I have a good friend who's a Vietnam vet who was spit on when he came home from there. He's a diehard Republican. But in discussions with him about the rumors about Kerry's war record (that have been circulating for a long time) -- that I wanted to shouted from the rooftops long before this -- my friend would say: "Kerry served his country and he cannot be faulted for that." So I think there is a code of honor among many vets not to bad mouth fellow vets no matter what.

However...on the topic of the treachery Kerry committed after the war, my friend is as vocal as anything. That is why I wish that aspect of Kerry was being attacked instead of his war record. His after war antics were highly treacherous and totally belie his credibility as a "hero". How can he be running as a war hero in a war he thought was criminal? His after war activities self-indict him as a "war criminal" not as a hero.

Anyone know if 60 Minutes is going to run a lead story on this?

My basic reaction after reading that story:

God damn McCain to hell.

I know he doesn't like Bush, and can't forgive the actions of Bush's supporters in South Carolina. I don't even blame him, that whispering campaign/push poll was vile. But he is wrong this time.

As for the writer, well, it's the bloody Chronicle, which I can't read without risking cardiac arrest or a stroke. But it's a minority of Kerry's crewmates who support him.

God, I hate the Chronicle.

"...the favored liberal counterattack consists of branding this ad illegitimate because it's being funded by an anti-Kerry 527 group."

That's the angle being pimped over at salon.com. You can read the article, or you can read my fisking of it at www.sobekpundit.blogspot.com (or both, but why give salon the traffic?).

As a centrist liberal, I think the BS about condemning someone else for THEIR speech is ludicrous. I dont am not a Kerry fan, but I believe he represents my values and ideas better than Bush does. I believe McCain represents them better than both candidates, but then he isnt running. As for the Swift Boat Vets, I believe they are entitled to their opinion, just as the sailors who served DIRECTLY with Kerry do. Let the forum of public opinion make the decision as to who's story is accurate. I wasnt there, niether were any of the conservatives who are hyping the story or the liberals who are defending Kerry. Just as I didnt see Bush snorting Cocaine and chatting up the Southern Ladies during the time many of our young men were dying in Vietnam.
In the end, Kerry kind of bought this on himself by overplaying the hero card, but at the same time I have the sneaking suspicion that the HUGE revulsion that most conservatives have over the story is simply a response to the fact that their boy may have served but in vastly unequal proportions.

All right, an Ace link! This is huge. Now if only I knew how to get a counter, so I could see whether anyone clicks the link. I admit it; I suck as a blogger.

Well, DA, on that last point, speaking as a VRWCer, I'd say you're wrong. My "HUGE revulsion" to Kerry stems from the fact that he is a calculating, arrogant, opportunistic, self-regarding, pretentious, phony who planned his exit from 'Nam from the beginning, and coupled a lucky break or two, used superficial "wounds" to get his ass out of country as fast as he could.

All the guys I know that spent time in ANY war zone are extremely reticent about it, NEVER refer to themselves as "heroic" (or let others imply it), and damn sure didn't FILM their "heroic" exploits. And NONE of them slandered their "band of brothers" upon returning stateside.

Kerry is the biggest prick on the earth.

Kerry represents your values?? What, daresay, could those be? The only "values" Kerry possesses are his limitless self-reference and preening narcissism. Good for you.

aaron,

happy to help. I'll add your blog to my roll this weekend or so, when I add a bunch of people.

Let us not forget that Kerry gave the same "they don't represent me but they should be allow to speak" argument over the anti-Bush NY show that led to Whoopi Goldberg losing her diet endorsement contract.

As long as I'm shamelessly asking for blog hits, I should mention that I just did a round-up of liberal blogger reactions to the Kerry video story. Fiskings all around.

I'm interested in seeing how you all will spin this: Veteran retracts criticism of Kerry

Have at it! :-)

oops. here's the link: Veteran retracts criticism of Kerry

Mr. Anonymous, I don't think any spinning needs to be done. If you actually read the article, you will see Elliot saying:

"So, on the basis of all of the information that has come out, I have chosen to believe the other men. I absolutely do not know first hand."

Considering that he signed the affidavit (later repudiated) on the basis of what other people told him, and that the only thing he retracted the suggestion that he had personal knowledge of the incident, I say good for him, but it doesn't affect the testimony of those he was parroting.

Anonymous:

I'm interested in seeing how you will spin this: ANTI-KERRY VETS HANG TOUGH

Have at it! :-)

Have you noticed how the news media is handling this story.
Remember when Carter was Pres., he was the smartest man in the world. Remember when the Clintons were in office,they were the smartest people in the world. Remember Reagan, he was so dumb that they had to tell him what to say. Bush 41 was saved from this b.s. because Quayle got in the way with potatoE. Now we have Bush 43 and yup, you guessed it, dumb as a pile of rocks.
Bush's national guard service has been attacked non-stop. Now Kerry's war record is being questioned. Do you think that the media is interested in getting at the truth? They will try to sweep this under the rug, true or not, just like B.Clinton, this is their guy.

You have to give it to Kerry. He joined the Swift boats because death rate was lower than the Army or the Marines plus the Navy was hungry for warriors with decorations and Kerry was a fine writer of tales. Now that we know he was "no hero" we see through his posturing. Regrettably the Navy accepted "tales" because they assumed he was "an officer and gentlemen". Now we have official records with the "tales" stamped "official". Hopefully, the "facts" are stubborn enough to bring this pretender down.

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