Editorial: Kerry takes up the Swift Boat charges (Major Barf Alert)

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune ^ | June 3, 2006 | Minneapolis Star-Tribune Editorial

[Phil Harmonic]

Editorial: Kerry takes up the Swift Boat charges

He deserves this opportunity to set the public record straight.

Most of the controversies from the wild 2004 presidential campaign have long been forgotten. But one is coming back, the New York Times reported this week, and we're glad it is: Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee for president, is joining an effort to debunk the many attacks on his service in Vietnam more than two decades earlier.

[snip]

Although they had little bearing on Kerry's qualifications to be president, his young-man's sentiments on Vietnam were a legitimate issue. But that's not where it stopped. Reprising a campaign tactic that had worked well against Sen. John McCain in 2000 and Sen. Max Cleland in 2002, White House political strategist Karl Rove went straight at Kerry's most significant strength: his war record. In the following months, Kerry was accused of shooting himself to get the purple hearts; of having political plans even at that young age that fueled a cynical plot to get medals any way he could; of fabricating, lying about and exaggerating his military experiences. The tactic worked; people began to think maybe Kerry was "Unfit for Command," the title of an anti-Kerry book. Eventually, and bizarrely, people were arguing about whether Kerry took his boat into Cambodia on one occasion. To us the story sounded quite plausible (a number of Americans made clandestine trips into Cambodia during that time), as well as irrelevant to the campaign.

[Phil Harmonic]

The Swift Boat Veterans...yet another Rovian plot

Any similarity between this editorial and swill from the DUmp is entirely probable...

[A CA Guy]

Kerry never signed the form to release all his military records though, did he?

He's still hiding after all these years, just being loud about it.

[bitt]

'Eventually, and bizarrely, people were arguing about whether Kerry took his boat into Cambodia on one occasion. To us the story sounded quite plausible (a number of Americans made clandestine trips into Cambodia during that time), as well as irrelevant to the campaign.

No candidate should have to endure what Kerry got. Some wanted him to sue, but he is a public figure, which complicates matters, and any lawsuit would have taken too long to work its way through the courts, in the meantime highlighting the accusations.

But now Kerry and a group of supporters are seeking to disprove them. Researchers are poring over naval records; Kerry has asked that his entire Navy file be released, and other veterans are giving their recollections.

We're glad Kerry is undertaking this effort. So many of the accusations hurled at him were demonstrably false on their face. It's time the record were set straight. '

[hsalaw]

We're glad Kerry is undertaking this effort.

And so am I! That idiot Kerry is going to suck all the air out of the dems' room - they'll throw him under the bus before too long.

[bitt]

Surrender Monkey

[marron]

I hope Kerry digs all this up again. I'd love to see him go another round with the Swift Vets.

Kerry versus the Vets, Clinton versus Gore, Gore versus rationality, this is adding up to be one of the greatest political seasons of all time.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Kerry really needs to run for president of France in the next election.

He's a total discrace to this country as an american politician.

[Brad from Tennessee]

John Kerry would be a cheap, lying whore with or without Vietnam. He even lied for many years about being Irish.

[bpjam]

This exact same 'story' ran in the NYT about a week ago. Kerry is dragging reporters and presumably others into his office to meet the 'researchers' he hired to create his new legacy sans Swifties. He is working the editorial circuit in friendly venues (which isn't an option for GOPers who have no friendly editorial boards for the most part). Kerry did the same thing a year before he ran last time by trying to personally meet with every reporter he could find and 'prove' to them that he did actually have friends and was a 'likeable' guy. It was perverse in its obscene naked ambition to convince people that he was not who they already knew he was (an elitist whose only resume item was 4 months in Nam and being Dukakis' Lt Gov.)

[Earthdweller]

The only thing admirable about Kerry is his bank account. Other then that he's just another ugly, social moron with an expensive education trying to get all the attention all the time. The Dems need to oust him, but that might effect their "winning streak" so if there are any Dems out there lurking...please do not take my advise. LOL.

[Echo Talon]

I cant believe all the disaffected people on this site want all these wacky libs to win... :\

[JennysCool]

He signed it. Only certain individuals got to look at it.

[A CA Guy]

I thought if you signed that form, it was open to the public?

How did he get a restricted use of the form?

How does he explain away the limitations he placed on his records now?

[The Shrew]

You might want to write an editorial to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. They obviously haven't been to your website:

WinterSoldier.com

Regards,

TS

[Tut]

In the following months, Kerry was accused of shooting himself to get the purple hearts; of having political plans even at that young age that fueled a cynical plot to get medals any way he could;

Well actually, it is true he had "political plans even at that young age". That is the only reason he went into the Navy and the only reason he went into the swifties. None of it had anything to do with duty or honor.

