For Kerry Campaign, No Word Left Unturned

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 3/24/04 | Susan Jones

[kattracks]

(CNSNews.com) - While Democrat John Kerry is on vacation, his staff appears to be in full damage control mode -- blasting a comment made by George W. Bush's campaign spokesman, Terry Holt.

In a recent Washington Post article, Holt commented, "John Kerry's campaign seems to be summed up this way: I went to Vietnam, yadda, yadda yadda, I want to be president."

The Kerry campaign said Holt's comment was an attack on all Vietnam Veterans -- something it was not intended to be.

The Kerry campaign said that Holt -- as George W. Bush's campaign spokesman -- "put his tongue in his cheek and thumbed his nose at the 2.6 million American soldiers who served honorably in Vietnam."

Kerry spokesperson Stephanie Cutter issued a statement accusing the Bush campaign of "laughing off John Kerry's Vietnam service and disrespecting the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of American Veterans and their families."

According to the Kerry campaign, "President Bush should apologize to America's Veterans for the disrespect his spokesman showed to those who wore the uniform of the United States and served their country in war."

Tender topic

As the Kerry campaign's heated statement suggests, Vietnam remains a tender topic for Kerry, who served in the war, then came home and protested it. As CNSNews.com has reported, questions linger about Kerry's association with a group called Vietnam Veterans Against the War - and his documented presence at a November 1971 meeting of that group, at which some members discussed the possibility of assassinating U.S. senators.

Kerry, as a national spokesman for VVAW in 1971, was under constant surveillance by the FBI, press reports said. The Nixon administration reportedly considered VVAW a major threat.

In a statement released Tuesday, Kerry spokesperson Stephanie Cutter said, "John Kerry has fought for his country for thirty-five years. He was decorated for his service in Vietnam, and then he came home and kept fighting to change America for the better."

She suggested that George W. Bush's campaign could be summed up this way: "I lost three million jobs, turned record surpluses into record deficits, denied affordable health care and prescription drug coverage to most Americans, yadda, yadda, yadda, four more years."

[kattracks]

The Kerry campaign said Holt's comment was an attack on all Vietnam Veterans ...

No, he mentioned Kerry by name.

Kerry on the other hand branded thousands os troops who fought in Vietnam as war criminals.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

"John Kerry has fought for his country for thirty-five years."

Doubtless. Said "country," however, wasn't the United States. :)

[R. Scott]

The Kerry campaign said that Holt -- as George W. Bush's campaign spokesman -- "put his tongue in his cheek and thumbed his nose at the 2.6 million American soldiers who served honorably in Vietnam."

No, as a Viet Nam vet (1966-1968) I do not consider Mr. Bush to have “thumbed his nose” at us. I also consider Hanoi John’s service in Viet Nam as far less than “honorable”. His service to “his” country (which ever one it is) very much less than “honorable” - unless “his” country has a predominately red colored flag.

[DCPatriot]

Kerry spokesperson Stephanie Cutter issued a statement accusing the Bush campaign of "laughing off John Kerry's Vietnam service and disrespecting the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of American Veterans and their families."

NO!!

It's just that this goober LOST ZERO days of service due to injuries but applied for and received THREE (3) Purple Hearts AND a Silver Star in FOUR (4) MONTHS...all the while REFUSING to provide us his military records.

I smell a landslide victory for President Bush if they can keep Hillary Clinton off the ticket.

[swilhelm73]

I have the sinking suspicion that such is exactly the reason for Bush's people to make that comment.

The press has been entirely uninterested in Kerry's extremist, borderline treasonous, activities after getting back from Vietnam, even though Kerry has been incessant in labeling his service as a reason he should be voted for.

I would expect that the Bush team's next response will be to quote Kerry's horrible accusations about Vietnam Vets being war criminals.

[WideGlide]

The campaign is finally getting interesting. And didn't we hear Herr Rodham utter the same yaddas a few years ago?

[DCPatriot]

"John Kerry has fought for his country for thirty-five years."

I didn't know that Kerry was in the French Foreign Legion!!

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

I didn't know that Kerry was in the French Foreign Legion!!

Kerry served a vital function in the French Army.

By a massive stroke of blind luck: his dissipated, prune-like puss is an almost perfect replica, in miniature, of the bottom of the Seine. :)

[bondjamesbond]

In a statement released Tuesday, Kerry spokesperson Stephanie Cutter said, "John Kerry has fought for his country for thirty-five years. He was decorated for his service in Vietnam, and then he came home and kept fighting to change America for the better."

By fragging Senators? Is that how he kept fighting to change America for the better?

[Bigg Red]

Thank you for your service to our country.

[meenie]

I make a firm prediction, our country is in serious trouble no matter which is elected. The handlers keep trying to fill an empty suit. They are the ones that the public should be scrutinizing.

[GraceCoolidge]

Kerry on the other hand branded thousands of troops who fought in Vietnam as war criminals.

And this complaint by the Kerry campaign is the perfect opportunity to bring this up.

[samtheman]

Kerry wants to talk about Vietnam. Let's talk about Vietnam. Let's look at his military record. Let's look at what he did when he returned home. Let's talk about Vietnam. Bring it on.

[MEG33]

I don't believe for a minute that George Bush is an empty suit.

[Coop]

[engrpat]

"John Kerry has fought for his country for thirty-five years."

Shouldn't that read: "...fought his country..."

[reformedliberal]

Just so Meg isn't perceived as the only one, I do not for a second consider GWB an empty suit and from everything I have seen, heard and read, including personal anecdotes of citizens who have met face-to-face w/the POTUS, GWB is not *handled*.

Both are reasons why I will vote for him and have been doing all I can to successfully convince others to do the same.

Kerry, OTOH, IS a construct of the Left.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Just so Meg isn't perceived as the only one

She absolutely, positively is NOT the only one, by any means... and: I'll proudly stand up alongside her on this one, as well! FOUR MORE YEARS! :)

[johnb838]

Count me in on this too. Dubya has done some things I've completely disagreed with, but more than any other president in my lifetime he has said what he was going to do and done what he said he was going to do. The charges about the deficit and nation building are red herrings. Those things were forced on him.

[MEG33]

Thank you .....Four More Years!