Kerry and Vietnam
Posted by Moonage on 21 Aug 2004 | Tagged as: 2004 Presidential Election
I have some advice for Kerry: Drop the Vietnam issue, NOW! This is not doing him any good at all. He just seems to open one can of worms up after another, it provides nothing substantive about his character, and quite frankly, whether he was a hero or not is totally negated by the actions he took after his time there. Bush’s military career is non-descript, reflecting that of most of the US at that time. What Bush has not done is let that can of worms regarding his missing few months get any bigger. The issue kinda sticks there, but Kerry has effectively dwarfed Bush’s one weak spot by revealing several questionable actions of his own in his effort to portray himself as the military hero come to save the US. Namely:
1. Cambodia - In three prominent situations, Kerry told of spending Christmas Eve 1968 IN Cambodia. He further pushed the button by stating he was getting shot at by drunken friendly fire while President Nixon denied they were even there. Needless to say, this opened several questions about his character as there wa no proof he or anyone else was ever in Cambodia at that time, there is evidence he was nowhere near Cambodia, and Nixon wouldn’t become President for a month after his stated time there. HE was so confident of his tale that he told it on the US Senate floor, a 1979 interview, and comparing his adventures to those of “Apocalypse Now“. It obviously never happened as he changed that passage in his book.
2. The Swift Boat Veterans against Kerry. Bush pretty much ignored the people who came out saying he was AWOL for a time in Alabama. IT made the rounds and disappeared. Kerry, not taking a hint, has absolutely gone bonkers against these guys. He speaks about them, he criticizes them constantly, accuses them of being a pawn for Bush ( DUH! ), and now has filed suit against them. What has this effectively done?
Go ahead and try to order this book, see how long it takes to get a copy. Those guys will be millionaires now thanks to all the Kerry advertising on their behalf. Everyone wants to know what all the stink is about, thanks to Kerry. The message that could have been ignored and gone away is now the #1 best seller in the US. Bad move John.
3. The medals flap just won’t go away either. The rules in Vietnam were a lot different before and after that conflict. It wasn’t hard to get a medal. I don’t doubt that under the terms of the Vietnam War Kerry did what it took to get those medals, but it didn’t automatically qualify him as a hero. He’s saying it did. So, all those guys that didn’t feel it automatically made him a hero became resentful and said so. Kerry could have ignored them, but no, he has to attack them as well. Enter yet another hot button debate over whether he was being shot at or not, the size and penetration of the shrapnel, whether he intentionally cut off another boat to pull the guy out of the water, whether the “V” is authentic or not, etc. etc. etc..
4. The Swifties lawsuit. Kerry claims he has evidence that Bush/Cheney is coordinating the Swift Boat Veterans Against Kerry 527. Not a good move. He is claiming that Republicans close to Bush have spent $250,000 to smear him. That’s all fine and good, but a debate had come and gone earlier about Ms. Kerry’s connections to moveon.org through the Tides Foundation. It had pretty much died a non-eventful death. I bet you that little debate rears its ugly head again. Secondly, 527’s are spending $60,000,000 against the Swifties $250,000. That don’t look too good either. Ignore these guys John, you’re sinking your own ship.
5. The post Vietnam interview. Kerry makes a lot of claims in that Senate speech that helped excite the US public against the Vietnam Vets returning home. That is the main theme of the Swift Boat guy’s latest commerical. It ran in three states, it didn’t run in the other 47. Kerry made such an issue of it by speaking and suing, the news media has shown that ad in all 50 states now. It’s pretty harsh on Kerry by using his own words. Bad move John, if you had ignored it, the other 47 states would not have had to see it.
6. The medals flap. part II. I see this one returning, again, because the issue of what medals he got and why are being raised again. In order to prove himself, he’ll whip out those medals to prove the “V” is in the right place. Problem is, he supposedly tossed those medals in the river after the war. Don’t do it John, they’re questioning those medals, ignore them. You’ve raised too much doubt by fighting every little fire there is already.
Move on, and hit the topics hard that matter to the people. What will you do specifically for the economy? What will you do specifically for the environment? Take your voting record and use it to illustrate your history of supporting the issues you’re supporting now. Etc..
But whatever you do, don’t keep harping on your war hero status. It’s worn thin, no one really cares that much, it makes you look really bad, and quite frankly, you can’t keep stonewalling substantive issues forever.
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