The Medals Don't Matter

NYT ^ | 2-16-04 | JAKE TAPPER

[jmstein7]

...

In the coming months, members of both parties may want to reread a speech delivered from the floor of the Senate on the eve of another presidential campaign in which Vietnam was an issue. "We do not need now to divide America over who served and how," it reads. No group "has cornered the market on virtue or rectitude or love of country."

The year was 1992. The speaker, then as now a decorated combat veteran, was Senator John Kerry.

...

[Shermy]

No, let's demand Kerry's mil files be opened too...

[dirtboy]

"We do not need now to divide America over who served and how," it reads. No group "has cornered the market on virtue or rectitude or love of country."

However, one party has, since then, embraced just about every immoral and anti-American position possible. And now this speaker is their poster boy, attacking Bush over paperwork holes in his National Guard service record.

[mewzilla]

But character does, Tapper. Character does.

[Hon]

Kerry: "We do not need to divide America over who served and how."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1078743/posts

[Bonaparte]

"The Medals Don't Matter"

That's not what Jean Kerry thought 30 years ago when he made a big show of throwing them over the wall (or should I say, "of throwing someone else's over the wall"?).

And it's not what Kerry thinks today when he (ostentatiously) displays his "thrown away" medals on his office wall.

[68skylark]

"We do not need now to divide America over who served and how."

Kerry is like Bill Clinton in the sense that he's willing to say anything at any time to any group, then say something different another day. Bill Clinton could pull this off -- many others have tried and found that it's very hard to do.

I'd like to go on record here and no a predict a major Kerry flame-out at the next election. The Democrats think his war record will help them deal with their image as anti-military and anti-American wimps. They're crazy -- everyone knows what Democrats stand for. And a Massachusetts liberal is going to be especially ineffective at changing anyone's perceptions.

[kabar]

Kerry is a target rich environment. We just have to keep reminding ourselves that there are nine months to go. McAwful's strategy of compressing the primaries works to our advantage. I remember the story of the old bull and young bull standing on a hill overlooking the pasture. Spying a herd of young heifers, the young bull anxiously says, "Let's run down and get us some." The old bull laughs and says, "Let's walk down and get them all."

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

I caught Carville on Crossfire today belittling President Bush's Yale days as a cheerleader.

He tried to compare those days with Kerry's 4 months in country.

How about the past 10 years when W has been a 2-term governor of a large state and President of the United States and a supremely successful commander-in-chief for over 3 years and counting.

And Senator Kerry.......

A skirt-chasing gigilo.

Some comparison, eh!!?

[AGreatPer]

I must be in a time warp. I can't even imagine a guy like Kerry even being considered as Presidential material. Beyond my compresion.

BTW, has anyone noticed how Hanoi Jane is off the radar screen? I have no clue where she is today. Why isn't she being asked some questions?

[Theresawithanh]

68skylark wrote - "I'd like to go on record here and no a predict a major Kerry flame-out at the next election."

Please, God, let it be so!

Clinton's ability to be all things to all people never caused most people to question him. I hope people have the guts to question Kerry's hypocrisy, and demand that his records of his service in Vietnam be revealed, and that he explain his actions after he got back from being a "hero" in the Vietnam war.

[Bonaparte]

"No, let's demand Kerry's mil files be opened too..."

D*mn right!

Thirty years ago, Kerry publicly called himself a war criminal. He's never been prosecuted or even investigated for that. Kurt Waldheim was hounded to his dying day for suspicions of war crimes. And yet, the left gives a pass to Kerry, who is an admitted war criminal. I think it's time to convene a trial. Perhaps Spain's Judge Garcia-Castellan would like to prosecute. And maybge the UN or the Hague would like to preside over it, right after they're through with Milosevic.

Let's hear more from Monsieur Kerry about his war crimes. Let's hear a detailed confession.

[68skylark]

I caught Carville on Crossfire today belittling President Bush's Yale days as a cheerleader. He tried to compare those days with Kerry's 4 months in country.

I guess we're going to hear this stuff every day for the next 8 months. Democrats think this tactic is going to work.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

I guess we're going to hear this stuff every day for the next 8 months. Democrats think this tactic is going to work.

Carville looked kind of depressed and seemed quite angry.

Maybe Mary cut him off till after the election.

[OldFriend]

Imagine that Kerry is the best the dems have to offer!

What a pathetic bunch. Anti American and unpatriotic!

[Buffettbassman]

I respectfully disagree sir. Medals DO matter however, they are not requsite for one to become president.

[68skylark]

This is a good article and I agree with the author. In a democracy, the voters are forward-looking. They don't care about someone's past.

The best example I'd cite is Winston Churchill -- voters were willing to turn him out after all he did to win WWII. If his record wasn't sufficient, Kerry's record certainly won't be.

[Bonaparte]

Butchering and ketchup.

They seem to go together don't they?

[BenLurkin]

How about his FBI files. Were already compromised by the Clintoons?

[Stallone]

Kerry is a piece of shiite. He will go down in flames, despite the propping up of this ghoul by leftist media sluts and Chinese moneymen.