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Kerry 'Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief,' Say Former Military Colleagues
By Marc Morano
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
May 03, 2004
(2nd Add: Includes additional details about Sen. John Kerry's ad =
campaign.)
(CNSNews.com) - Hundreds of former commanders and military colleagues of =
presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry are set to declare in a signed =
letter that he is "unfit to be commander-in-chief." They will do so at a =
press conference in Washington on Tuesday.
"What is going to happen on Tuesday is an event that is really =
historical in dimension," John O'Neill, a Vietnam veteran who served in =
the Navy as a PCF (Patrol Craft Fast) boat commander, told CNSNews.com. =
The event, which is expected to draw about 25 of the letter-signers, is =
being organized by a newly formed group called Swift Boat Veterans for =
Truth.
"We have 19 of 23 officers who served with [Kerry]. We have every =
commanding officer he ever had in Vietnam. They all signed a letter that =
says he is unfit to be commander-in-chief," O'Neill said.=20
O'Neill, currently a Houston, Texas, based attorney, is no stranger to =
Kerry. O'Neill served in the same naval unit as Kerry and commanded =
Kerry's swift boat after Kerry returned to the United States. Kerry's =
command of the PCF boat lasted four months and ended shortly after he =
received his third Purple Heart. According to naval regulations at the =
time, any sailor who received three Purple Hearts could request a =
transfer out of the combat zone.
Kerry and O'Neill engaged in a nationally televised debate in 1971 on =
The ***** Cavett Show over Kerry's allegations that many Vietnam soldiers =
had routinely engaged in atrocities such as raping and cutting off ears =
and heads of Vietnamese soldiers and citizens. Kerry was the then =
spokesman for the anti-war group Vietnam Veterans Against the War.=20
"We are going to be presenting a letter that deals with Kerry's =
unfitness to be commander and chief that has been signed by hundreds of =
swift boat sailors, including most of those who served with Kerry," =
O'Neill explained.
"The ranks of the people signing [the letter] range from admiral down to =
seaman, and they run across the entire spectrum of politics, =
specialties, and political feelings about the Vietnam War," he added.
Among those scheduled to attend the event at the National Press Club and =
declare Kerry unfit for the role of commander-in-chief are retired Naval =
Rear Admiral Roy Hoffmann, who was the commander of the Navy Coastal =
Surveillance Force, which included the swift boats on which Kerry =
served.
Also scheduled to be present at the event is Kerry's former commanding =
officer, Lt. Commander Grant Hibbard. Hibbard recently questioned =
whether Kerry deserved the first of his three Purple Hearts that he =
received in Vietnam. Hibbard doubted both the severity of the wound and =
whether it resulted from enemy fire.
"I've had thorns from a rose that were worse" than Kerry's wound for =
which he received a Purple Heart, Hibbard told the Boston Globe in =
April.=20
Organizers are confident that Tuesday's event and the letter with =
hundreds of signatures will educate people about Kerry.
"It is one of the largest outpourings of concern about him being =
commander-in-chief that anybody could have in a presidential campaign =
and it is by the people who know him best," O'Neill said.
'Unfit Commander-in-Chief'
Swift Boat Veterans For Truth maintains that Kerry's fellow Vietnam =
veterans are almost uniform in their disdain for his military service =
and anti-war protests.
"Not only a majority of the people who served with him feel that way, =
but a vast and overwhelming majority," O'Neill said. He added that more =
than "ninety percent of the people contacted by Swift Boat Veterans for =
Truth responded to the request to sign their name, with only 12 =
declining to sign.
"Comrades who actually served with him, almost all of them, are opposed =
to him, and believe he would be an unfit commander in chief and intend =
to bring the truth of his actual record to the attention of the American =
people," O'Neill said.=20
O'Neill hopes the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth can reveal to the =
American people what he sees as Kerry's flawed character.
"In the military, loyalty between commanders and the troops serving them =
is a two-way street. We have here a guy (Kerry) that with all of us in =
the field [in Vietnam] -- actually fighting the North Vietnamese -- came =
home and then falsely accused all of us of war crimes at a time when the =
people in uniform couldn't even respond," O'Neill said.=20
"And he did that knowing that was a lie," he added.
'Real John Kerry'
B. G. Burkett, author of the book Stolen Valor and a military =
researcher, believes that Tuesday's event will not be dismissed easily =
by Kerry's campaign as a "partisan" attack.
"There are probably just as many Democrats amongst sailors who sailed =
swift boats as there are Republicans. What Kerry fails to realize is =
this has nothing to do with politics -- this has to with Vietnam =
Veterans who served, who have a beef with John Kerry's service, both =
during and after the war," Burkett told CNSNews.com.
"The American people do not know John Kerry and hopefully the swift boat =
crews and other Vietnam veterans will make sure that the American public =
knows the real John Kerry," he added.
Jim Loftus of Kerry's press office referred questions about Swift Boat =
Veterans for Truth's event on Tuesday to spokesman David Wade. Wade did =
not return CNSNews.com's requests for comment.
