Records Contradict Kerry Critic's Charges

[monsoon]

[cityboi]

I really do think the Bush Administration is indirectly behind this to discredit Kerry's war credentials to send a message that he cant be a trust worthy leader in the war on terrorism. This really has become a nasty election year. I believe the war on terrorism is more of a political war than an actual war with terrorist.

"We are on the verge of a global transformation. All we need is the right major crisis and the nations will accept the New World Order."

-- David Rockefeller

"In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be guarded by a bodyguard of lies."

-- Winston Churchill

"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."

-- James Madison

while a United States Congressman

[cityboi]

Kerry: Bush Having Front Groups Do His Dirty Work

POSTED: 10:22 am EDT August 19, 2004

BOSTON -- John Kerry is accusing President George W. Bush of letting others "do his dirty work."

In an address to international firefighters in Boston, Kerry said Bush is relying on front-groups to challenge Kerry on his war record.

The Bush campaign won't condemn the attack commercials -- but it does condemn Kerry's charge as "absolutely and completely false." A spokesman said the Bush campaign hasn't and won't challenge Kerry's war record.

Kerry said he still carries the shrapnel of the Vietnam war with him -- 30 years after he earned five medals in Southeast Asia.

He's responding to ads from a group calling itself "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." It's backed by a Bush supporter.

The ads accuse Kerry of fabricating his war record.

Democrats, and Republican Sen. John McCain. are calling for the White House to condemn the ads.

[Cotuit]

I really do think the Bush Administration is indirectly behind this to discredit Kerry's war credentials to send a message that he cant be a trust worthy leader in the war on terrorism.

Yup.

Kerry fights back on Vietnam, accuses Bush of relying on front groups to ''do his dirty work'' in criticism

By Ron Fournier, Associated Press, 8/19/2004 10:33

BOSTON (AP) Sen. John Kerry accused President Bush on Thursday of relying on front groups to challenge his record of valor in Vietnam, asserting, ''He wants them to do his dirty work.''

Fighting back, Kerry said if Bush wants to ''have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: 'Bring it on.''' Bush served stateside in the Texas Air National Guard during the war.

''Thirty years ago, official Navy reports documented my service in Vietnam and awarded me the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts,'' Kerry said in remarks to a firefighters convention.

''Thirty years ago, this was the plain truth. It still is. And I still carry the shrapnel in my leg from a wound in Vietnam.''

Kerry received five medals for his service in Vietnam a generation ago, but his record has come under campaign challenge in television commercials aired by ''Swift Boat Veterans for Truth,'' funded by supporters of the president.

Bush and the White House have refused to condemn the ads, despite calls to do so from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a former Vietnam prisoner of war, as well as from Democrats.

Senior Democrats, including some inside the presidential campaign, have urged Kerry to respond forcefully to the criticism, fearing that if left unanswered, it could undermine his claim as a war-tested veteran ready to assume command in an era of terrorism.

In a rapid response to the Democrat's speech, Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said the charge ''leveled by Senator Kerry is absolutely and completely false.''

''The Bush campaign has never and will never question John Kerry's service in Vietnam. The president has referred to John Kerry's service as noble service,'' the Bush spokesman said.

At the same time, neither the president nor any of his spokesmen has condemned the ad.

In addition to Kerry's speech before an audience of firefighters, his campaign released a new 30-second campaign commercial that features a former Green Beret saying the then-young Navy lieutenant saved his life under fire.

Recalling when his boat came under attack more than 30 years ago, Jim Rassmann says, ''It blew me off the boat. All those Viet Cong were shooting at me. I expected I'd be shot. When he pulled me out of the river, he risked his life to save mine.''

Aides said the commercial would air in Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin, three battleground states where the original anti-Kerry ad ran. The decision to advertise even in a limited fashion marked a change in course for the campaign, which had hoped to remain off the air for August to conserve cash for the fall campaign.

Kerry's remarks came as The Washington Post reported that records concerning a Vietnam veteran who claims in the anti-Kerry ad that the Massachusetts senator lied about being under fire was under constant attack himself during the same skirmish.

The newly obtained records of Larry Thurlow's medal citation show that he, like Kerry, won a Bronze Star in the engagement and that Thurlow's citation says he also was under attack, the Post reported.

In his speech, Kerry employed a wartime metaphor.

''More than 30 years ago I learned an important lesson. When you're under attack the best thing to do is turn your boat into the attack. That's what I intend to do today.''

Speaking of the organization airing the ads that challenge his war record, Kerry said, ''Of course, this group isn't interested in the truth and they're not telling the truth. ...

''But here's what you really need to know about them. They're funded by hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Republican contributor out of Texas. They're a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the President won't denounce what they're up to tells you everything you need to know. He wants them to do his dirty work.''

Kerry said, ''Of course, the president keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that.''

Kerry's comments drew boisterous cheers from members of the union that had endorsed him last year at a time his candidacy was struggling.

