Kerry refuses to release more records (day after promising on MTP)

BOSTON GLOBE ^ | April 20, 2004 | Michael Kranish, Globe Staff

[Liz]

WASHINGTON -- The day after John F. Kerry said he would make all of his military records available for inspection at his campaign headquarters, a spokesman said the senator would not release any new documents, leaving undisclosed many of Kerry's evaluations by his Navy commanding officers, some medical records, and possibly other material.

Kerry, in an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press," was asked whether he would follow President Bush's example and release all of his military records. "I have," Kerry said. "I've shown them -- they're available for you to come and look at." He added that "people can come and see them at headquarters."

But when a reporter showed up yesterday morning to review the documents, the campaign staff declined, saying all requests must go through the press spokesman, Michael Meehan. Late yesterday, Meehan said the only records available would be those already released to this newspaper.

"He is releasing all military records he has released to The Boston Globe," Meehan said in a telephone interview. In a follow-up e-mail, Meehan said it was those particular records to which Kerry was referring on "Meet the Press."

Kerry has not released the formal evaluations from superior officers, although his campaign has given a letter from a commanding officer that recommended him for service aboard Navy patrol boats and also reports for the Silver and Bronze stars that laud Kerry's actions in combat. By comparison, retired Army General Wesley K. Clark released hundreds of pages of his records during the Democratic primary campaign, including all evaluations of him by his superiors.

Bush earlier this year released 300 pages of documents after media outlets raised new questions about the extent of his National Guard service. Those records, which Bush promised during a Feb. 8 appearance on "Meet the Press" to make available, included many military evaluations and medical records.

--SNIP--

Michael Kranish can be reached at kranish@globe.com

[Liz]

Kerry, in an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press," was asked whether he would follow President Bush's example and release all of his military records. "I have," Kerry said. "I've shown them -- they're available for you to come and look at." He added that "people can come and see them at headquarters."

Kerry's a secularist who does not distinguish between right and wrong, lies and truth. He says one thing and does another.

[Robert A. Cook, PE]

I'm shocked!

Gee.

(Waiting for big press uproar....)

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[BillyCrockett]

This issue is going to haunt him right along with Terazor not wanting to release her tax return records.

[woofie]

I can feel the love from across the nation for Mr Kerry
the excitement is palpable.....

[Izzy Dunne]

(Still waiting .........)

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[samtheman]

Maybe he's just being humble. Maybe those records are full of glowing reports about his 3 months in Vietnam. (Or was it 4?)

[cardinal4]

The guy is more cadaverous than Gore. He would put the Tazmanian devil to sleep..

[airborne]

I hope you aren't holding your breath.

[Sci Fi Guy]

Kerry is Bob Dole!!

Think about it compare the way Kerry is running his campaign and the way Dole ran his.

[Dante3]

Kerry is worse than Gore, both have the active sopport of Bon Jovi.

[OXENinFLA]

WASHINGTON -- The day after John F. Kerry said he would make all of his military records available for inspection at his campaign headquarters, a spokesman said the senator would not release any new documents, leaving undisclosed many of Kerry's evaluations by his Navy commanding officers, some medical records, and possibly other material.

ATTENTION: The definition of ALL has been changed. You'll have to ask JFn'K for the new definition.

[woofie]

"cadaverous"....good word

[commish]

Looks like it is time to dust off thwe ole CLINTON PARSE-O-METER (TM), and rename it the KERRY PARSE-O-METER (TM).

Everyone thought Kerry said he would Release all his records, when what he said is he would release all the records he had released to the Boston Globe.

It really depends on what the meaning of the word release is.

[nuconvert]

"He is releasing all military records he has released to The Boston Globe," Meehan said in a telephone interview. In a follow-up e-mail, Meehan said it was those particular records to which Kerry was referring on "Meet the Press."

OHHhhhh.....THOSE Records........

LoL. Sounds like Kerry's version of Gary Hart's invitation ............

[TomGuy]

Kerry's a secularist who does not distinguish between right and wrong, lies and truth. He says one thing and does another.

And what he says to one group or reporter has not bearing on what he says to another group or reporter.

[MJY1288]

I'm sure David Gregory and Chrissy Matthews will make a big issue over this broken promise < /sarcasm > OFF

[Semper Paratus]

Sounds like Kerry's version of Gary Hart's invitation ...

Sounds like his records are a tooth ache to him and somebody is got to find a drill.

[Ramcat]

"He is releasing all military records he has released to The Boston Globe," Meehan said ..."

What he say?

[Redcoat LI]

Re; your tagline I missed that,what happened?

[ClearCase_guy]

Meanwhile, the Washington Times has publicly invited Kerry to an Editorial Board meeting to discuss his claims (repeated on MTP a few days ago) that he has met with foreign leaders who support him over Bush. These claims are clearly lies and the Washington Times is calling him on it.

The Press is getting fed up with Kerry. He's a loser. They know it. They hope for someone better to arise. But who?

[greasepaint]

How many others took the ...
Kerry 'three Purple Hearts and out' deal?

[Liz]

Maybe he's just being humble. Maybe those records are full of glowing reports about his 3 months in Vietnam. (Or was it 4?)

(Sniffle) I guess Kerry is (sob) just a "victim" (bawl).

[devolve]

Eighteen (18) missions while in Vietnam.

Wow!

Not including a few "cruises" into Laos for picnics.

[OXENinFLA]

It's towards the end.


http://www.comedycentral.com/mp/play.php?reposid=/multimedia/chappelle/showclips_s2/213_blackbush.html


Brit just clipped out the part about the UN having no army.(Yeah, there were some bleeps)

[Liz]

Kerry's MTP appearance was a bust, and this reinforces his flopola on national TV.