Kerry has launched an ad campaign touting his service in Vietnam in an =
effort to counter the criticism ahead of Tuesday's press conference.
The $25 million ads show photographs of a young Kerry as a Navy =
lieutenant on the Swift boat he commanded in Vietnam's Mekong Delta as =
well as photos of him in fatigues holding a rifle.
Beginning Tuesday, the ads will run in 17 battleground states, as well =
as Colorado and Louisiana, which President Bush won in 2000.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), speaking on Fox News Monday, defended Kerry =
and blasted the president for using "$60 million worth of negative =
advertising" to try to tear down Kerry. Levin called Kerry's latest ad, =
"a very strong, a very positive ad."
"This is a positive statement about strength of service of Senator =
Kerry, and I think the public is going to welcome it," said Levin.
The Michigan Democrat called Kerry "very likeable," adding that "he'll =
come through as who he is, which is a very thoughtful, very sincere and =
a.person with a great deal of integrity and a great deal of sincerity."
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2><STRONG>Kerry 'Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief,' Say =
Former=20
Military Colleagues<BR></STRONG><FONT size=3D3>By Marc =
Morano<BR>CNSNews.com=20
Senior Staff Writer<BR>May 03, 2004<BR><BR><I>(2nd Add: Includes =
additional=20
details about Sen. John Kerry's ad =
campaign.)</I><BR><BR><B>(CNSNews.com)</B> -=20
Hundreds of former commanders and military colleagues of presumptive =
Democratic=20
nominee John Kerry are set to declare in a signed letter that he is =
"unfit to be=20
commander-in-chief." They will do so at a press conference in Washington =
on=20
Tuesday.<BR><BR>"What is going to happen on Tuesday is an event that is =
really=20
historical in dimension," John O'Neill, a Vietnam veteran who served in =
the Navy=20
as a PCF (Patrol Craft Fast) boat commander, told <B>CNSNews.com</B>. =
The event,=20
which is expected to draw about 25 of the letter-signers, is being =
organized by=20
a newly formed group called <A href=3D"http://www.swiftvets.com/"=20
target=3D_blank>Swift Boat Veterans for Truth</A>.<BR><BR>"We have 19 of =
23=20
officers who served with [Kerry]. We have every commanding officer he =
ever had=20
in Vietnam. They all signed a letter that says he is unfit to be=20
commander-in-chief," O'Neill said. <BR><BR>O'Neill, currently a Houston, =
Texas,=20
based attorney, is no stranger to Kerry. O'Neill served in the same =
naval unit=20
as Kerry and commanded Kerry's swift boat after Kerry returned to the =
United=20
States. Kerry's command of the PCF boat lasted four months and ended =
shortly=20
after he received his third Purple Heart. According to naval regulations =
at the=20
time, any sailor who received three Purple Hearts could request a =
transfer out=20
of the combat zone.<BR><BR>Kerry and O'Neill engaged in a nationally =
televised=20
debate in 1971 on The ***** Cavett Show over Kerry's allegations that =
many=20
Vietnam soldiers had routinely engaged in atrocities such as raping and =
cutting=20
off ears and heads of Vietnamese soldiers and citizens. Kerry was the =
then=20
spokesman for the anti-war group Vietnam Veterans Against the War. =
<BR><BR>"We=20
are going to be presenting a letter that deals with Kerry's unfitness to =
be=20
commander and chief that has been signed by hundreds of swift boat =
sailors,=20
including most of those who served with Kerry," O'Neill =
explained.<BR><BR>"The=20
ranks of the people signing [the letter] range from admiral down to =
seaman, and=20
they run across the entire spectrum of politics, specialties, and =
political=20
feelings about the Vietnam War," he added.<BR><BR>Among those scheduled =
to=20
attend the event at the National Press Club and declare Kerry unfit for =
the role=20
of commander-in-chief are retired Naval Rear Admiral Roy Hoffmann, who =
was the=20
commander of the Navy Coastal Surveillance Force, which included the =
swift boats=20
on which Kerry served.<BR><BR>Also scheduled to be present at the event =
is=20
Kerry's former commanding officer, Lt. Commander Grant Hibbard. Hibbard =
recently=20
questioned whether Kerry deserved the first of his three Purple Hearts =
that he=20
received in Vietnam. Hibbard doubted both the severity of the wound and =
whether=20
it resulted from enemy fire.<BR><BR>"I've had thorns from a rose that =
were=20
worse" than Kerry's wound for which he received a Purple Heart, Hibbard =
told the=20
<I>Boston Globe</I> in April. <BR><BR>Organizers are confident that =
Tuesday's=20
event and the letter with hundreds of signatures will educate people =
about=20
Kerry.<BR><BR>"It is one of the largest outpourings of concern about him =
being=20
commander-in-chief that anybody could have in a presidential campaign =
and it is=20
by the people who know him best," O'Neill said.<B><BR><BR>'Unfit=20
Commander-in-Chief'</B><BR><BR>Swift Boat Veterans For Truth maintains =
that=20
Kerry's fellow Vietnam veterans are almost uniform in their disdain for =
his=20
military service and anti-war protests.<BR><BR>"Not only a majority of =
the=20
people who served with him feel that way, but a vast and overwhelming =
majority,"=20
O'Neill said. He added that more than "ninety percent of the people =
