WAG - No, PLEASE Kerry On…
Boy I’m tired tonight.
Yes, I know that sounds like the typical start of a cop-out post, but I promise you it’s not…sorta.
Mondays and Wednesdays are my heavy days and with the couple of extra things I’ve been juggling lately, I’m about ready to crash… once I get through 20 more pages of Walden.
Anyway, rather than leave my faithful viewers in a lurch (you know I try to watch out for all 3 of you), let me offer this as an acceptable sacrifice:
I caught up with a good friend of mine that I hadn’t seen previously this semester. This is the type of scene I’ve repeated many times. It turns out in different ways based on the character of the person involved and the flexibility of their schedule. Some I’ve had impromptu lunches with, others I’ve escorted them to their classes, and a few only lasted two words (“Hey!” “Hey!”).
Fortunately today, my friend had a bit more time to talk, and him being a fellow news junkie, our talk turned to politics and the approaching 2004 election.
Note: If you haven’t already been saturated with the coverage of this event yet, I even you and want to know if I can share your spider hole with you.
Of course, as a wanna-be journalist/columnist/freelancer/someone who makes enough cash he doesn’t have to share a home with his relatives, I find myself in the same situation as a criminal lawyer who has a police scanner. You hate yourself for tuning into such things, but you know it’s good for business.
Anyway, we were discussing recent primary events, and whether or not well bought into the Dean fanatics (Disclaimer: we didn’t like him, but will still thought he had the Democratic ticket all sewed up… for a time), and Kerry came up.
Specifically, I brought up the subject how Kerry shouldn’t be poking a stick at Bush’s Vietnam-era actions for fear the spotlight will fall on him as well.
I then went on to highlight several examples, many of which my friend hadn’t seen in the media… yet.
Getting back to my room, and having a dash of free time, I whipped together a list of sources to document the claims I made.
And now, after nearly a page in introduction, I offer to you, the treasured audience, this slightly edited letter (with more HTML codes to make the links prettier and all personal references deleted so none of his liberal friends with learn of his fraternizing with me – unless he chooses to tell them).
I hope you enjoy and/or learn something.
----------------------
Kerry’s Rolling Stone F-Bomb Interview
Yes, Kerry may be the candidate who looks the most presidential (personally, pretty boy Edwards to me seems… well… see the nickname attached), but I had issues about his professional demeanor.
How’s his potential presidential conduct? Look for the answer to the question, “Did you feel you were blindsided by Dean's success?” and try to spot the word that belongs in Carlin’s “7 words you can’t say” riff.
Service: The Military vs. the National Guard vs. Conscientiously Objecting
And how they’re all equal
I also mentioned that Kerry made some comments in 1992 concerning Clinton’s lack of record and how “many served in many different ways.” At the time, the message was lay off the candidate who didn’t do any kind of drilling and stop using “Vietnam” as a purely political device.
A copy of the speech is available at the Wall Street Journal Opinion Page.
I did not have political relations with that woman, Miss Hanoi…
Though he may proudly tout his service record now, and that I will never attack, I have long questioned his dedication to the military with his conduct after his discharge. Even before his legislative career where he voted to cut funding of many important programs, he worked to undercut those who were still embroiled in the conflict.
One person who he worked with was Jane Fonda, sometimes known as “Hanoi Jane” for appearing to value the word of the North Vietnamese over her own countrymen and women. Fonda, Kerry, and others worked to protest the war effort and question the conduct of American soldiers. Jane’s actions may be remembered, but Kerry’s role and his relationships have been mostly forgotten… until earlier this week.
Newsmax broke the story that first featured the photograph of a rally where Kerry appears to be a few rows behind Jane.
Note: Kerry has yet to been specifically questioned on this – though aides have. Though we do not know for sure that it is him in the photo, he is on the record for attending this protest.
Some final Kodak moments
For more Kerry photos (from Boat Rides with JFK to more recent events) you can check out the Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry site.
Granted, one should take their commentary with SEVERAL grains of salt, but don’t hesitate to dive in. I do give them credit, however, for stating their intent from the start and not attempting to interject these issues into the news posing as an unbiased observer.
That being said, the pictures don’t need their captions to say a lot.
The sections/photos I’d suggest you peruse are how Kerry got his Silver Star (no photos, but it does recount the truly heroic act), Kerry discussing a demonstration with Ted Kennedy, Kerry being arrested with other protestors, and the cover image of the book The New Soldier (which is co-authored by Kerry) that some say mocks the famous image of the Iwo Jima Marines. At the very least, the image does mock veterans.
If Kerry wants to bring up the Vietnam record (he may not be openly questioning Bush, but he is attempting to benefit from the question), he needs to be careful what else may slip out of Pandora’s often-referenced box.
It’s almost enough to make you vote Kucinich.
Just something to think about…
'Careful_what_you_wish_for'
