Unfit for command?

The Washington Times ^ | August 11, 2004 | Tony Blankley

[neverdem]

The Washington Times
www.washingtontimes.com

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Unfit for command?

By Tony Blankley
Published August 11, 2004

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    I stayed up late last night and read from cover to cover the book "Unfit for Command -- Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry." An impartial reader (if there is still such a beast in this election season) would have to conclude that either the book is a pack of lies or John Kerry is in fact a reckless, lying man who misrepresented the facts in order to receive medals he didn't deserve, and is indeed unfit to command even a tug boat, let alone the United States military as president.

    The book appears to be meticulously researched and reported. It is replete with copious footnotes, a detailed index and two appendices. First-hand witnesses are named and quoted verbatim to support each specific, shocking charge. Each charge of false heroics is logically presented. Theauthors quote the official Navy citation and then present the purported eyewitnesstestimony that refutes the official finding. The witnesses who are summoned forth are officers and men who served simultaneously with Mr. Kerry in Coastal Division 11 and purport to be eyewitnesses to the events in question.

    And yet, there is another group of men, the sailors who served directly under John Kerry on the same boat with him -- his band of brothers. They have traveled around the country with Mr. Kerry and have vouched for his description of his heroic, able and selfless service to our country.

    One of these groups of men are lying through their teeth. This is not a case of failed memories. In a few instances, it could be a case of honest differences of ...

[ultima ratio]

Kerry should release his records. Then it will be obvious who is telling the truth.

[Diddley]

Q. Are these accusations against Kerry true?
A. I don't know.

Q. Is there any way we can find out?
A. We could start with his records.

Just sign the 1-8-0, John.

[what's up]

Yea, Tony Blankley.

He's always faithful to the cause.

[neverdem]

Nothing on the online version of NY Times or Wash Post yet. Blankley's comments are interesting.

[Interesting Times]

This is a fairly stated article, and he is quite correct: one of these groups of veterans is lying. Here's his last paragraph.

If it is not a pack of lies, the nation needs to know that, too. I would encourage some of the major voices of the non-conservative mainline media — Tim Russert, Dan Rather, Leonard Downie Jr. of The Washington Post — to do as I did. Spend an evening reading the book. If they are not struck by the damning picture it paints of John Kerry and the credibility of the presentation, forget about it. But if they judge it as I did, then let their consciences be their guide.

I'd hate to trust anything of consequence to the consciences of Russert, Rather and Downie...

[doug from upland]

It is up to us to push this. The mainstream will only go along kicking and screaming. That's our job.

[Cold Heat]

Looking forward to reading this. Great review!

[ultima ratio]

I believe the mainstream media this time has decided to go for broke. There is not even the semblance of being fair. It is pretty shameless.

The reason is obvious: The left is slipping. It still has the media, but its liberal slant is countered by talk radio, the internet and cable news. So another version of events is getting through. Add to this signs of faltering among the old guard: The NYTimes was defeated in its campaign to smear Mel Gibson, for instance. CBS retreated after a clumsy attempt to air a phony Reagan biography. The Democrats lost both houses of Congress in a midterm election. Each of these by itself would not be the end of the world--but all together they hint at serious erosion of power on the left. They realize this and are pulling out all the stops. If Bush wins, they lose big.

[neverdem]

The story had Richard Holbrooke(sp?) defending Kerry on Wolf Blitzer's show yesterday.

[tkathy]

The chips are starting to fall.

[EGPWS]

An impartial reader (if there is still such a beast in this election season) would have to conclude that either the book is a pack of lies or John Kerry is in fact a reckless, lying man who misrepresented the facts in order to receive medals he didn't deserve, and is indeed unfit to command even a tug boat, let alone the United States military as president.

Bottom line, without military records, (alas, this is getting old fast) why even risk a change when we have the utmost of competence in the present white house resident and his cabinet?

JMO.

[lainde]

Kerry should release his records.

Your solution is obvious! I know CPR if you plan on holding your breath :~)

[genghis]

people have no idea how devastating this book is
1-cambodia
2- he was asked to leave
3- he was there for 4 months
4- 3 purple hearts and no time in the hopsitol.
5- he bring a movie camera
6- his commanding officers didn't think much of him
7-his post war treasoneous behavior
and a lot more

[Republic Rocker]

Kerry needs to put his money where his mouth is and put the damn records on the table...And his heiress wife needs to put her tax returns right along side it...

Wasn't this the NO HIDDEN SECRET candidate...?

[Travis McGee]

It is up to us to push this. The mainstream will only go along kicking and screaming. That's our job.

Amen Brother!

[luvbach1]

One of the potentially most devastating revelations yet to be made is who recommended Kerry for the Silver Star and the details related to it. Last night I heard the author of "Unfit" posit that Kerry supplied a false account of the medal-winning incident that had him routing a covey of Viet Cong when instead he was shooting a single fleeing Viet Cong in the back. Now shooting a fleeing enemy combatant in the back is acceptable, but is it the stuff of Silver Stars?

[goldstategop]

The more obvious question is: why hasn't he done it already? Unless there's something damning the rest of us shouldn't know about...

[luvbach1]

If Bush wins, they lose big.

And if Kerry wins we lose bigger.

[Howlin]

*Shudder*