Amazing thing is that the Bush supporters always claim as their last bastion of defense that Bush had no knowledge of this or that. Whatever happened to The Buck Stops Here! This mean-spirited attack on Kerry really shows how far they will go to get their guy re-elected. I'm afraid this country is in deep trouble.
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Saturday, Aug. 21, 2004 9:49 p.m. EDT
Kerry Defender Rood Contradicted by Crewmate
In a development that the establishment press is treating like bombshell news, former Swift Boat commander William B. Rood has stepped forward to defend John Kerry against the charge that he exaggerated his valor during the Vietnam War in descriptions of a foiled February 1969 ambush on his boat.
But unmentioned in coverage of Rood's story so far is one salient fact: His account is sharply contradicted by one of Kerry's own crewmates, who complained eight years ago that Kerry took credit for bravery he didn't deserve ? in an action that earned him the Silver Star.
In Sunday editions of the Chicago Tribune, Rood backs Kerry's claim that he singlehandedly took out a Viet Cong attacker who planned to ambush his Swift Boat with a grenade launcher along the Bay Hap River.
Recalling what he saw from a different Swift Boat, Rood writes:
"Kerry, followed by one member of his crew, jumped ashore and chased a VC behind a hooch ? a thatched hut ? maybe 15 yards inland from the ambush site.
"Some who were there that day recall the man being wounded as he ran. Neither I nor Jerry Leeds, our boat's leading petty officer with whom I've checked my recollection of all these events, recalls that, which is no surprise. Recollections of those who go through experiences like that frequently differ."
They sure do.
Unmentioned by Rood in his Chicago Tribune report is the account of Tom Bellodeau, who, unlike Rood, was actually aboard Kerry's boat when the VC in question leveled his grenade launcher at them.
"You know, I shot that guy," Bellodeau told the Boston Globe during a 1996 interview, correcting an earlier Globe report that echoed Kerry's claim that he alone had neutralized the enemy ambusher.
"He jumped up, he looked right at me, I looked at him," Bellodeau continued. "You could tell he was trying to decide whether to shoot or not. I expected the guy on Kerry's boat with the twin 50s to blast him, but he couldn't depress the guns far enough. We were up on the bank."
Only after the enemy soldier was wounded, said Bellodeau, did Kerry leap from the boat onto the beach and pursue him around the back of a nearby hut, where the would-be president finished him off.
Echoing ex-Commander Rood's version, Kerry's Silver Star citation credits him alone for taking down the Viet Cong soldier, making no mention whatsoever of Bellodeau, who has died in the intervening years.
"An enemy soldier sprang up from his position not 10 feet from Swift Boat 94 and fled," the combat award reads. "Without hesitation Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry leaped ashore, pursued the man behind a hootch and killed him, capturing a B-40 rocket launcher with a round in the chamber."
And even though Kerry spoke at Bellodeau's funeral, he has done nothing to incorporate his crewmate's role in subsequent accounts of the encounter with the enemy fighter.
In a 1996 interview, Kerry made no mention of the first shot whatsoever.
"It was either going to be him or it was going to be us. It was that simple. I don't know why it wasn't us ? I mean, to this day. He had a rocket pointed right at our boat. He stood up out of a hole, and none of us saw him until he was standing in front of us, aiming a rocket right at us, and, for whatever reason, he didn't pull the trigger ? he turned and ran."
When pressed for more details, the top Democrat said: "I just won't talk about all of it. I don't and can't. The things that really turned me I've never told anybody. Nobody would understand."
Within hours of the Chicago Tribune's Saturday afternoon announcement that William Rood had decided to go public with his Kerry defense, more than 1,500 news outlets were touting the story on their Web sites, with the Associated Press offering no fewer than 10 updates.
None of them mentioned Kerry's crewmate Tom Bellodeau.
NEWSMAX
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Getting better and better.
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whose version of the story keeps changing? Kerry's version. Once the first story changes, you know the first story is not true, or elements of it are not true. Note also in addition to whose story keeps changing, note who refuses to answer questions about it. The last I saw, Kerry will not answer any questions about this.
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The hypocrisy is just staggering:
"Zach Exley joins the [Kerry] Internet team as Director of Online Communications and Online Organizing. He was previously the director of special projects for the MoveOn.org."
To appreciate the level of coordination represented by MoveOn's revolving door with the Kerry campaign, imagine what the media outcry would be if the Bush campaign suddenly announced that leading Swiftvet John O'Neill would be coming aboard as "Director of Veterans Outeach."
But even that wouldn't be a violation of the campaign finance laws, at least not according to the way those laws have been applied to MoveOn.org, Michael Moore and the Kerry campaign during the current election cycle.
so what?
the guy in the ad was a freakin volunteer working for Bush...
did you expect him to work for Kerry?
heck, all the 527's the Democrats control are staffed by Clinton people, and DNC executives!
I wonder how many voters are aware of Kerry's actual statements...not to mention how many ATP&N members who are aware of them.
TuxDave
Lifer
- Oct 8, 2002
- 10,571
- 3
- 71
Don't be a hypocrite, You seem to care alot about the swift boat veterens too.
