KERRY: "I didn't really want to get involved in the war," Kerry said in a little-noticed contribution to a book of Vietnam reminiscences published in 1986. "When I signed up for the swift boats, they had very little to do with the war. They were engaged in coastal patrolling and that's what I thought I was going to be doing."
New School president Bob Kerrey - a former Democratic senator from Nebraska and a Medal of Honor recipient in Vietnam - had choice words for the Swifties accusing Sen. John Kerry of volunteering for Vietnam combat duty to pad his political résumé.
"Oh, f-- them," he told the Daily News' James Gordon Meek. "Quote me on that. The idea that you'd volunteer for [Swift boat duty] because you're thinking about a political career. ... That's what you think about doing if you want a posthumous political career."
Meanwhile, Creative Coalition co-president and "Dr. Vegas" star Joe Pantoliano wonders if FDR would fare better than Kerry if he were alive today.
"You'd have wheelchair veterans for truth coming out of the woodwork screaming, 'He's not really a cripple!'" the former "Sopranos" star told us at the coalition's party for former First Son Ron Reagan's collection of essays, "If You Had Five Minutes with the President."
I am not lying. I read that here and it was verified.
There's also apparently an interview with the Washington Post from a couple of years back where Kerry says he thought it would advantageous to him politically to both serve in the war and be an anti-war activist after he came back.
Yup. And I wonder why I haven't heard this quote more from the media. (/sarcasm)
Don't forget that Quick John whined so much about being assigned to the dangerous position at An Thoi after completing swift boat training that his fellow boat commanders and his CO decided to transfer him after one week! Kerry chickened out at An Thoi!
FBI FOIA Files: VVAW
CD1, 100-HQ-448092, File: Sub A Section 01.pdf, p. 73POW Drive in Confusion
(Washington) Evening Star , July 23, 1971
By Mary McGrory, Star Staff Writer
AP PHOTO: JOHN KERRY(snip)
Four heckling women infiltrated a press conference called by John Kerry yesterday to accuse the President of using the prisoners of war for political purposes.
In voices shaking with nerves and rage, the ladies in the back of the room, all relatives of POW's, accused Kerry of using the prisoners for his own political purposes.
"What are you running for now, Mr. Kerry?" screamed one of the disrupters.
Other POW kin who had gathered with Kerry to demand action on the Viet Cong's recent prisoner-release proposal were the targets of some of the ladies' taunts: "You're stupid, Kerry is using you to run for office." The four noisily stomped out. They were under the escort of a representative of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which regards the stylish and eloquent Kerry, spokesman for the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, as public enemy number one.
Your post #15 ought to be emailed or faxed to Kerrey at the New School.
Kerry volunteered for Swiftboat duty while they were still utilised for (safe) Coastal Patrol.
No doubt, camera toting JFK from Massachussets probably saw another excellent parallel he could draw to the service career of his idol JF Kennedy.
So to you point Bob Kerrey - Yes it is quite likely he volunteered to advance his political career. Especially if could embellish his service and turn himself into a "hero"