Rassmann, too, played a pivotal role in Kerry's campaign turnaround last winter. With the kickoff Iowa caucuses days away, the former Green Beret contacted the Massachusetts senator's aides and volunteered to appear with him to talk about Vietnam.

Rassmann has since become the best known member of a group of veterans that Kerry calls his ''band of brothers'' a stress on military service designed to erode the traditional Republican campaign advantage on national security issues.

Thurlow, also like Kerry, commanded a Navy swift boat during Vietnam. He swore in an affidavit last month that Kerry was ''not under fire'' when he rescued Rassmann from the Bay Hap River.

Thurlow's records, obtained by the Post under the Freedom of Information Act, include references to ''enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire'' directed at all five boats in the flotilla that day. In his Bronze Star citation, Thurlow is praised for helping a damaged swift boat ''despite enemy bullets flying about him.''

Thurlow, a registered Republican, said he was angry with Kerry for anti-war activities after his return to the United States, especially his claim that U.S. troops committed war crimes with the knowledge of their officers up the chain of command.

Thurlow told the Post that he got the award for helping to rescue a boat that was mined. He said he believed his own award would be fraudulent if it was based on coming under enemy fire.

He speculated that Kerry could have been the source of at least some of the language used in the citation.

Members of Kerry's crew have said Kerry is telling the truth. Rassmann said he has vivid memories of enemies firing at him from both banks.

From Boston.com

[wolfdawg54]

That is a side to politics that makes me upset. I hate when they attack each other because I feel it actually belittles their own character, not the other.

[Brickell]

Keep in mind, it's Bush doing most of the attacking this year.

[monsoon]

[josita]

This war was never a real war -- it was created by this Administration to get their hands on assets in Iraq under the guise of "democracy" and spreading "freedom".

According to Bush, he hasn't even *seen* the ads. Does this man live in reality?

Why would you not even see an ad that is promoting you for reelection? Is he too busy golfing and taking vacations to really run this country? Oh - i forgot, he actually lets his ads and ve-pe run it for him.

[wolfdawg54]

I have seen attacking ads on both sides, not just Bush. I am a democrat but I am not pleased with Kerry right now and Bush has not impressed me, but I feel that as time draws near something will jump out at me that will allow me to base my decision on.

[monsoon]

[BrandonTO416]

These are Republican operatives plain and simple. I think John Kerry goes overboard using his military record - but in essence he has to do it in order to get the message across that he is serious about national security. Too bad the Republicans are attacking so low.

[cityboi]

monsoon is right. Everything is about distraction and deception. I think anyone who is 18 to 26 should be worried if Bush is re-elected because hes already planning for potential conflict in Iran. apparently, Bush wants to fight wars all over the middle east. If we go to war with Iran, the draft will be re-instated and thats a fact. secondly, of the billions that was spent in Iraq, those figures will be more than doubled if we enter a conflict with Iran. Now thats a scary thought considering that we have already reached record levels of spending. It would take decades to get out of debt. Personally, I think the so called war on terrorism is used as a front for the Bush administration to secure the oil in the region. Bush needed 911 to happen in order to do this. Young men are dying for oil and thats what it amounts to. If we continue these wars throughout the middle east, it will lead to world war 3 and thats no joke. I dont want to see our nation instigate a conflict that could lead to a nuclear holocaust in Isreal or anywhere else. Unlike past wars where we only attack nations that attack us, we are going around instigating attacks using political fronts. Thats a dangerous road to take and I hope people take this election serious enough to see that. The Bush doctrine is definatly leading us to a "New World Order"

[josita]

Bush and his cronies are the REAL threat to our national security. Prior to his election, we did not have the crisis we now face.

I agree with cityboi completely in that the policies initiated by this administration will forever impact what the next generation will need to fix. Unfortunately for us, Bush has made the world 'worse-off' than the previous generation. Usually, we try to make the world a better place for our children -- not a worse and an unstable one.

[Spartan]

I for one am sick of hearing about Vietnam. This is one of those issues that needs to go away. Neither side has made any progress towards resolving the issue, and both sides are builty of regurgitating the same information over and over again, and I can't stand it. For once I would like to watch the news and not hear about how Kerry has 3 purple hearts, and how Bush didn't serve. WHO CARES!

The reason that this issue won't go away is that neither candidate is that great and neither has any record to brag about.

[josita]

right on... i totally agree.

I saw this on bushmerch.com

John Kerry, The Lesser Evil.

"We'll Go Backwards Less Fast!"

That really sums it up for me.

[accatt2204]

Bush reminds me of a twelve year old trying to handle the economy. While Im not for taxing, in a time of a severe government deficit its not the time to give out tax breaks that benefit the rich and in the future are going to force taxes to be raised and hurt our childrens economy.

And I agree I want to hear more about the issues than Draft dodging, and record destroying.