It was purely designed to give his self maximum chance by following in the footsteps of John Kennedy.

This from a puff piece from the Boston Glob at Click here

Upon his graduation in 1966, Kerry was given the honor of delivering the class oration. Many at Yale noticed that this young man, on his way to becoming a commissioned officer in Vietnam, was critical of the war -- and the use of American military might against communist regimes.

``What was an excess of isolationism has become an excess of interventionism,'' Kerry said in the oration. ``And this Vietnam War has found our policy makers forcing Americans into a strange corner . . . that if victory escapes us, it would not be the fault of those who lead, but of the doubters who stabbed them in the back -- notions all too typical of an America that had to find Americans to blame for the takeover in China by the communists, and then for the takeover in Cuba.''

Then, in a sentence that harkened back to the Nazi aggression that his mother had fled, he said: ``The United States must, I think, bring itself to understand that the policy of intervention that was right for Western Europe does not and cannot find the same application to the rest of the world.''

In what may have been an allusion to his own plans to enlist, Kerry added: ``We have not really lost the desire to serve. We question the very roots of what we are serving.''

Kerry's critique of American policy stood out at a time when there were few protests, and most of the public assumed Vietnam would be a winnable war, producing a fresh crop of military heroes. The speech also reflected an evolution in Kerry's own thinking about the war.

Notice Kerry was anti-war even before joining up to go to the Navy. He then as now takes a stand on two sides of an issue and call them both his own.

Notice as well that he dated Jacqueline Kennedy's half-sister and once sailed Narragansett Bay with JFK at the helm.

Maybe JFK gave the boy pointers about how to achieve success in politics. How much easier would it be for a politician to achieve his goal being a veteran vs not. How some medals would allow him to write his own ticket and it didn't matter how he got them. All he had to do was to prove he had them.

To state the obvious and calling that little piece of fact dissing Kerry is major stupid. If the dude was a bum back then as now, why would that little fact bother him?

Remember as an ex Lt. in the Navy he takes it upon his self to hold talks with the Vietcong as a private citizen. I can only wonder what exactly gave him the right to do so and what was it, in his position in life at the time was he hoping to accomplish?

No, if there is heat from his activities in his past, I expect him to have the backbone to accept that heat without reservations.

[taxesareforever]

Kerry never signed the form to release all his military records though, did he?

That's a fact. And he should be nailed on it in every public appearance he makes.

[A CA Guy]

#12 told me it was signed, but only a few people were allowed to see it.

If true, how does someone pull that trick off?

[JennysCool]

From what I understand, his records were released to a couple of Kool Aid drunk Boston reporters -- for the Herald, I believe. My guess is that was done because it would take a mountain of legal action to get the reporters to give up their "privileged information."

That's my understanding, anyway. Someone may offer more insight.

[demlosers]

Kerry never signed the form to release all his military records though, did he?

Last year, I thought Kerry told little Timmy Russert that he would sign a form 180 to release his records. I guess we're still waiting - LoL!

[A CA Guy]

So if he released it to koolaide drinkers alone, then he did NOT sign that form for public consumption.

That won't work.

I would want to know what he felt should remain hidden that he only let two favorable reporters take a peek.

[taxesareforever]

Ubtil I see it I will claim he is lying. If he isn't, then he shouldn't have any problem presenting it again.

[A CA Guy]

Seems he allowed some limited release to two favorable reporters.
Without 180 signed for public consumption, it will be assumed it was a fix and he hiding a lot of something.

Showing perhaps only some of it to two friendly reporters is suggesting the character of the two reporters will somehow satisfy all the world.

If he runs again, he will be pinned to the wall again.

[demlosers]

He signed it. Only certain individuals got to look at it.

With conditions huh. What a weasel.

[A CA Guy]

He never presented it the first time.

Seems he allowed two reporters some access.
We don't know if they saw everything, if things were redacted or if the reporters are protecting him.

[demlosers]

I guess he didn't "lie" about it, the weasel.

[JennysCool]

Michelle Malkin and Captain's Quarters have done a lot on this. You might want to check out their archives.

FReegards -- and have a good weekend!

[Tut]

Showing perhaps only some of it to two friendly reporters is suggesting the character of the two reporters will somehow satisfy all the world.

But what about the public has the right to know? Isn't what they have harped on for so long?

[A CA Guy]

He didn't open up his military records to public by signing form 180 for everyone, so for me he has done nothing to rehabilitate himself one bit.

