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Thank you for the clarification, but I have to admit I am still confused. Perhaps I didn't pay close enough attention to what the Fox clips purported to be showing. I am pretty sure that Kerry's 1971 Senate testimony included those horrible statements about all the atrocities committed "in a style reminiscent of Genghis Khan" and with the awareness of all levels of command. I still cannot understand why these veterans would support him in 1996, given that fact. Did Kerry recant in some way between 1971 and 1996? I understand the position of these veterans that Kerry did not commit war crimes, but the fact remains (I think) that Kerry had already been out there since 1971 trying to build a record that he and his fellow servicemen did commit war crimes in Vietnam (as part of his liberal anti-war activist pandering phase). Certainly Kerry being inconsistent is no surprise, but I continue to think that the past support of these veterans for Kerry, well subsequent to Kerry's own bashing of the military and his fellow veterans, is going to dilute the power of this story. Is there a mistake in my timeline? Did I misunderstand the date of the video clips on Fox? I really wanted this story to have legs, but I'm concerned that its effect is going to be easily blunted by the Kerry camp.

I saw the clips, and my recollection is the support was back in the 70's, not in 1996. The statements supporting Kerry were supporting his actions in Viet Nam. An officer said something like Kerry was quicker than most to accept and take responsibility.

The guy who opposed Kerry in '71 regarding the anti-vet statements, still opposes him and I don't think has ever said anything postive about Kerry.

The commanding officer who said the positive things about Kerry and responsibility said he refused Kerry's request for a Purple Heart, and doesn't know how he got it for what he called "that scratch."

Did Kerry recant in some way between 1971 and 1996?

Kerry doesn't recant, except to put old wine in new bottles. He has metamorphosed from an antiwar, anti-American leftist radical to a self-promoting war hero, who uses his military record in Vietnam to intimidate his political opponents, most of whom have never served. In 1971 Kerry claimed to have tossed his medals away and a decade later we find that he has them prominently displayed in his office.

Certainly Kerry being inconsistent is no surprise, but I continue to think that the past support of these veterans for Kerry, well subsequent to Kerry's own bashing of the military and his fellow veterans, is going to dilute the power of this story. Is there a mistake in my timeline? Did I misunderstand the date of the video clips on Fox?

First of all, inconsistent is a euphemism for lying. I don't know what the motive was of one or several of this swift boat veteran's group to support Kerry in 1996 in his bid for reelection to the Senate against a tough opponent. The way I understood it from one of these veterans, the only one I know of, is that Kerry requested his support and told him that he was sorry for the remarks he made about all Vietnam veterans being war criminals and commiting atrocities. Subsequently, Kerry has stated on MTP and in his recently released biography, "Tour of Duty" that he stood by his remarks in 1971. The media and the Kerry camp are trying to use this to invalidate the over 200 member group's opposition to Kerry. I don't think it will work.

I really wanted this story to have legs, but I'm concerned that its effect is going to be easily blunted by the Kerry camp.

Wanted or want. Without questioning your sincerity, I believe this story will have legs despite Kerry's smear tactics trying to link this group to the GOP and Bush. This group is the true "Band of Brothers" that Kerry wishes he had. When you have ADM Hoffman who was in overall charge of the PCFs in that region and Hibbard and Elliot who were Kerry's direct supervisors while he was in Vietnam declaring Kerry unfit to be CIC, it is pretty powerful stuff. None of the officers who were COs of other PCFs support him. It is a damning indictment of Kerry.

Moreover, there will be additional items that will come out over the next months and a coming together of Vietnam and other veterans against Kerry to stage large demonstrations against him. Look for some anti-Kerry sentiment at the end of May with Rolling Thunder in Wash DC., which draws over 350,000 participants. The press conference was the opening slavo of much bigger things to come. So rest easy, this story has legs.