Posted on 09/05/2004 8:31:11 PM PDT by pjsbro
John Kerry's biographer today called on the presidential candidate to release his military records and warned a Navy investigation into his medals could prove to be the "death knell" of his campaign.
In the past, Kerry has said he could not release some documents because of contractual obligations to Douglas Brinkley, author of "Tour of Duty." Brinkley said he has no contractual claims to any of the papers.
"Clearly some of these military records should be made available to the press," he said on Steve Malzberg's WABC New York radio show today.
Brinkley also said that if the Navy investigation reveals deception in connection with Kerry's medals, it could be the "death knell" for Kerry's campaign. Professing uncertainty about what to make about the Swift Boat Vets' claims, Brinkley said: "Right now it's unclear. So we have to just wait to see what all this adds up to."
"Is it sloppiness, is it purposeful intent, is there an easy explanation for it?" Brinkley wondered.
The Pentagon ordered an official investigation into the awarding of five Vietnam War decorations to the Massachusetts senator.
The London Telegraph says the inquiry is being carried out by the inspector general's office of the U.S. Navy.
"It is the responsibility of all personnel to correct errors in official records," a Navy spokesman told the paper. Another official said privately: "There's a feeling that it's time to deal with this thoroughly, once and for all."
As WorldNetDaily reported last week, the Department of Defense informed Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England of a formal request to investigate alleged military code violations in Sen. John Kerry's Silver Star award.
The request was made by the public-interest group Judicial Watch after news reports revealed Kerry's campaign website displays a document listing a "Silver Star with combat 'V'" even though the combat "V" device is never given with the nation's third highest award for heroism.
Also, there are three citations for the award, with the third, issued more than a decade after the event, bearing the signature of former Navy Secretary John Lehman.
Lehman, however, says he had nothing to do with the citation.
"It is a total mystery to me," he told the Chicago Sun-Times. "I never saw it. I never signed it. I never approved it. And the additional language it contains was not written by me."
The Telegraph says Lehman endorses the investigation of Kerry's awards, stating the relevant records need to be "thoroughly researched and the facts established."
Kerry's campaign is firing back, calling the Navy probe an expensive waste.
"The facts are clear," Kerry adviser Michael Meehan told the Telegraph. "The Navy awarded John Kerry the Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Combat V and three Purple Hearts. This is a waste of taxpayers' dollars and the Pentagon's time, especially during wartime."
Though Judicial Watch is hoping for a report before the Nov. 2 presidential election, the Navy thus far is remaining silent on any timetable.
Jerome Corsi, author of "Unfit for Command," the New York Times No. 1 best-seller by Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, told WorldNetDaily he considers the Judicial Watch complaint "an important and serious investigation."
"We believe the secretary of the Navy will validate the charges we've made in 'Unfit for Command,'" he said.
In a letter responding to Judicial Watch's complaint, the inspector general of the Defense Department, John R. Crane, cited Section 8(d) of the Inspector General Act of 1978, which states "the IG of the Department of Defense shall expeditiously report suspected or alleged violations of chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (Uniform Code of Military Justice), to the Secretary of the military department concerned or the Secretary of Defense."
INTREP
My bet is that the record will show everything Kerry wanted it to show--in 1969. IOW, we'll find out that 99.9% of John Kerry's wartime record was written by John Kerry.
MJY,
You are SO right.
For someone who claims he learned enough in 4 months in Vietnam to qualify to be president, Kerry doesn't seem to have learned that he can't shape the battlefield on which he is fighting and losing. He keeps proving over and over again how truly unfit for command he is.
He talks the talk about not ALLOWING his service or his fitness be questioned, but he can't walk the walk.
WE need to keep questioning, demanding answers, insisting that Kerry account for himself.
Did Kerry go to Cambodia? Were there CIA agents? Why is there no after-action report for his first purple heart? Did he attend a meeting where the murder of senators was considered? Did Kerry negotiate with the Vietnamese in Paris? Did Kerry violate the UCMJ? Did Kerry lie about a woman in NH continuing to work while sick with cancer because she would lose her health coverage otherwise?
There is no moving on from this. This is where we make Kerry make his stand. This is where we rout him. -OhMike
I'll wait until I read corroboration on a site OTHER than WorldNet Daily. Their accuracy often leaves a great deal to be desired.
John Kerry has a big problem!
Diagnostic criteria for 301.81 Narcissistic Personality Disorder (cautionary statement) A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
(1) has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
(2) is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
(3) believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
(4) requires excessive admiration
(5) has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
(6) is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
(7) lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
(8) is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
(9) shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
HOW MANY OF THESE TRAITS TO YOU SEE IN JOHN KERRY? I SEE ALL OF THEM. KERRY IS SICK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND WE CAN NOT ALLOW THIS NUT CASE TO GET ELECTED.
There you have it. Kerry's campaign's admission that he lied. Nothing in this quote about a Silver Star with Combat V, as claimed in the autobiographical information on his website.
I think right now he's attempting damage control on his professional integrity. Taking John Kerry's word on everything and not verifying anything is extremely sloppy work, especially for a historian. This whole thing about the "combat V" that doesn't even exist has got to be killing Brinkley. He's got to stop the bleeding and the only way is to stand back and point at Kerry as the offending party....which is prefectly fine with us.
"No., let the Navy do it's job. Hold your emails. Keep your phosphorus dry."
EXACTLY ! We want Kerry to lose the election, not be replaced by someone we don't have time to defeat...
In any event, something is going down.
>What's in there that's so damaging?<
My suspicion is --> Kerry was tipped off that
his 'final' discharge would be less than honorable.
So he held on to his commission, even after ALL his
obligations to the Navy had elapsed. Then, during
the Carter presidency, his discharged was upgraded.
Note, discharges are upgraded all the time, so that
in itself is not necessarily wrong. But, Kerry holding
onto his commission till 1978, is suspicious.
END, speculation.
.
Keep in mind that Kerry also had a 'discharge' from
active duty, dated 1970, I think.
I'm not so sure about that. Others who've falsified metals are behind bars right now. The military doesn't take kindly to that, because it makes all other metals truly earned worthless. Metals hold a lot of respect in the military.
George W. Bush has had his 5 1/2 years of Air National Guard service questioned many times, and there isn't 250 of his fellow Guardsman claiming he is "Unfit for Command".
John Kerry has his service questioned by 250 of his fellow Swift Boat Vets, including all of his Commanders, and he cries foul..... What happened to "BRING IT ON!"?????
John Kerry needs to understand that just because he is a member of the Liberal Elite, that doesn't immune his career as a Veteran or a Senator from scrutiny
I was also somewhat suspicious of this source...but I listen to Malzberg (WABC radio in NYC) occasionally and most of what he says is spot on. I don't think WorldNet would (intentionally) screw up Malzberg's interview.
My bet? At the time of his transfer to a desk job back in the states, a comment in his file from a superior stating that given his increasingly anti-war attitude (or whatever else), Lt. Kerry should be considered "unfit for command". The title of the Swiftees' book... Just guessing with the rest of you, but it would make sense of a number of things, wouldn't it?
But that doesn't fly in the face of the phony "combat V" claim. Brinkley could easily have checked to see if that accolade even existed regardless of whether Kerry won it or not. It smacks of shoddy work and Brinkley is trying to cauterize that wound.
I thought it was a Silver Star with a Combat "V", not the Bronze Star.
And how come it's now convenient to claim "especially during wartime" when he's been against the war on terror since, oh what? January?
Are you thinking "Torricelli?"
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