This article has been posted to DoctorZin’s New News Blog!
Posted on 08/05/2004 5:11:24 PM PDT by kattracks
Sen. John McCain attacked a group of Vietnam veterans on Thursday for their appearance in a campaign ad condemning Sen. John Kerry for betraying his fellow soldiers, calling the commercial "dishonest and dishonorable."
But McCain himself complained about Kerry-led anti-war protests when he was released from the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" 31 years ago. In piece he wrote for the May 14, 1973, issue of U.S. News & World Report, the POW-turned-senator charged that testimony by Kerry and others before J. William Fulbright's Senate Foreign Relations Committee was "the most effective propaganda [my North Vietnamese captors] had to use against us.""They used Senator Fulbright a great deal," McCain wrote - a reference to Kerry's 1971 Senate testimony that U.S. soldiers were committing war crimes in Vietnam as a matter of course.
He said Kerry political ally Sen. Ted Kennedy was "quoted again and again" by his jailers at the Hanoi Hilton.
"Clark Clifford was another [North Vietnamese] favorite," McCain told U.S. News, "right after he had been Secretary of Defense under President Johnson."
"When Ramsey Clark came over [my jailers] thought that was a great coup for their cause," he recalled. Months earlier, Sen. Kerry had appeared with Clark at the April 1971 Washington, D.C., anti-war protest that showcased his testimony before the Fulbright Committee.
"All through this period," McCain told U.S. News, his captors were "bombarding us with anti-war quotes from people in high places back in Washington. This was the most effective propaganda they had to use against us."
McCain biographer Paul Alexander chronicled the Arizona Republican's anger toward Kerry during their early careers in the Senate together.
"For many years McCain held Kerry's actions against him because, while McCain was a POW in the Hanoi Hilton, Kerry was organizing veterans back home in the U.S. to protest the war."
In his 2002 book, "Man of the People: The Life of John McCain," Alexander says that the two Vietnam vets finally reconciled in the early 1990s after having "a long - and at times emotional - conversation about Vietnam" during a mutual trip to Kuwait.
Later, Kerry sought to minimize the rift, telling Alexander: "Our differences occurred when we were kids, or at least close to being kids. It was a long time ago, and we both came back and realized that there were a lot of difficulties in the prosecution of that war."
It's important for John McCain to explain himself.
The swiftboat veterans for truth issued this formal reply to McCain today:
SWIFTBOAT VETERANS RESPOND TO MCCAIN
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com ^ | August 4, 2004 | Swiftboat Veterans
Posted on 08/05/2004 10:15:28 AM PDT by RobFromGa
Quote from Drudge Report
Swift Boat Veterans For Truth Responds To Senator McCain
Thu Aug 05 2004 17:10:20 ET
"Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has more than 250 members, many of whom were wounded or highly decorated in Vietnam.
We purchased with our blood and service the right to be heard, to set the record straight about our unit, and to tell the truth about John Kerry's military service record.
We respect Senator McCain's right to express his opinion and we hope he extends to us the same respect and courtesy, particularly since we served with John Kerry, we knew him well and Senator McCain did not."
Rear Admiral Roy Hoffmann (ret.), Founder and Chairman of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
How does McCain know it's dishonest? What does this hack know about honor? Who cares about anything he says?
I posted several days ago McCain would pull this BS
McCain has "Senatitus".
Nobody is allowed to say anything bad about the sacred 100 in the Senate.
How McCain can say the Swift Boat guys are lying when he wasn't there is beyond me.
Arizonans, when will you finally rid us of this jackass RINO?
ping
McCain stays up nights trying to think of something to get his face in front of cameras. IMHO he is weird and creepy.
Send McCain an email asking why he didn't denounce Moore's movie and demand Kerry do the same. This is no time for conservatives to stand down.
Wouldnt be the first time McCain has broken faith with Vietnam Veterans or the American People...
Even McCain Feingold - CFR (the almost laughable Campaign Finance Reform for example)
Of course anyone who voted for it or signed it broke faith with America
imo
Of course once upon a time Kerry was the 'Ken Star' of
Iran Contra Mena
Perhaps the PTB owe him "A Solid"
imo
Many of us have felt this way for a long time. We wondered how long it would be before he would bash President Bush (who he hates) and now we see the back door move backing sKerry which is the slap at W that we expected. </ramble off
But, by making a big deal out of this McCain has shed a LOT of light on it. That's good as as I'm concerned. McCain is putting Kerry in a position where he has to defend himself.
If Kerry has any guts, if he is a real brave man, I'd like to see him sit down with John O'Neill and debate again as they did so many years ago.
GREAT idea! I'd pay $$ to see that debate.
McRino can't help it, it's who he IS!
We respect Senator McCain's right to express his opinion and we hope he extends to us the same respect and courtesy, particularly since we served with John Kerry, we knew him well and Senator McCain did not."
McCain is a Flip-Flopper just like Kerry. He'd be better served to keep his mouth shut on this matter. He wants to be a pubbie today and a dimocrit tomorrow. Kerry's actions only hurt him, but he seems to defend him at every juncture. It's BS.
Senator McCain,
What is it that you don't like about the Swiftboat Vet's advertisement?
Are you in a position to question ANYTHING those vets have to say about Kerry?
Are you upset that the ad is effective?
Did Kerry promise you a job if he's elected?
If you had been on any of those swiftboats working with Kerry, or in his command, wouldn't you feel qualified to assess his performance?
Do you approve of Kerry's behavior after returning from Vietnam?
Former USAF Sgt. 1971-1974
(46350)
Sincerely,
Laurence J.
keep this quote going. Maybe McCain doesn't remember saying it after he said it. Mmm, sounds like someone else we all know.
WHERE'S THE VIDEO????? Seems the "uncrusted younger and more honest" McCain speaks a different language than the "good ole boy" club member he's become.
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