Discarded Decorations

ABC News ^ | 4/2/504 | Brian Ross and Chris Vlasto

[hole_n_one]

In a videotape from 1971, obtained exlcusively by ABCNEWS, Vietnam veteran John Kerry said he gave back his medals in order to "wake the country." ABCNEWS.com

Discarded Decorations Videotape Contradicts John Kerry's Own Statements Over Vietnam Medals By Brian Ross and Chris Vlasto ABCNEWS.com April 25— Contradicting his statements as a candidate for president, Sen. John Kerry claimed in a 1971 television interview that he threw away as many as nine of his combat medals to protest the war in Vietnam.

"I gave back, I can't remember, 6, 7, 8, 9 medals," Kerry said in an interview on a Washington, D.C. news program on WRC-TV's called Viewpoints on November 6, 1971, according to a tape obtained by ABCNEWS.

Throughout his presidential campaign, Kerry has denied that he threw away any of his 11 medals during an anti-war protest in April, 1971.

His campaign Web site calls it a "right wing fiction" and a smear. And in an interview with ABCNEWS' Peter Jennings last December, he said it was a "myth."

But Kerry told a much different story on Viewpoints. Asked about the anti-war veterans who threw their medals away, Kerry said "they decided to give them back to their country."

Kerry was asked if he gave back the Bronze Star, Silver Star and three Purple Hearts he was awarded for combat duty as a Navy lieutenant in Vietnam. "Well, and above that, [I] gave back the others," he said.

The statement directly contradicts Kerry's most recent claims on the disputed subject to the Los Angeles Times last Friday. "I never ever implied that I did it, " Kerry told the newspaper, responding to the question of whether he threw away his medals in protest.

"I'm proud of my medals. I always was proud of them," he told Jennings in December, adding that he had only thrown away his "ribbons" and the medals of two other veterans who could not attend the protest.

Flip Flop?

The disputed incident happened 33 years ago this past weekend, on April 23, 1971, when Kerry led the group Vietnam Veterans Against the War in a protest against the war they fought.

Many veterans were seen throwing their medals and ribbons over the fence in front of the U.S. Capitol. At the time, The Boston Globe and other newspapers reported that Kerry was among these veterans.

"In a real sense, this administration forced us to return our medals because beyond the perversion of the war, these leaders themselves denied us the integrity those symbols supposedly gave our lives," Kerry said the following day.

But in 1984, when he first ran for the U.S. Senate, Kerry revealed he still had his medals. According to a Boston Globe report on April 15, 1984, union officials had expressed uneasiness with Kerry's candidacy because he had thrown his medals away. Kerry acknowledged the medals he threw away were, in fact, another soldier's medals. He reportedly invited a union official home to personally inspect his Silver Star, Bronze Star and three purple hearts, awarded for his combat duty as a Navy lieutenant.

In the 1971 Viewpoints interview, he made no mention of the ribbons or the medals belonging to another veteran.

And in 1988, Kerry again clarified his statement by saying he threw out ribbons he had been awarded for three combat wounds, but not his medals. "I was proud of my personal service and remain so," he told the National Journal.

Eight years later in 1996, Kerry said while he did throw out his ribbons, he didn't throw out his own medals because he "didn't have time to go home [to New York] and get them," he told The Boston Globe.

Kerry's campaign Web site says he "is proud of the work he did to end the war. The Nixon Administration made John Kerry one of its targets and Republicans have been smearing him ever since. John Kerry threw his ribbons and the medals of two veterans who could not attend the event, and said, 'I am not doing this for any violent reasons, but for peace and justice, and to try to make this country wake up once and for all.'"

A spokesperson for Kerry's campaign said he didn't make a distinction between medals and ribbons, but Kerry plans to respond on Good Morning America.  

[hole_n_one]

Kerry was asked if he gave back the Bronze Star, Silver Star and three Purple Hearts he was awarded for combat duty as a Navy lieutenant in Vietnam. "Well, and above that, [I] gave back the others," he said.

He's toast.

[Just mythoughts]

This guy is "mental".....

[Paul Atreides]

In addition to being a waffle.

[bcoffey]

His response: "I didn't throw my medals away before I threw them away."

[Paul Atreides]

Bill Clinton

Al Gore

John Kerry

The Dim Party is nothing but sociopaths.

[So Cal Rocket]

They weren't his medals, they were his family's medals.

[DiscoStu1979]

This is what happens when a group of morons vote for a guy because they think "he's got the best chance to beat Bush".

I'd bet most of the senior dems are scrambling right now to figure a way out of nominating Kerry as they get closer and closer to being flushed down the toilet.

[Paul Atreides]

Currently, on Drudge:

Dem Candidate Plans Week-Long Assault on Cheney... Developing...

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Please, allow me to amend that: "I f'ing didn't throw my f'ing medals away before I threw them the f--- away."

[Zeppo]

Isn't it delicious to watch his lies being untangled one by one?

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

Yep, toast. He doesn't have Clinton's rogue-ish charm (that worked for just enough of the population) to weasel his way out of this.

