SwiftVets.com

[DanVCC]

Here is the Associated Press' account of the Swiftee rally in DC yesterday, 09/12/04. The account implies one speaker and a very small uninvolved audience. Not true on either account. As near as I could tell, the anti rally people numbered about 8 to 10 college age people who worked the fringe of the crowd with shouts that were hard to understand. Note the article neglects to mention that McPeak is a paid employee of Kerry's campaign. Just for the record, the article is 262 words long with 110 of them about the rally and 152 about the Kerry position.

WASHINGTON -- Chanting "Kerry lied," hundreds of Vietnam veterans on Sunday rallied against fellow veteran and Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.

Comrades died because of people like Kerry and Jane Fonda, asserted Larry Bailey, a U.S. Navy veteran and president of Vietnam Vets for the Truth.

With the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop, Bailey accused Kerry of lying three decades ago when he returned from Vietnam and gave testimony before the U.S. Senate in 1971 alleging widespread atrocities by American troops.

"We can tell him (Kerry) and spit in his eye while we're doing it, 'we served honorably and compassionately,'" Bailey said to cheers from the crowd of approximately 1,000.

Bailey's speech was interrupted when a shouting match broke out between a lone Kerry supporter in a wheelchair, Vietnam veteran Bobby Mueller, and a number of the anti-Kerry vets.

Before the rally, a group of supporters held a news conference nearby to defend Kerry and call for an end to the TV ads attacking the military record of the Massachusetts senator.

"What we ought to be talking about is what's happening today and that includes the best person to lead us out of the mess we've got ourselves in Iraq," Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak, a former chief of staff of the Air Force, told reporters.

McPeak, who is advising the Kerry campaign and is a Vietnam veteran, said those who have questioned the five medals Kerry was awarded for Vietnam either weren't directly serving with him or their accounts have been directly contradicted by other vets who were side-by-side with Kerry.

[Montana]

I always find it amazing to read about a meeting or event
that I personally attended. Usually they don´t match. The reporter
often has preset ideas on how to write the story and looks
for quotes and ways to support their bias.

I enjoyed watching on CSPAN the entire rally. Thought it was great
and all speakers were wonderful. Especially enjoyed the Vietnam Vet.
nurse´s story about the baby, etc. She looked like she was
ready to kick some you-know-what. Also O´Neill was super. Loved
the line about Kerry not being worthy to tie the shoes of some of the
Swift Boat REAL heros present.

Much of the press just doesn´t get it...

Montana

[FF1047]

I watched some of the rally, it was the first step in what I hope is the historical correction of the Vietnam experience in America.

On a side not I thought it took real courage for Steven Pitkin to get up there and apologize. From what I have read he seems to be sincere in his regrets about getting involved with the VVAW.
_________________
JJC
USNA class of 1980

[stupson]

The rally was a truly great experience no matter what the MSM says about it.

Annecdotely, there was a young lady reporter (she said Washington Post) doing interviews with those present. Two vets in front of me asked what she thought of the event. She said "The majority here believe Kerry lied about Vietnam Veterans," then she quickly added she had to remain objective as a reporter.

The Vet pressed her by aking what her own opinion was. Her short response was "Kerry Lied." Interesting.

It was a privelege for me to have beeen in the presence of these soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. These Vets. These men of honor and "un-nuanced" moral clarity. Men who were POWs, heroes. Men who always gave far more than they got and deserved far better than they received.

Kerry once said before Congress we were not "America's best." Only in his case is that statement irrefutable. He spoke about himself, not those present this fine Sunday afternoon.

Stu Upson
New Bern, NC