Kerry laughed inappropriately when MTP ran videos of him making statements he knew he could not spin.

He vainly tried to finesse his damaging video testimony before Congress about committing war crimes...... made a dumb comment about his hair.

What I wouldn't give to see his internal polls after MTP. Betcha they were in the cellar. (BTW, Bush's numbers shot up, that's how bad Kerry was.)

I guess Teresa oughta hit the campaign trail (snicker). I mean, heck, voters are dying to know what she "thinks" (smirk).

[John Thornton]

The Press is getting fed up with Kerry. He's a loser. They know it.

You can tell by the way they report the campaign. Kerry is treated as "Not Bush." We should vote for him for that reason---not because Kerry has anything to offer the country on his own.

[Sybeck1]

Bush should release everything down to his childhood dental cleanings to capitalize on this.

[Arrowhead1952]

The day after John F. Kerry said he would make all of his military records available for inspection at his campaign headquarters, a spokesman said the senator would not release any new documents

FLIP
FLOP

[dalebert]

What is Kerry trying to hide?

[PJ-Comix]

Are you still waiting for a big uproar from David Gregory? If so, you have a long wait. Remember, Gregory is the reporter who just wouldn't let go of the George Bush National Guard service non-story. Gregory dug and dug into Bush's record with no result except the discovery that GW's teeth were in Alabama. Anyway, it will be interesting to see David Gregory's reaction to Kerry's refusal to release his military records.

[Sybeck1]

Jesse will be there, to stir up the "attacked by dogs at the polls" urban legends!

[Semper Paratus]

What is Kerry trying to hide?

If nothing else we all should run with this relentlesly with letters to the editors, phone calls, online comments. Kerry DOES NOT want these released and we can push this just to drive the 'rats crazy.

[Liz]

Plenty. He's scared silly to have his real record exposed.

[PJ-Comix]

They hope for someone better to arise. But who?

Psst! Hillary. Who do you think leaked the info about Kerry's intern girlfriend last January? It certainly wouldn't do the Republicans much good that early on. It only helps Hillary as a warning shot across Kerry's bow.

[ThirstyMan]

Full disclosure? Ha! Never going to happen.

Meehan said yesterday that the campaign would show that document to what he called "legitimate" news organizations.

But then a reporter shows up and wants to see those documents. Request denied. What? Wasn't this guy "legitimate"?

Looks like the Kerry camp uses linguistics [like Clinton] to stonewall.
First he distinguishes between those who report the news, some "legitimate" and some not. I wonder if Meehan would expound on that a little more. Perhaps a Kerry synonym for legitimate would be sympathetic, but then....

What? The request promised was denied?

Waffles are served once again!

Semantical smoke and mirrors, the request is denied! Conclusion? Obviously there is something Kerry needs to hide in these medical records.

Talk is cheap and getting cheaper Mr. Kerry.

Oh and while we're on the subject of full disclosure, Mr. Kerry, something that the American people deserve from their "legitimate" leaders, [as you yourself have stated] when are we going to see Theresa and your tax returns? H-h-h-h-m-m-m-m?

[CFC__VRWC]

I'm sure David Gregory and Chrissy Matthews will make a big issue over this broken promise < /sarcasm > OFF

The Globe and the NYT will make a big deal out of it - they'll jump all over us for making a big deal out of it and tell us that we should stay out of Kerry's business, especially since we didn't serve in Vietnam.

[Dante3]

Imus said Kerry looked something like a cross between a Jack-O-Lantern and Tammy Faye Bakker.

[Redcoat LI]

thanks

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Everyone thought Kerry said he would Release all his records, when what he said is he would release all the records he had released to the Boston Globe."

So he released his records before he didn't release his records? tm

[Use It Or Lose It]

The Press is getting fed up with Kerry. He's a loser. They know it. They hope for someone better to arise. But who?

Your answer may be on LKL tonight.

[Puddleglum]

B-b-but he SAID he'd release them! Isn't this man as good as his word? Or do we always need the caveat "That's what I said yesterday. Now what I really mean is this..."

[PJ-Comix]

Imus said Kerry looked something like a cross between a Jack-O-Lantern and Tammy Faye Bakker.

Tammy Faye Bakker? Does Kerry also get his makeup done by Earl Scheib?

[PJ-Comix]

Your answer may be on LKL tonight.

Who is on LKL tonight?

[devolve]

Kerry had that weird Hillary laugh goin' on!

[R. Scott]

I watched much of the Meet the Press interview. When he made the statement that anyone could walk into his headquarters an examine the records, I wondered if I would really be allowed to do so.
I guess it’s politics as usual for Hanoi John.

[Izzy Dunne]

He vainly tried to finesse his damaging video testimony before Congress about committing war crimes...... made a dumb comment about his hair.

I didn't see that - I don't have a TV.

< fervent hope >

You know, the Merkin American people will accept a bit of fumbling, misspeaking, unease with TV, nervousness, fidgeting, etc., as part of the process.
Not everybody is a TV star and I (and they) know that.

But they also know a B.S. artist when they see one. There's a difference between honest fumbling and outright lying.
Clinton's success was due to being extraordinarily good at it.
Kerry's failure will be due to being extraordinarily bad at it.

< /fervent hope >

[R. Scott]

Will this do?

[devolve]

You're not really listening!

[blanknoone]

There is no way he is going to get called on this by the leftstream media. He did the same thing with his tax returns. He has insisted, many times, that he has released all of his tax returns. He has indeed released some. There are about 5 relatively recent years totally missing. Which is especially troubling because he was a sitting senator during those years. What income is a sitting senator receiving that he does not want revealed?

Now he insists he has already released all of his military records, when he rather obviously has not and has no intention of doing so. But that claim, "I have" will be repeated ad nauseum until believed by the masses.