John Kerry and War Crimes in Vietnam
(He was in command of a Swift Boat
and ordered his men to do these things.)
Listen to this 1971 audio clip
I'm John Kerry and I approve
the desecration of the American Flag.
Posted on 08/01/2004 9:36:24 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
In its earliest stages, the race between President Bush and his Democratic challenger, Sen. John F. Kerry, could become a war of the generals.
On Saturday, one of the 12 flag officers who announced their support of Kerry at the Democratic National Convention, retired Gen. Merrill A. "Tony" McPeak, said in the Democrats' weekly radio address that he has withdrawn his support from the Republican president "on the strength of Kerry's wartime service in Vietnam."
"It means an awful lot to me that John Kerry fought for his country as a young man," said McPeak, who was Air Force chief of staff from 1990 to 1994, including the Persian Gulf War.
Among those who spoke in support of Kerry at the Democratic convention were retired Army Gens. John M. Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Wesley K. Clark, former supreme allied commander of NATO.
Kerry's reference to his service as a highly decorated Navy officer in the Vietnam War has given the Massachusetts senator a modest blip in one poll. But it carries risks, and history shows that valor in battle does not always translate into victory in a presidential race.
One of the biggest risks is that Bush, as commander in chief with links to the defense industry, may be able to produce many more military endorsements than Kerry. The White House has hinted that at least 100 generals will endorse Bush, who was a pilot in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, when the Republican National Convention opens Aug. 30 in New York City.
"He probably won't be able to "out-military' Bush with this approach, but Kerry can muddy Bush's message and protect his flank," said professor Kevin R. Hardwick, chairman of the political science department at Canisius College and a Republican.
Military service and heroism can help, but they provide no guarantee of election.
In 1996, Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole, a decorated, seriously wounded veteran of World War II, got no leverage at all over incumbent Democratic President Bill Clinton, whose strenuous efforts to avoid the draft during the Vietnam War were much publicized.
In the presidential race of 1992, Clinton, then governor of Arkansas, challenged the first President George Bush, a Navy combat pilot in the Pacific during World War II. To inoculate himself against GOP accusations that he was a draft dodger, Clinton got retired Adm. William J. Crowe, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, to endorse him. Crowe also was one of the flag officers who endorsed Kerry last week.
Four-star endorsements "are much more important now than they were in the Clinton races," said Darrell West, political science professor at Brown University. "We are in the middle of a difficult and controversial war."
Yet Kerry is attempting something that almost never happens - ousting a head of government in wartime. Kerry's strategy, West suggested, is to prove that his military experience is superior to Bush's, even though Bush has been commander in chief for three years since 9/11.
"By emphasizing his combat duty, Kerry wants to show that can not only handle the job, but has the ability to be cooler - literally - under pressure than President Bush," said Elizabeth Sanders, professor of government at Cornell University.
It appears to be working so far.
Frank Newport, editor of the Gallup Poll, said "an analysis of available survey data suggests that Kerry's military service is at least a modest plus. Twenty-seven percent of likely voters say they are more likely to vote for Kerry as a result of his service, while 12 percent say they are less likely. The rest say it makes no difference." Newport said. He added that "34 percent of independents likely to vote say that Kerry's military background makes them more likely to vote for him, suggesting that it will also have some effect on those who are not already voting Democratic."
In an analysis of postconvention polling by Zogby International, John Zogby and Christopher Conroy said that if Kerry can sell himself as an alternative to Bush, he stands to make large gains in the small but significant chunk of undecided voters.
"Bush has also shown weakness in what is considered to be his best region, the South." Zogby and Conroy said. They said Kerry's choice of Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., as his running mate gives him a boost in the South, and "his economic populism and courting of veterans are also key in his eroding of Bush's support."
The pollsters added: "Not only has Kerry now come to a tie with Bush in favorability in the South (55 percent for both), the Kerry-Edwards ticket has pulled ahead, 48 percent to 46 percent, in the South" overall.
A vulnerability the Republicans see in Kerry is his high profile in Vietnam Veterans Against the War in the 1970s. For the time being, the Bush campaign is keeping its power dry on that front.
University of North Carolina historian Richard Kohn of the told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that dabbling in politics "undermines the neutrality of the military, as perceived by the American people. It reinforces the view that the military is just another special-interest group."
Washington Bureau Reporter Jerry Zremski and News wire services contributed to this report.
Related photos on Picture Page, C12.
e-mail: dturner@buffnews.com
I'm so tired of this. I sometimes wish we could have an ammendment for 8 years. We can't seem to get the dims out anyway and the good guys could concentrate on our country.
Oh you mean it's not a DNC press release???
I hate the so called press.
The guy is a poser
McPeak, who was Air Force chief of staff ...
No wonder he likes kerry! the 'girly-man' USAF official view of war is NOT to close in - engage - and destroy the enemy --- the official AF view is some other rotten pc-speak love-fest idea from the clintinoid generals and academy appointees from 1992-2000!
Iniate it and I will support you. This is exhausting, but, really we need to start motiviating the base and fence sitters to vote, and VOTE for Bush.
Regarding post 3:
I did not even put that one together I guess I am kinda tired. But, I bet the author might be a democrat.
Kohn is actually the real name of John Kerry. His grandfather was a Czech immigrant named Fritz Kohn. His grandfather changed his name to Frederick Kerry shortly before immigrating to the United States. It should be "elect Kohn / Edwards". Just one of the many deceptions about Senator John Kerry, though in fairness, this one is not entirely his fault. He (apparently) only found out about one year ago about his roots.
I certanly dislike the press a great deal more during election years.
But, what is most interesting is how the same article can be picked up by oh I don't know 100 papers and they decide what the headline will be to play to their readers. Neet trick, huh?
Memory gap. Remember Ramsey Clark? Yeah, he really carried alot of sway; NOT!
While you are certainly entitled to your point of view, and from your words what I am about to write will make no difference, I will attempt to try anyway.
My screen name "former military chick" is based on the facts that I served in the USAF as a meteorologist. I very much enjoyed my job, worked long hard hours and felt I gave back to our country.
My father, was a great man. He attended West Point, where he excelled, that when he completed his education they allowed the top graduates to decide on the service depending on your concentration
He served our country well. He now lays peacefully at Arlington Cemetery, facing the Pentagon (although he might have had a thing to say about that).
I am all for a good debate. But, to use a sweeping brush is really unfair.
My husband, VA TECH, grad serves us in the US Army, as a field artillery officer.
All services have their appointees. Again, if you would to have a discussion on the failures of the services, lets start a thread and debate all of them
"Kohn is actually the real name of John Kerry."
Does that mean Kerry is a Kohn head?
Which generals belong to which camp will only effect the vote of a few dozen people in the US.
Tonk, thank you for adding your "pizzazz" to this thread, if your post doesn't invigorate folks to get out, VOTE and keep the current administration in office, then I don't know what will.
Well no one caught my gaffe. I meant to say Wesley Clark not Ramsey Clark. Thanks for the post! Keep up the pressure.
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