SwiftVets.com

[McCloud]

FROM THE NEW HAMPSHIRE UNION LEADER

Editorials - August 10, 2004

The Mary Ann myth:
Kerry falsifies NH woman’s story




NEXT TIME John Kerry accuses President Bush of misleading the American people, remember Mary Ann Knowles.

Knowles is the Hudson woman whose battle with breast cancer Kerry has turned into a campaign anecdote. Here is what Kerry said about Knowles during his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention on July 29:

“What does it mean when Mary Ann Knowles, a woman with breast cancer I met in New Hampshire, had to keep working day after day right through her chemotherapy, no matter how sick she felt, because she was terrified of losing her family’s health insurance? America can do better. And help is on the way.”

What it means is that John Kerry is fibbing. As Union Leader correspondent Scott Brooks reported on Sunday, Mary Ann Knowles did not have to work through her chemotherapy for fear of losing her health insurance. Employed by Elderhostel, the Boston-based non-profit travel organization for people 55 and older, Mary Ann had 26 weeks of paid disability at her disposal. More was available for a long-term illness. She did not have to work through her chemotherapy. She chose to.

Knowles would have lost some income had she taken the disability leave, said her husband, who is unemployed. But she would not have lost her health insurance, as Kerry has repeatedly misstated.

Asked if the Kerry campaign bothered to get the details of Knowles’ personal story, spokeswoman Judy Reardon said Kerry’s use of the words “every day” in describing Knowles story was “a colloquialism.” She went on: “When a woman has a mastectomy and goes through therapy, I don’t need to double-check on her.”

In other words, Kerry knowingly used the words “every day” when he did not mean “every day,” and he used the phrase: “she still has to go to work every day — just to hang on to their health insurance” when she did not have to work every day and was in no danger of losing her health insurance.

In short, he lied. Repeatedly.

With all that has come to light about Kerry’s voting record and his Vietnam service, his misrepresentation of Marry Ann Knowles’ story should surprise few. Kerry cannot even get his own personal history straight, so how can we expect him to correctly relay someone else’s?

Related headlines:
Aug 8 - Kerry’s NH story lacks key details
Aug 10 - Kerry: Plight story valid




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[JMF]

Is telling the story someone told you a lie?

http://www.politicsus.com/012104jk.htm


from 01/04

[Scott]

Where's the proof that she told Kerry she kept working to avoid losing her benefits?

I'll admit, one of them lied.
_________________
Bye bye, Boston Straggler!

[You GottaBeKidding]

JMF:

"Working full-time" does not necessarily mean "had to work every day".

I have a full-time job. If I have a catastrophic illness, I can keep my full-time job but I would not have to go to work for over 29 weeks because I have accumulated that much sick leave. If I chose to use annual leave, as well, I'd have quite a few more weeks.

[JMF]

I know what you are saying, but this is a bit much. Kerry was moved by this womans story. Maybe she exaggerated a bit?

Like I have said, I am not a before.. I am not a fan of Kerry, but this just seems like a stretch that he would lie about a woman he met at least 7 months earlier.

[Scott]

His statement is factually inaccurate, and the inaccuracy just "happens" to make his point about health care. That doesn't sound like an honest mistake to me, that's all.

As I said, I don't know precisely who misrepresented her motivation for staying at work, but it was misrepresented.
_________________
Bye bye, Boston Straggler!

[RocketFett]

This is yet another example that either kerry is a bold faced pathological liar, or that him and his staff are too inept and sloppy to even get the simplest of facts straight about things when he makes a speech.

He accused Bush of cutting VA benefits and that is not true, funding fo the VA has increased tens of millions of dollars the past two years. Then talkes about no child left behind doesn't mean anything since the administration hasn't funded it. But funding for the public education system has increased by billions of dollars in the past year. So you really don't have to go far at all to catch kerry in a lie. It happens every day.

[Conservgirl]

I 100% concur with Rocketfett. Honestly now, those of us that are all in agreement with the fact that Kerry lies and switches his "ideals" back and forth with the timing suits him, knows that nothing will change. We see him for what he is. What scares me the most, there are people out there that see nothing wrong with Kerry's lack of honor and integrity. These very same people are going to cast a vote for him. I know all people are different in their beliefs, politics and morals...but I ask myself all the time, "How can I see this man for what he is(or isn't in this case) and others chose not to?" And not to get into Michael Moore to deep...but how can people watch this asanine documentary and say "we should have stayed home and minded out business?" Get Real!

[jwb7605]

[SharpTalons]

If Kerry becomes POTUS, there will be congressional gridlock. That is the silver lining.

[fucla]

[fucla]

[Scott]

Your party affiliation is not at issue. Only the character of your statements.
_________________
Bye bye, Boston Straggler!

[4moreyears]

Removed by Moderator: The forum is for discussing John Kerry, not insulting Bush or Republicans.[/quote]

Thanks, now I know why I like this forum so much.
_________________
kerry returned to the United States on July 22, 1971, held a press conference publicly calling on President Nixon... for the surrender of the United States to North Vietnam.

[soccer4ever]

The media should research every claim Mr. Flip-Flop makes.
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