[Henchster]

HAS HE SIGNED THE FORM 180 TO RELEASE HIS RECORDS TO THE PUBLIC?

No, he released selected info to a couple of selected writers, to "enhance" his story.

END OF STORY. John Forbes Kerry-Heinz is a WEASEL!

[A CA Guy]

Thanks, sounds like he didn't make anything much public.

[demlosers]

Seems he allowed two reporters some access.

If I remember correctly, the Pentagon once said there are about 100 pages Kerry has not authorized for public release.

My guess, 100 pages of derogatory information; that's a lotta poo poo...

[A CA Guy]

Limited releases of information that could have been redacted will not rehabilitate his history or image IMO.

[A CA Guy]

So what you are saying is he gave out limited redacted releases of part of his history.

That won't fly.

He must have collaborated with Castro to be this protective IMO.

Something big is in the past for him for sure.

[RacerX1128]

release your records froggy

[AmericaOne]

I hope Kerry digs all this up again. I'd love to see him go another round with the Swift Vets.

Let Kerry sue. The Swift Vets can then have access to Kerry's entire set of military personnel records thru discovery and anything else he has been holding back. He can be held in contempt of court or have his lawsuit thrown out if he refuses to hand over his complete records and anything else the Swift Vets require for their defense. Let the Swifties have their day in court and trounce Kerry once and for all!!!

We will then find out once and for all, for instance, whether his initial discharge was "Honorable" or other than Honorable. If Kerry does have something to hide, which me and about everyone else are pretty sure he does, then he will likely end up dismissing his law suit instead of letting that truth come to light. That will likely occur during a very busy news day or period when he thinks no one will be watching.

[agincourt1415]

We need to resolve what kind of discharge Kerry got.

Was it Bad Conduct, General, or Dishonorable?

And did Jimmy Carter get it changed?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[A CA Guy]

Yeah, if he decides to make a run and gets to the big time again, he will have to.

He'll run for President, then hope for VP IMO under Hillary.

[RacerX1128]

release your records froggy

[DakotaRed]

White House political strategist Karl Rove went straight at Kerry's most significant strength: his war record.

Hack, cough, barf .... barf again.

If sKerry's 4 months are his strength, my 18 months should have me rolling in wealth.

I do believe he fits into what Tammy Bruce calls Malignant Narcissim.

[A CA Guy]

I think Carter did get it changed, but that would be part of the record as well.

[agincourt1415]

I look at it this way, it will be found out, and at the worst possible time for Kerry.

Kerry or Al Gore, either one will be just too much fun for Freerepublicans to take apart if they are nominees.

Hey I like a Kerry/Gore Ticket.

[A CA Guy]

Gore makes too much money out of office and has too many business things going on like some cable channel that he would have to let die on the vine.

It's too lucrative appeasing the nut base of the left to actually consider running.

Kerry has the ego to run and is desperate enough to beg for the VP spot from Hillary.

[Liberty Valance]

Kerry never signed the form to release all his military records though, did he?

No. But he told Imus he would. Guess he lied.

[fish hawk]

Actually he is Native American and related to that great Chief, Ward Churchill of the Fukarwi Tribe.

[demlosers]

Something big is in the past for him for sure.

Yes, for sure.

We know Kerry while having a reserve Navy commission:

- publicly protested against the US government in time of war.

- went to Paris, France and sought an audience with the North Vietnamese delegation.

- a member of a group that once voted to assassinate US Senators who supported the Vietnam war....

[A CA Guy]

Guess he did NOT. All he did was release some information to a couple of friendly reporters who want him to be the next President.

That isn't enough IMO.

[DakotaRed]

Military records for personell are not kept at the Pentagon. All are sent to the National Records Center in St. Louis where they are kept. His signed 180s were to the Department of the Navy, which would have very little records. They also only authorized the recrods to be seen by 3 friendly reporters, no one else.

He never signed any to the National Records Center!

During the campaign, some records were obtained but the center said there were some 100 pages they could not release without sKerry's specific authorization.

We are all still waiting for that authorization. Bush released all of his, why won't sKerry? My guess, an embarrassing discharge.

[BenLurkin]

[D1X1E]

"Although they had little bearing on Kerry's qualifications to be president"...

"Kerry's most significant strength: his war record".....

"irrelevant to the campaign"....

Well which is it? irrelevant? relevant? irrelevant? Seems the writer cant even make up his mind. In my view, Kerry made his war record relevant, and thus open to question, by presenting it as basically his only qualification to be president.

[BJungNan]