contacted by=20
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth responded to the request to sign their =
name, with=20
only 12 declining to sign.<BR><BR>"Comrades who actually served with =
him, almost=20
all of them, are opposed to him, and believe he would be an unfit =
commander in=20
chief and intend to bring the truth of his actual record to the =
attention of the=20
American people," O'Neill said. <BR><BR>O'Neill hopes the Swift Boat =
Veterans=20
for Truth can reveal to the American people what he sees as Kerry's =
flawed=20
character.<BR><BR>"In the military, loyalty between commanders and the =
troops=20
serving them is a two-way street. We have here a guy (Kerry) that with =
all of us=20
in the field [in Vietnam] -- actually fighting the North Vietnamese -- =
came home=20
and then falsely accused all of us of war crimes at a time when the =
people in=20
uniform couldn't even respond," O'Neill said. <BR><BR>"And he did that =
knowing=20
that was a lie," he added.<B><BR><BR>'Real John Kerry'</B><BR><BR>B. G. =
Burkett,=20
author of the book <I>Stolen Valor</I> and a military researcher, =
believes that=20
Tuesday's event will not be dismissed easily by Kerry's campaign as a =
"partisan"=20
attack.<BR><BR>"There are probably just as many Democrats amongst =
sailors who=20
sailed swift boats as there are Republicans. What Kerry fails to realize =
is this=20
has nothing to do with politics -- this has to with Vietnam Veterans who =
served,=20
who have a beef with John Kerry's service, both during and after the =
war,"=20
Burkett told <B>CNSNews.com.</B><BR><BR>"The American people do not know =
John=20
Kerry and hopefully the swift boat crews and other Vietnam veterans will =
make=20
sure that the American public knows the real John Kerry," he =
added.<BR><BR>Jim=20
Loftus of Kerry's press office referred questions about Swift Boat =
Veterans for=20
Truth's event on Tuesday to spokesman David Wade. Wade did not return=20
<B>CNSNews.com's</B> requests for comment.<BR><BR>Kerry has launched an =
ad=20
campaign touting his service in Vietnam in an effort to counter the =
criticism=20
ahead of Tuesday's press conference.<BR><BR>The $25 million ads show =
photographs=20
of a young Kerry as a Navy lieutenant on the Swift boat he commanded in=20
Vietnam's Mekong Delta as well as photos of him in fatigues holding a=20
rifle.<BR><BR>Beginning Tuesday, the ads will run in 17 battleground =
states, as=20
well as Colorado and Louisiana, which President Bush won in =
2000.<BR><BR>Sen.=20
Carl Levin (D-Mich.), speaking on Fox News Monday, defended Kerry and =
blasted=20
the president for using "$60 million worth of negative advertising" to =
try to=20
tear down Kerry. Levin called Kerry's latest ad, "a very strong, a very =
positive=20
ad."<BR><BR>"This is a positive statement about strength of service of =
Senator=20
Kerry, and I think the public is going to welcome it," said =
Levin.<BR><BR>The=20
Michigan Democrat called Kerry "very likeable," adding that "he'll come =
through=20
as who he is, which is a very thoughtful, very sincere and a=85person =
with a great=20
deal of integrity and a great deal of=20
sincerity."<BR><BR></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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| User: "Leigh_Bee" |
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| Title: Re: Kerry unfit. |
14 May 2004 06:29:52 AM |
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"dreamwalker" <backfromthe@dead.net> wrote in message news:<b4bc1$40a45e2e$407628eb$26155@powerweb.allthenewsgroups.com>...
Kerry 'Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief,' Say Former Military Colleagues
By Marc Morano
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
May 03, 2004
(2nd Add: Includes additional details about Sen. John Kerry's ad
campaign.)
(CNSNews.com) - Hundreds of former commanders and military colleagues of
presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry are set to declare in a signed
letter that he is "unfit to be commander-in-chief." They will do so at a
press conference in Washington on Tuesday.
"What is going to happen on Tuesday is an event that is really
historical in dimension," John O'Neill, a Vietnam veteran who served in
the Navy as a PCF (Patrol Craft Fast) boat commander, told CNSNews.com.
The event, which is expected to draw about 25 of the letter-signers, is
being organized by a newly formed group called Swift Boat Veterans for
Truth.
SNIP > The Michigan Democrat called Kerry "very likeable," adding that "he'll
come through as who he is, which is a very thoughtful, very sincere and
a.person with a great deal of integrity and a great deal of sincerity."
Must be Bush by default then!
LB
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| User: "Woodswun" |
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| Title: Re: Kerry unfit. |
14 May 2004 06:58:39 PM |
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In article <b4bc1$40a45e2e$407628eb$26155@powerweb.allthenewsgroups.com>, "dreamwalker" <backfromthe@dead.net> wrote:
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
Looks like the Bush camp is running scared. Pushing a lot of baloney after it
came out that Bush's numbers are dropping like a rock.
Woods
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