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Tainted media [Kerry's 'honorable' discharge?]
TownHall.com ^ | February 18, 2005 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 02/18/2005 3:32:05 AM PST by johnny7

The recent resignation of CNN's news director, Eason Jordan, after his outrageous remarks about our military at an international forum were reported on the Internet, is only the latest in a series of media scandals, of which Dan Rather's forged documents were just one. Media bias does not consist in having liberal or conservative opinions but in how you do your job -- or don't do it.

One document whose authenticity is not likely to be questioned by the mainstream media is the honorable discharge on Senator John Kerry's web site. Yet who in the major media has investigated why that honorable discharge is dated during the Carter administration, when Kerry's military service ended years earlier? This is the same media that spent months investigating George W. Bush's military record and, even after key allegations were revealed to be based on forgeries, continued publicizing rumors and innuendoes. They didn't stop even after the President signed Form 180, opening all his military records to the public. But who in the major media has asked why John Kerry would need to be issued an honorable discharge during the Carter administration, years after leaving the navy, unless his original discharge was less than honorable?

One of Jimmy Carter's first acts as President was to issue an order granting amnesties to draft dodgers who had fled the country during the Vietnam war and also allowing an upgrading of military discharges that had been less than honorable. There is more to this than simply a strange date on an honorable discharge. The covering memo refers to U.S. Code Title 10, sections 1162 and 1163. Anyone who bothers to read those sections will discover that they are about unusual circumstances for issuing discharges from the military services. Senator Kerry never signed Form 180 to make all his military records public, as President Bush had done -- and the media didn't press him to do so. Even after Kerry's widely publicized role as a war hero was challenged by numerous men who had served with him in Vietnam, the media remained totally uninterested in checking out his record.

This gross double standard is the real media scandal, even more than the forged documents, which were after all the responsibility of just one network and one program. Maybe there is a perfectly innocent explanation for Senator Kerry's late-dated honorable discharge during the Carter administration. But no explanation has been asked or given, even though there may also be a not so innocent explanation.

What is well known is that, during the Vietnam war, John Kerry went to Paris on his own and engaged in discussions or negotiations with representatives of the country with whom we were at war, even though he was still an officer in the naval reserve. That raises legal questions about unauthorized personal diplomacy which naval authorities may not have overlooked as generously as the media did, and which could have affected the kind of discharge that Kerry received. One of the few people in the media who has shown any interest at all in Kerry's military records has been Tim Russert of "Meet the Press." He asked Senator Kerry on April 18, 2004 if he would "make all your records public." Kerry indicated that his records were already public, that people "can come and see them" at his headquarters.

But recently, on January 30, 2005, when Tim Russert again raised that question and asked "Would you sign Form 180?" -- the form that Bush had signed to open all his military records -- Kerry started off on a tangent before Russert interrupted him to repeat that same question. This time Kerry said, "Yes, I will." He will? He had already done so last year, if you believe what he said then. But will the media call him on it if he doesn't follow through now? Don't bet on it. This is not about the past or ultimately even about Kerry or Bush. It is about the future of this country. A gullible public learning only what is filtered to them by a biased media is not a hopeful sign for the future of a democracy.

Some of the public have begun to wake up but more need to do so. Many in the media also need to wake up to what they are doing, or failing to do, when their politics taints their work.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: discharge; gagamaggot; kerrydischarge; kerryisaschmuck; kerryrecord; lyingtraitor; medialies; militaryrecord; thomassowell
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It's been my belief all along that J. F'n. K. got Carter to 'doctor-the-books'. Given Carter's pacifist tendencies, doing this would fit his character... and he HAD the power to do so.

However, knowing how the military tends to keep triplicates of anything, this 'white-wash' might just be waiting to be revealed.

1 posted on 02/18/2005 3:32:06 AM PST by johnny7
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: johnny7; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub

Was this ever discussed in the MSM?..I know this isn't exactly MSM but it not a blog either..

A keeper..!
snip
"One of Jimmy Carter's first acts as President was to issue an order granting amnesties to draft dodgers who had fled the country during the Vietnam war and also allowing an upgrading of military discharges that had been less than honorable. There is more to this than simply a strange date on an honorable discharge. The covering memo refers to U.S. Code Title 10, sections 1162 and 1163. Anyone who bothers to read those sections will discover that they are about unusual circumstances for issuing discharges from the military services. Senator Kerry never signed Form 180 to make all his military records public, as President Bush had done -- and the media didn't press him to do so. Even after Kerry's widely publicized role as a war hero was challenged by numerous men who had served with him in Vietnam, the media remained totally uninterested in checking out his record."

Heat!!


3 posted on 02/18/2005 3:39:28 AM PST by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)
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To: LightCrusader

There is no statute of limitations for treason or sedition under the UCMJ.


