Posted on 07/14/2004 6:39:22 AM PDT by livesbygrace
Dear John,
After all youve been through in the past year, losing in the primaries and being unable to win reelection to your own Senate seat, I do hate to bring more uncertainty into your life; but Ive noticed that since being named John Kerrys new best buddy, your Two Americas stump speech now includes a challenge to voters that goes something like this: If you dont think John Kerry is a leader, just ask the men who served with him in Vietnam. Theyll tell you hes a leader. Words to that effect.
Well, OK, John, why dont we do just that? Lets ask them.
At a press conference in Washington this past May, an organization called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group of former sailors who served in Kerrys unit in Vietnam, presented a letter to Kerry signed by more than 200 of his former shipmates calling on him to release his military records so that the truth about his abbreviated tour of duty, his spurious wounds and his undeserved medals could be revealed to the American public. Not surprisingly, this event and this organization were totally ignored by the major media, as they continue to be to this day.
Did you catch that press conference? No? Never heard anything about these ol boys at all huh, John? Well, listen up, Senator.
If you visit their website, Swiftvets.com or a sister site, Wintersoldier.com, youll see some choice quotes from those fellows who served with your new best buddy. From Admiral Roy Hoffmann, his former commanding officer, come such phrases and characterizations as:
Contempt for the military and authority .
Arrived in country with a strong anti Vietnam War bias and a self serving determination to build a foundation for his political future .
Aggressive, but vain and prone to impulsive judgment, often with disregard for specific tactical assignments .
A loose cannon .
Bugged out of Vietnam .
and finally, Not fit to command.
Ill bet you a Florida precinct that any good trial lawyer would consider someone of Admiral Hoffmans stature an unimpeachable witness, wouldnt you? Loose cannon? Bugged out? Not fit to command? Im not causing you to have any second thoughts here, am I, John? Hmmm?
Now take a listen to retired Navy Captain, Charlie Plumly, who had Kerry,
under my command for two or three specific operations before his rapid exit.
Plumly is even less charitable to your new bud than the admiral. His quotes on Kerrys service include these colorful expressions,
Devious, self-absorbing, manipulative, disdain for authority, disruptive.
And then he gives us this little jewel,
But the most common phrase would have been requires constant supervision.
Boy thats a comforting thing to read on the resume of the guy who controls the worlds greatest nuclear arsenal, isnt it? Makes it a little more understandable why your buddy was willing to swallow a Republican as his number two in command, doesnt it, John? You do have to give him credit for knowing he needed a more experienced hand like McCain watching out for him. Sounds to me like what he really needs is Dick Cheney, hear me, John?
Then theres Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, now deceased, Chief of Naval Operations at the time of Kerrys service, who said,
With Kerrys large ambitions, his career in Vietnam will haunt him if he were ever on the national stage.
Oh my, and just look at whos up there on that stage with him, bringing up that career at every opportunity. Hey, John, as a trial lawyer youve got to know some good investigators. Why dont you part with a few thou and check some of this out? I mean this could take the expression, egg on your face to a whole new dimension, know what I mean?
The website has several testimonials from others who served with your buddy and none are laudatory. On the contrary, they are replete with refutations of John Boys claims in his book, Tour of Duty, ranging from emotional denials of the war crimes Kerry depicts there to ridicule of his wearing that leather flight jacket on the campaign trail and claiming it brought him luck in Vietnam,
No one wore such a jacket in 90+ heat.
You sure you want to keep bringing this guys service record up in every speech, John? I know its easy for someone who never served to be a little overawed, but good grief, even a weenie liberal lawyer ought to be able to figure out you dont wear leather jackets on jungle patrols, you know? And whats with this flight jacket business anyway? What was John Boy flying over there? Sure as hell wasnt a supersonic F-102 interceptor like George Bush, now was it?
But of course! Why didnt I think of it? That jacket could explain the minor nature of his award-winning wounds; kept all that nasty flak and flying lead from really hurting him instead of just breaking the skin, you know? Guess thats why he calls it his lucky jacket. But I got tell you, Man, speaking of breaking, Im sitting here breaking out in a sweat just thinking about it. I mean, jungle fatigues were hot enough; but leather? With fleece lining? Whew, man, thats hardcore!
Well, I guess I am going have to admit this, John. In this regard, youre right; there are Two Americas: theres the America that believes your buddy wore a fleece lined, leather aviators jacket in the jungle; the America that will mindlessly heed your impassioned challenge to listen to the bought and paid for endorsement of the half dozen or so enlisted crewmen your buddy has shanghaied into his campaign. Then theres that other America, the one out there waiting for the media to let us hear the more than 200 voices of those who served well and honorably, both officers and enlisted, who are telling the truth about your good ol buddy. Somehow, some way, I believe, I pray, that will happen.
And even if it doesnt, what those truth tellers are saying has relevance for you, John. Think about it; your oh-so-affectionate, backslapping partner bugged out on them and then libeled and slandered them viciously to serve his own political goals. So you might just want to consider this, Senator: if you guys lose in November there will be Two Americas all right. And you can bet your biggest contingency fee anyone Kerry can blame for costing him the goal of his life sure wont be part of his America anymore. Talk about getting a Dear John letter.
Think, Johnnie Boy, think. Didnt your ol Daddy ever teach you nuthin' bout leopards and spots?
Russ Vaughn 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division Vietnam 65-66
Russ Vaughn
Al Gore taught me that a leopard can't change its stripes.
It is a known fact that when you are in love, you cannot see the objective evidence in front of you about the object of your affection. It is a great letter, but I don't think Edwards will see it.
I had not yet recovered from John boy's worshipful description of Kerry the hero, turned off cable news for days lest I accidently suffer through a repeat ...
This makes it much better!..Just wish more got out about the Swift Boat vets and Winter Soldier.
MAN!!! Why isn't this guy making pro-Bush ads??
What a scathing comeback to Idiot Edwards' idiotic challenge!!
Ouch! JF'n has GOT to be burning from THIS column.
OUTSTANDING!
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