markets, and I am voting for George W. Bush. * My favorite clothes come from thrift stores, and I...

Here is the audio of tonights interview on Nightline where Ted Koppel tried to debunk the silver star story. http://s2r-tech.com/swifty/jo-nl.mp3