4 posted on 02/18/2005 3:41:14 AM PST by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
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To: johnny7
Here is the thing that blows my mind...Kerry testified before a Senate committee that he witnessed war atrocities committed by US troops. Since he was an officer and did not document and report these activities, then he was in violation of the UMCJ and should have been charged with dereliction of duty at the least. From what I gathered, the Senators thanked him for his testimony. They did not ask him for names, dates, or anything as far as I know. Maybe someone can enlighten me on this, but Kerry should have received a Dishonorable Discharge. That would preclude him from being a Senator. Maybe, in a legal sense Kerry should never been a Senator as he disqualified himself by virtue of his own words.
5 posted on 02/18/2005 3:42:40 AM PST by gr8eman (I think...therefore I am...a capitalist!)
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To: johnny7

They might (but won't) also ask why Kerry's Silver Star citation was signed by John Lehmen, who wasn't Secretary of the Navy until 8 years later, rather than John Chafee.


6 posted on 02/18/2005 3:44:04 AM PST by Jaxter ("Vivit Post Funera Virtus")
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To: johnny7
this 'white-wash' might just be waiting to be revealed

I won't hold my breath waiting for it.

7 posted on 02/18/2005 3:45:14 AM PST by Robert DeLong
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To: johnny7

http://www.capmag.com/author.asp?name=3
About Thomas Sowell

Some of his articles and a short biography..


8 posted on 02/18/2005 3:45:29 AM PST by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)
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To: johnny7

Problem Discharge? Solution=Penicillin.


9 posted on 02/18/2005 3:45:51 AM PST by 230FMJ (...from my cold, dead, fingers.)
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To: johnny7
Anything Jimmah did during his pathetic four years is certainly suspect.

btw do you think the Navy would like my suggestion that the new sub "Jimmy Carter" should have a yellow stripe on its back? :-)
10 posted on 02/18/2005 3:48:01 AM PST by cgbg (How evil is Hillary? Let me count the ways...)
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To: johnny7

I have written to my Senator about this. I received a reply that "Senator Kerry's Service was Honorable". The same carefully canned response that Bush put out during the campaign.

The problem is, Kerry's service was NOT honorable and was covered up by the Politico's were being played for the fool!!! They are covering each other's asses!


11 posted on 02/18/2005 3:48:29 AM PST by 26lemoncharlie (Sit nomen Dómini benedíctum,Ex hoc nunc, et usque in sæculum! per ómnia saecula saeculórum)
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To: johnny7
Well well well. Kerry, the gift that keeps on giving.

I suppose better late than never, but I hold no real hope that the media can be reformed.

12 posted on 02/18/2005 3:59:04 AM PST by Cboldt
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To: LightCrusader

"Is it too late to charge Kerry with war crimes or has the statute of limitations already expired?"

Yes, but it's not too late to get the truth out and disqualify Kerry from holding public office as a senator.


13 posted on 02/18/2005 4:03:53 AM PST by chainsaw (Hillary Clinton-June 2004 - "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.")
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To: johnny7
Tomas Sowell has written an excellent article here.

"One of the few people in the media who has shown any interest at all in Kerry's military records has been Tim Russert of "Meet the Press." He asked Senator Kerry on April 18, 2004 if he would "make all your records public." Kerry indicated that his records were already public, that people "can come and see them" at his headquarters."

The painting of Russert as some kind of genuine invesigative media bulldog, however, is done here without conscience.

Russert is a leftist, who like Senator Lieberman, has now become thought of as some kind of moderate and will soon, no doubt, be labled a right winger.

Russert, in April of 2004, asked but never pressed thereafter, for ALL Kerry's records. Then AFTER the election, in a "great show of courage", asked Kerry if he would sign the 180 form.

It was strictly for show.

Yeah Russert ... you're my hero.

14 posted on 02/18/2005 4:09:08 AM PST by G.Mason (The replies by this poster are meant for self-amusement only. Read at your own discretion.)
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Comment #15 Removed by Moderator

To: MEG33
The MSM is nothing more than a facade for DNC talking points. They work hand-in-hand to create the information 'Matrix' that the majority of voters watch every evening.

Kerry is 'off-limits'... he's a 'good-guy'. Better to focus on scuttling Social Security Reform and bitching that James Guckert(aka Jeff Gannon) was a Bush operative in the DC press corps.

16 posted on 02/18/2005 4:10:23 AM PST by johnny7
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To: johnny7

The puppet masters putting this idiot up have had plenty of time to doctor the books.

Still, it's long overdue for all the documents to be published.

Idiot treasonous press.


17 posted on 02/18/2005 4:11:56 AM PST by Quix (HAVING A FORM of GODLINESS but DENYING IT'S POWER. 2 TIM 3:5)
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To: cgbg

It's a fine piece of hardware with some great dedicated submariners on-board. Please do not suggest such a thing.


18 posted on 02/18/2005 4:22:32 AM PST by FreedomPoster (This space intentionally blank)
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To: G.Mason

While I generally agree, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. If we were to finally get the truth out on this, with Russert's help, it would really nail the MSM's credibility and prove to any sentient being their bias.


19 posted on 02/18/2005 4:24:52 AM PST by FreedomPoster (This space intentionally blank)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub

traitor ping


20 posted on 02/18/2005 4:27:53 AM PST by boxerblues
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