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FLASHBACK: "John Kerry: A Navy Dove Runs for Congress" (1970 Harvard Crimson interview)
Harvard Crimson ^ | Feb. 18, 1970 | SAMUEL Z. GOLDHABER

Posted on 08/21/2004 2:47:43 PM PDT by FairOpinion

Hundreds of opponents to the Vietnam War will meet this coming Saturday in a Third District Citizens Caucus to choose a Democrat strong enough in the September primary to oust Philip J. Philbin (D-Mass.) from the Congressional seat he has held for 26 years. Philbin, whose District stretches from Fitchburg to Newton, is the second-ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee and many people consider the 71-year-old Congressman a hawk on Vietnam and an all-around conservative. Any resident of the Third District, including college students under 21, will be eligible to vote at the open caucus, which will be held at Concord Carlisle Regional High School.

The caucus will assign electoral votes to each city and town in the Third District, based on the latest population figures. Residents from each locality will meet in Concord and the candidate who gets the majority of each locality's votes will take all the city's or town's electoral votes. For example, I come from Waban, a village of Newton, which happens to be the most populous city in the District. If I'm the only delegate who shows up from Newton, all of Newton's electoral votes will go to the candidate of my choice.

The leading contenders for the caucus's nomination are Father Robert F. Drinan, dean of the Boston College Law School; Harrison Chandler Stevens, who ran as an Independent against Philbin in 1968 and enjoyed the support of many college volunteers; and John F. Kerry, who favors immediate withdrawal, and was the first Vietnam veteran to run for Congress with a dovish platform on the War.

Drinan, for the moment, is considered the favorite. He is well known in academic circles and at the age of 49 has mustered an impressive list of credentials. He is distinguished especially as the first priest to run for Congress since 1822.

Stevens, who would have to change his registration from Independent to Democrat in order to oppose Philbin in the September primary, is shied away from not only because he is not a Democrat, but also because he refused to endorse any Presidential candidate when he ran in 1968. Although Stevens had built up an impressive political machine, he has been assistant to the governor of Puerto Rico for the past year and returned to the District only two weeks ago.

Kerry has the most explicit stand against the Vietnam War and although his youth is a plus, the fact that he is a political unknown does not help him. Now 26, he was honorably discharged from the Navy last month but has been laying the groundwork for the race ever since November. Occasionally, Kerry makes obvious his recent return to civilian life and the Third Congressional District. When he came into the CRIMSON building last Friday, I introduced myself, saying I was from Waban.

"Waban, where's that?" he asked.

"It's in the District."

"W-O-B-O-N? Wobon? That's not in my District," he said.

"There's no such thing as Wobon. You must be thinking of Woburn. Anyway, I'm in Waban, a village of Newton, and certainly you've heard of Newton, haven't you?"

"So Waban's in Newton? Well, you learn something new every day," he said.

At Yale, Kerry was chairman of the Political Union and later, as Commencement speaker, urged the United States to withdraw from Vietnam and to scale down foreign military operations. And this was way back in 1966.

When he approached his draft board for permission to study for a year in Paris, the draft board refused and Kerry decided to enlist in the Navy. The Navy assigned him to the USS Gridley which between December 1966 and July 1968 saw four months of action off the Vietnam coast. In August through November, 1968, Kerry was trained to be the skipper of a patrol boat for Vietnamese rivers. For the next five months, until April of 1969, Kerry was the commanding Lieutenant of a patrol boat in the Mekong Delta. He was wounded slightly on three different occasions and received a Silver Star for bravery. His patrol boat took part in Operation Sealords, mostly scouting out Viet Cong villages and transporting South Vietnamese marines to various destinations up and down narrow rivers covered with heavy foliage on either side. One time Kerry was ordered to destroy a Viet Cong village but disobeyed orders and suggested that the Navy Command simply send in a Psychological Warfare team to be friend the villagers with food, hospital supplies, and better educational facilities.

Pulling Out

Immediate withdrawal from Vietnam, Kerry said, would take about seven months due to complex logistics problems. During that interval he would allow only "self-defense return of fire." "Logistic suport is now what Nixon is talking about leaving there and I don't want to see that. I don't think we should leave support troops there and I don't think we should give Vietnam any more than the foreign aid given any other one country." He does not feel there would be a massive slaughter of American, sympathizers once the United States pulled out.

