SwiftVets.com

[JK]

This latest article shows that the truth is starting to get to Kerry but let's watch out for his aides - anything goes. How easily Kerry forgets that Bush's military records have been placed under a microscope and Bush came under attach for every action he had taken. So Kerry's record should go under the same microscope.

JK


Kerry: Bush Lets Groups Do 'Dirty Work'
By RON FOURNIER

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.


08/19/04 10:40

© Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

[leeinwv]

Kerry makes me want to vomit. How stupid does he think the American people are

[Tom Poole]

As one older than most Swiftees, and having never been decorated (I was between wars), isn't it true that only Kerry applied for medals and wrote the justifications? Mr. Thurlow doesn't appear to have put himself in for the medal. Additionally, isn't it true that Kerry has corrupted a system that is supposed to bestow medals rather than respond with them?
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'58 Airedale HMR(L)-261 VMO-2

[4moreyears]

[nakona]

SBVFT needs to make a media announcement that they are NOT run by Bush, are not "Pro-Bush" but rather "Anti-Kerry", and will NOT cease and desist, even if Bush asks them to.
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13F20P

[ASPB]

John O already has on several ocasions.
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On Sale! Order in lots of 100 now at velero@rcn.com Free for the cost of shipping All profits (if any, especially now) go to Swiftvets. The author of "Sink Kerry Swiftly" ---ASPB

[fortdixlover]

[Tilly]

Bush didn't start it, Bush can't stop it, and he should not try.

If even half of what the Swift Vets are saying is true, then Kerry mislead a generation of civilians, and trashed a generation of US servicemen.

I remember hearing Kerry's testimony re: Christmas in Cambodia etc. I had tears in my eyes, thinking of his three purple hearts. (I was young and stupid back then.) Later, I began to talk to some of my classmates who were drafted. None of them were baby killers.

Now, we find out that he got three purple hearts in FOUR months, counting one month of training, with no hospitalizations, no time off duty, and no treatment apart from bandaids. And, it looks like he was no where NEAR Cambodia at Christmastime.

For those of my generation, it's personal.

[Marine4life]

Kerry is desperate, I remember the other day that someone posted a comment "how long will it be before Kerry has a Howard Dean moment". Well it just happened. How come he won't challenge the Swiftvets? Why does he attack Bush when he and everyone else knows it is us and not Bush. Let me explain; Bush has morals and is a true Gentleman, he knows that Bush will not attack him personally so it is safe to call Bush out on this. It is a smoke screen to avoid answering our questions. When you look at this logically he is looking for Bush to protect him, that is a position that befuddles me. Is he going to vote for Bush? Even Kerry looks to Bush for leadership, wow he is really "Unfit for Command". I think the people are starting to put pressure on him and he don't like it!!! Run a campaign as a fraudulent war hero and you will be called out on it, that is the message. I think the DNC is very sorry that they ran with this as his only qualification for office. Kennedy has probably consumed about 2 liters of Scotch since last night. Semper Fi.
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Helicopter Marine Attack Squadron 169 which is now HMLA-169. They added Huey's to compliment the Cobra effectiveness. When I served we just had Snakes.