[clee1]

Oh yeah, he's had it.

The only remaining question is whether or not Hitlery will be drafted at the Rat Gathering.

[WorkingClassFilth]

True enough, but as far as they throw these bad pennies away...they keep coming back.

[woofie]

Depends on the meaning of "throw"

[Zeppo]

I'd bet that the Dems' internal thinking goes along the lines of "he may be down to 40% in the polls by Labor Day, but wait until we spring our October surprise - that will get him back over the top".

[DB]

"He's toast"

I wish.

It is half a year to the election. By then it will be yesterday's news to most voters.

[bcoffey]

Please, allow me to amend that:

Alas, yours is the more accurate rendition.

[jocon307]

"Flip Flop?"

That's pretty amazing, coming from ABC.

[js1138]

I suppose it depends on the meaning of "give back".

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Very presidential, huh?

[bcoffey]

That's pretty amazing, coming from ABC.

Yes, and it makes me wonder what the "catch" is.

[GROOVY]

So what do you guys think the real story is?

Did he

A)Really throw his medals over the wall and then later realized it would hurt him politically so he got replacements and pretended they were the originals.

or

B)Didn't really throw his medals over, but threw someone elses over but lied and said they were his own to try and look like a rebel despite the fact he was actually just a poser.

[DiscoStu1979]

Please, allow me to amend that: "I f'ing didn't throw my f'ing medals away before I threw them the f--- away."

LoL!

[jocon307]

Sunday staff probably, all the "pros" are off tonight. Must've just slipped through.

[bcoffey]

Very presidential, huh?

Foul language doesn't stop with Kerry, either. Bob Woodward spread the F-word around pretty thick in his new book. (which actually is more damaging to Clinton than Bush if read objectively).

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Excellent point, woofie. For all we know, he didn't throw them...he lobbed them, tossed them, pitched them - aside from a few witnesses, only he knows the truth.

[davetex]

I've always said, "it's hotter in the country than it is in the summertime". Makes about as much sence as F'in sKerry.

[JulieRNR21]

There he goes again......Senator John 'Flip-Flop' Kerry.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Not if it can be brought up in the debates-- by the moderator or a citizen or Bush. Bush should go through the list of flip-flops in front of the cameras.

[bcoffey]

Sunday staff probably, all the "pros" are off tonight. Must've just slipped through.

Could be, though I bet someone's fingerprints are all figuratively all over this.

[Just mythoughts]

"Bill Clinton
Al Gore

John Kerry

The Dim Party is nothing but sociopaths."


The scary part is that 1/3 of the people in this country are just like them.

[Paul Atreides]

I know. Very scary, indeed.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

; )

[DB]

The dims will be hurling so much mud by then this won't even register.

[Licensed-To-Carry]

If this is really going to be on ABC, I smell Hillary and Ol' Crusty at work.

[bcoffey]

I smell [...] Ol' Crusty at work.

Not a pretty picture.

[freedomlover]

Every time I see that pic of Kerry I think "Live It's Saturday Night !!!"

[FreeAtlanta]

That's pretty amazing, coming from ABC.

true, unless they are doing Hillary's bidding....

[hole_n_one]

The very last sentence of the ABC article says......

A spokesperson for Kerry's campaign said he didn't make a distinction between medals and ribbons, but Kerry plans to respond on Good Morning America.

I assume that it'll be tomorrow.

[GOPJ]

Kerry's story was fiction.

His campaign Web site calls it a "right wing fiction" and a smear. And in an interview with ABCNEWS' Peter Jennings last December, he said it was a "myth."

[watchin]

ABC? ... hell froze today.

[stylin19a]

"I gave back, I can't remember, 6, 7, 8, 9 medals," Kerry said in an interview on a Washington, D.C. news program on WRC-TV's called Viewpoints on November 6, 1971, according to a tape obtained by ABCNEWS.

In 1971, in a 6 month period, he couldn't remember how many medals he threw away.
33 years later his memory is crystal clear?

Buh-bye John Kerry !

[GOPJ]

The lowest blow of all:

They weren't his medals, they were his family's medals.

[bcoffey]

They weren't his medals, they were his family's medals.

When he starts saying, "They weren't my war wounds; they were my family's war wounds is when I'll know he's really lost it.

[Paladin2]

When did he stop smoking dope?

[Aliska]

How is he going to spin this on "Good Morning America"?

[hole_n_one]

Pathetically and miserably, I'd imagine.

[Jeff Chandler]

but Kerry plans to respond on Good Morning America.

All the morning shows will help him spin this.

[Freedom4US]

While perhaps a bit tin-foil, is it not possible that his presumed nomination was a part of the machinations of others who wish to occupy 1700 Pennsylvania Ave? Set him up for failure, and then "save" the party in the interests of "beating bush". To me it seems incongruous to declare the good Senator from Massachusetts a "war hero" when his chief claim to fame seems to be negotiating with major Vietnamese Communists. You can't make stuff like that up.