In America, "everybody who's against the war is suddenly considered anti-American," Kerry said. "But I don't think they can turn to me and say I don't know what's going on or I'm a draft dodger." Referring to the House Armed Services Committee, chaired by L. Mendel Rivers (D-S.C.), Kerry said, "I want to go down to Washington and confront Medel Rivers, who never fought in a war.

"I as effectively as anyone else in the country, can address myself to the issue of Vietnam," Kerry said. "I'm very realistic, though. I'm just going to be one man adding to the work of men like Lowenstein."

Kerry is a pilot, and on October 14 and 15 he flew Ted Kennedy's advisor Adam Walinsky by private plane throughout the State of New York so that Walinsky could give speeches against the Vietnam War. But Kerry was smart enough not to put down "Moratorium" on the Navy signout sheet for that Tuesday and Wednesday. The following month, Kerry was sick and did not engage in the November moratorium activities.

He supports a volunteer Army, "if and only if we can create the controls for it. You're going to have to prepare for the possibility of a national emergency, however." Kerry said that the United Nations should have control over most of our foreign military operations. "I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations."

On other issues, Kerry wants "to almost eliminate CIA activity. The CIA is fighting its own war in Laos and nobody seems to care." He also favors a negative income tax and keeping unemployment at a very low level, "even if it means selective economic controls."

Kerry's Background

"I have a somewhat Establishment background," Kerry admitted modestly. Kerry, whose family comes from Groton, attended Fessenden, a prestigious private school in West Newton, until he was old enough to go to St. Paul's. From there he went on to Yale where he majored in political science.

Kerry's interest in politics began in 1960, when John Kennedy was running for President. Kerry gave his first political speeches for JFK and at St. Paul's founded a political group, the John Winant Society. In the summer of 1962, Kerry worked for Ted Kennedy, who was then making his first Senate bid. "I wanted to see how the political machine works."

At Yale, Kerry was instrumental in organizing the demonstrations for giving tenure to philosophy professor Dick Bernstein, even though Bernstein had not done very much publishing. As President of the Political Union, Kerry met an impressive array of political figures and spent much of his time fighting for a new YPU building, which Yale eventually built.

Kerry's style can turn people off at first because he gives the initial impression of being too good to be true, of being just a little bit insincere. His preppiness might make you think he's a blueblood WASP, but Kerry is really a Roman Catholic. However, an afternoon on the campaign trail with Kerry leaves you with quite a different impression.

Out in Bolton, a town smaller than Waban, he went to a genuine Yankee house, built in 1740, I watched Kerry as he tried to convince four ladies to go to Saturday's caucus in Concord. While the ladies drank tea. Kerry stuck to his guns and told the women that most welfare recipients did deserve to be on the lists. He said Spiro Agnew was one of the poorer vice-presidents, not one of our great statesmen.

Because of Kerry's background, and his style which the ladies adored, he may have succeeded in charming them into driving out to Concord on Saturday. And four Kerry votes from Bolton would probably mean all of Bolton's electoral votes for Kerry.

What if Kerry loses at the caucus? "If it's a representative group," he said, "I'll support the candidate that comes out." He said he might campaign for Stevens, if Stevens wins the caucus's approval. Another idea of his is creating a national citizen's lobby which would be primarily educational and which "would be a new kind of interest group that will demand attention from the men who are legislating."

In the last month, Kerry has driven 4000 miles back and forth across the District. "I should be at law school," he said, "but the problems are too great to sit back and watch them go by."


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 1970; kerry; kerryrecord
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Some KEY EXCERPTS:

Kerry was active against the Vietnam war, before he enlisted:

"At Yale, Kerry was chairman of the Political Union and later, as Commencement speaker, urged the United States to withdraw from Vietnam and to scale down foreign military operations. And this was way back in 1966."

He only enlisted, because his request for a deferment was turned down, and otherwise he was going to get drafted:

"When he approached his draft board for permission to study for a year in Paris, the draft board refused and Kerry decided to enlist in the Navy. "

This is where Kerry said this:

"Kerry said that the United Nations should have control over most of our foreign military operations. "I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations."

