Posted on 05/17/2004 11:16:21 AM PDT by jmstein7
Twelve out of a group of nineteen Vietnam swift boat veterans pictured in Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign literature demanded on Monday that he stop misrepresenting them as supporters.
"Many of us don't want to be included in that picture because we have a rather unsavory feeling about this fellow," Kerry swift boatmate Bob Elder told nationally syndicated radio host Linda Chavez.
Citing the top Democrat's anti-war activities after he returned from Vietnam, Elder told Chavez, "We regard the fact that he rallied the American public against his fellow comrades in arms as basically a betrayal of all of us."
Swift boat veteran Bill Shumadine, who's also pictured in the campaign literature, told the Liberty Broadcasting host that he didn't want to be associated with Kerry in any way, calling his conduct after the war "very offensive."
"Having my picture there it appears that I somehow support his cause," Shumadine explained, adding, "It's not something that I'm proud to be associated with."
Elder, Shumadine and ten others have banded together in a group they call "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," which includes more than 220 Vietnam veterans who served in Kerry's unit.
Of the remaining six veterans pictured in the photograph, "one is deceased and three do not wish to be involved in any manner; only two of the 19 are believed to support Kerry," the group said in a Monday press release.
"His use of a photograph with his 18 comrades with knowledge that 12 of them condemn him . . . is a complete misrepresentation to the public and a total fraud," Shumadine added.
Elder told Chavez that the group of twelve included not only Kerry's boat mates, but two of his superior officers who joined in condemning Democratic presidential candidate.
He noted also that at a press conference Friday in Washington, the group was joined by Jim Zumwalt, son of the late Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, former chief of naval operations during the Vietnam war.
"Even Jim Zumwalt, on his father's behalf, joined us in condemning the activities of John, saying they do not make this man a fit candidate for Commander in Chief," Elder told Chavez.
In an open letter to Kerry included with the press release, the group said, "We did not give permission for you to use a photo including our image, nor do we support you. . . We join our fellow Swiftees who believe that someone who heaped scorn and lies on his own unit for his personal political gain is not fit to be Commander in Chief."
Bump and Amen.
Good for them! I hope they get heard by the general public soon.
Imagine how (rightfully) angry they'd be if somehow their photo was with Bill Clinton?
These good men, these people who suffered from Kerry's betrayal, have EVERY RIGHT to demand that Kerry stop using their photos. I would be furious, too.
bttt
Big Bump.
The 12 need to file a big nasty lawsuit.
I hope this story picks up speed and GROWS!
Lead story at CNN and Dan Blather - bwhahahahaha!
Querry would have better luck if he sought out ex-NVA and Viet Cong members for support.
I thought that political literature had to have a release signed by individuals to be published??? I really am not sure. Maybe some smart lawyer could tell us.
They should turn it around and plaster every billboard on this planet with their picture WITH Kerry and caption it with what a dishonest creep POS he is and let Kerry sue them!
................sorry. Fantasy overwhelmed reality for a minute.
The media life support for the Kerry Kampaign will continue.
They need to file a court injunction to stop distribution of Kerry Kampaign materials immediately...that should get some attention.
Yet it happened!
BTTT
38.8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888% of those I served with support me.
What is interesting about the 38.88% supporting him, that is about how it breaks down when accurate polls are run. The lunatic lib has a lock on about 38.88% of the American public/voters. That percentage decreases each election unless the dead libs vote in mass.
I have yet to see a single Kerry sign or bumper sticker!
Truly anazing isn't it? The lead story for about two weeks running was Bush using a 2 second clip of a flagged drapped coffin in the aftermath of 9/11. It was only replaced by the Bush was AWOL story, soon to be pushed off the front pages by the prisioner "torture" story. Now you would think that a guy showing pictures of soldiers in action and implying that they endorse him, when they do not, would be a newsworthy story, but nooooooooooooooooooo!
That is a damn good idea.
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