AND THIS:

"On other issues, Kerry wants "to almost eliminate CIA activity. "

1 posted on 08/21/2004 2:47:43 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: FairOpinion
"I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations."
"On other issues, Kerry wants "to almost eliminate CIA activity. "

Some things never change.

2 posted on 08/21/2004 2:50:09 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: FairOpinion
Nice find! Good work!

Wish there was some paperwork on his deferment request.

3 posted on 08/21/2004 2:53:13 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: Izzy Dunne

> One time Kerry was ordered to destroy a Viet Cong village
> but disobeyed orders and suggested that the Navy Command
> simply send in a Psychological Warfare team to befriend
> the villagers with food, hospital supplies, and better
> educational facilities.

Umm, is this still his story in later versions?


4 posted on 08/21/2004 2:53:20 PM PDT by Boundless
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To: Izzy Dunne

That is exactly the point.

Kerry was an "internationalist" and pacifist back in 1966, and he never changed his stance. He has been consistent in this. His flip-flops are the result of him trying to pretend that he is pro-national security, when in fact he isn't and his votes in the Senate prove that.

Here is his own memo, where he advocated canceling most of our defense programs.

http://commrnc.grassroots.com/resources/kerry1984defensememo.pdf


5 posted on 08/21/2004 2:54:30 PM PDT by FairOpinion (FIGHT TERRORISM! VOTE BUSH/CHENEY 2004.)
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To: FairOpinion
Freeper N. Theknow says:
"It’s faster than a checkbook, more powerful than a Democratic demagogue, able to lay waste to a liar Kerry with the single click of a mouse. It's a little bird of truth, it's plain to see Kerry's unfit... it's... it's...SuperFReep!

Want to join in the fun? Click the logo to donate to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth!

6 posted on 08/21/2004 2:54:57 PM PDT by Chieftain (Support the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and expose Hanoi John's FRAUD!)
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To: TexasCajun

"Wish there was some paperwork on his deferment request."


If he signed the 180 to release his military records, we may get to see that.


7 posted on 08/21/2004 2:55:34 PM PDT by FairOpinion (FIGHT TERRORISM! VOTE BUSH/CHENEY 2004.)
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To: FairOpinion

Contribute to and support the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth at http://swift1.he.net/~swiftvet/index.php

Just sent them $25.

Pass it on.


8 posted on 08/21/2004 2:57:02 PM PDT by schaketo (Notorious for skinny dipping in the same pond as snapping turtles)
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To: FairOpinion

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/03/07/wkerr07.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/03/07/ixnewstop.html

... The Harvard Crimson newspaper followed a youthful Mr Kerry in Boston as he campaigned for Congress for the first time in 1970. In the course of a lengthy article, "John Kerry: A Navy Dove Runs for Congress", published on February 18, the paper reported: "When he approached his draft board for permission to study for a year in Paris, the draft board refused and Kerry decided to enlist in the Navy."

Samuel Goldhaber, the article's author who is now a cardiologist attached to the Harvard School of Medicine, spent 11 hours trailing Mr Kerry and still remembers that the subject of the Paris deferment came up during long conversations about Vietnam.

"I stand by my story," he told The Telegraph. "It was a long time ago, and I was 19 at the time, so it is hard to remember every detail. But I do know this: at no point did Kerry contact either me or the Crimson to dispute anything I had written." ...


9 posted on 08/21/2004 3:01:02 PM PDT by maggief
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To: FairOpinion
. One time Kerry was ordered to destroy a Viet Cong village but disobeyed orders and suggested that the Navy Command simply send in a Psychological Warfare team to be friend the villagers with food, hospital supplies, and better educational facilities.

As opposed to the one he torched with his zippo eh
10 posted on 08/21/2004 3:02:24 PM PDT by uncbob
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To: FairOpinion

Wow! The timeline is fascinating. From your post this is 2/70. Kerry was "discharged" 1/70. Yet he was already active with anti-Vietnam causes (?VVAW) Doesn't this mean he was possibly doing his best to undermine his fellow veterans while STILL on active duty in Vietnam? Or did he just "turn" against the war in 6 WEEKS?


11 posted on 08/21/2004 3:04:20 PM PDT by boop (Testing the tagline feature!)
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To: FairOpinion
Immediate withdrawal from Vietnam, Kerry said, would take about seven months due to complex logistics problems. During that interval he would allow only

My My My
Now he says he was DEFENDING the USA
12 posted on 08/21/2004 3:05:26 PM PDT by uncbob
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To: boop

He was also participating in anti-war activities,while on active duty:

"Kerry is a pilot, and on October 14 and 15 he flew Ted Kennedy's advisor Adam Walinsky by private plane throughout the State of New York so that Walinsky could give speeches against the Vietnam War. But Kerry was smart enough not to put down "Moratorium" on the Navy signout sheet for that Tuesday and Wednesday. The following month, Kerry was sick and did not engage in the November moratorium activities. "


13 posted on 08/21/2004 3:11:20 PM PDT by FairOpinion (FIGHT TERRORISM! VOTE BUSH/CHENEY 2004.)
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To: FairOpinion

http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061503.shtml

... As graduation approached, Kerry knew that he had three choices: be drafted, seek a deferment for graduate school, or join up and position himself to become an officer. ``It was clear to me that I was going to be at risk,'' Kerry recalled. ``My draft board . . . said, `Look, the likelihood is you are probably going to be drafted.' I said, `If I'm going to be drafted, I'd like to have responsibility and be an officer.' ''

At the same time, Kerry was losing interest in academics and was ready for adventure. ``I cut classes,'' Kerry said. ``I didn't do much. I spent a lot of time learning to fly.''

Kerry also had political ambitions -- and was aware of how much military service had served John Kennedy's career. ``John would clearly say, `If I could make my dream come true, it would be running for president of the United States,' '' recalled William Stanberry, Kerry's debate team partner for three years. ``It was not a casual interest. It was a serious, stated interest. His lifetime ambition was to be in political office.'' ...


14 posted on 08/21/2004 3:12:08 PM PDT by maggief
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To: FairOpinion

BTTT


15 posted on 08/21/2004 3:14:20 PM PDT by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: FairOpinion
"I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations."

Carve that KERRY quote in stone and repeat it often. This the the TRUE military policy of John Kerry. We can disperse our troops only at the "directive" of the CORRUPT (oil money for "food" progam) United Nations.

16 posted on 08/21/2004 3:20:38 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: FairOpinion

I've been thinking he was against the war before he enlisted, but this is the first I've seen anything that backed up my suspicion. It's probably been out there, but this is the first I've seen it.

One of his medals is missing from this story. Why didn't he mention the Bronze Star? Didn't he have it back then?


17 posted on 08/21/2004 3:23:51 PM PDT by BykrBayb (5 minutes of prayer for Terri, every day at 11 am EDT, until she's safe. http://www.terrisfight.org)
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To: boop
At Yale, Kerry was chairman of the Political Union and later, as Commencement speaker, urged the United States to withdraw from Vietnam and to scale down foreign military operations. And this was way back in 1966.

He was against the war (1966), before he was for the war (1968), before he was against the war (1970), before he was for the war (2004). Did I get that right?

18 posted on 08/21/2004 3:34:30 PM PDT by BykrBayb (5 minutes of prayer for Terri, every day at 11 am EDT, until she's safe. http://www.terrisfight.org)
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To: BykrBayb

"He was against the war (1966), before he was for the war (1968), before he was against the war (1970), before he was for the war (2004). Did I get that right?"


No, sorry....he also voted against the first Gulf War. ;)


19 posted on 08/21/2004 3:42:53 PM PDT by Stellar Dendrite
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
More juicy stuff on kerry.

1970 article mentions all kerry's medals, except the Bronze Star. I guess he didn't have that one yet.

Says he was protesting the war in 1966, before he joined the Navy, and later, "Kerry is a pilot, and on October 14 and 15 he flew Ted Kennedy's advisor Adam Walinsky by private plane throughout the State of New York so that Walinsky could give speeches against the Vietnam War. But Kerry was smart enough not to put down "Moratorium" on the Navy signout sheet for that Tuesday and Wednesday. The following month, Kerry was sick and did not engage in the November moratorium activities."

Much more in this article. Read it carefully, and check the replies for aspects that other FReepers caught.

20 posted on 08/21/2004 3:45:19 PM PDT by BykrBayb (5 minutes of prayer for Terri, every day at 11 am EDT, until she's safe. http://www.terrisfight.org)
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