ANTI-KERRY AD A HIT
Swiftee John O'Neill Speaks Out on Kerry's False Claims
Kerry lied about the Rassman Story too
Kerry Purple Heart Doc Speaks Out
cKGunslinger
Lifer
- Nov 29, 1999
- 16,408
- 57
- 91
I disagree. I personally don't see much of a difference between the two major candidates, so I am going to vote 3rd party this year. Not that it matters too much, as I'm in Texas.
cKGunslinger
Lifer
- Nov 29, 1999
- 16,408
- 57
- 91
Well, by-golly, you've convinced me! Who cares about the thousands of other qualifications and desired traits a good president should have? As long as he saw some combat, he's a god in my book! Hell, my old neighbor saw some combat action ~53 years ago; maybe I'll write his name in on the ballot. Of course, he's near senile and unqualified in just about every way to lead a country, but what the hell! Someone shot at him. :roll:
Also, I would look at it more like "both tried to avoid the war altogether, but only one managed."
Hello, it is illegal.
Bush should be forced to resign immediately tonight. He ought to be writing his last speech at the ranch now.
Dave:
Bush wouldn't resign if he were found in a motel room with a live boy or a dead girl and a nose full of cocaine.
-Robert
Bush wouldn't resign if he were found in a motel room with a live boy or a dead girl and a nose full of cocaine.
-Robert
You don't agree that combat experience is a nice quality in the commander of the military? Sure its only one small part of a candidates qualifications, but you don't think it helps at all? That seems silly.
Originally posted by: cpumaster
Why would you take your time to deny Bush connection with the swiftboat vets? Do you have first hand knowledge of the non-connection? But that is not the point. I think Bush should be proud of his connection with the org. and admitted that publicly, after all they are Vietnam veterans and they're out there campagining for him. Earlier I thought it's hard to find Veterans who will support a "semi-draft-dodger" with such zeal and intensity, but Bush really defy common logic. Now Bush has their whole hearted support, and they're under attack from many sides, media, Kerry camp, even some in GOP side, he shouldn't abandon them, he should fully embraced them and support them in public, it's like a second chance for him to go to Vietnam and serve with those Veterans, this time doing it right
Its not my responsibility to prove the non-connection.. its yours to prove the CONNECTIOn.
Originally posted by: DealMonkey
Originally posted by: cpumaster
Why would you take your time to deny Bush connection with the swiftboat vets? Do you have first hand knowledge of the non-connection? But that is not the point. I think Bush should be proud of his connection with the org. and admitted that publicly, after all they are Vietnam veterans and they're out there campagining for him. Earlier I thought it's hard to find Veterans who will support a "semi-draft-dodger" with such zeal and intensity, but Bush really defy common logic. Now Bush has their whole hearted support, and they're under attack from many sides, media, Kerry camp, even some in GOP side, he shouldn't abandon them, he should fully embraced them and support them in public, it's like a second chance for him to go to Vietnam and serve with those Veterans, this time doing it right
I don't think the SwiftVets are campaigning for Bush, but rather their stance seems to be "Anyone but Kerry." Of course then there's the rampant connections to the GOP that have been discovered and they may as well be campaigning for Bush.
By the way Crimson, much of what the Vets are asserting has already been proven factual inaccurate (factually challenged?) -- they should really stick to just voicing their disgruntledness with Kerry's anti-war activities after returning from Vietnam.
Much of Michael Moore's F9/11 has been proven wrong, have you thrown out that movie as well as a credible source? Lets be consistent here.. oh wait..
Originally posted by: Crimson
Originally posted by: cpumaster
Why would you take your time to deny Bush connection with the swiftboat vets? Do you have first hand knowledge of the non-connection? But that is not the point. I think Bush should be proud of his connection with the org. and admitted that publicly, after all they are Vietnam veterans and they're out there campagining for him. Earlier I thought it's hard to find Veterans who will support a "semi-draft-dodger" with such zeal and intensity, but Bush really defy common logic. Now Bush has their whole hearted support, and they're under attack from many sides, media, Kerry camp, even some in GOP side, he shouldn't abandon them, he should fully embraced them and support them in public, it's like a second chance for him to go to Vietnam and serve with those Veterans, this time doing it right
Its not my responsibility to prove the non-connection.. its yours to prove the CONNECTIOn.
I agree with this, Rip. But it also means Kerry isn't guilty of any falsifications of his war record. He's innocent until proven guilty. There has been nothing but accusation so far. Evidence by both sides but noe proff either way. So in this country we give the benefit of doubt to the defendant.
cKGunslinger
Lifer
- Nov 29, 1999
- 16,408
- 57
- 91
Kerry asked to be exempted from the draft so that he could study abroad. He was denied and then he volunteered to serve. I'll not knock Kerry for his service, in fact, I salute him for it, but the truth is, if he was granted his request, he would probably never have fought in Vietnam.
Like I said, I'll admit that he willingly served during the war, but the image some of you guys want to paint of him as a gung-ho, Rambo-esque, killing machine with nothing but the thought of fighting for his beloved homeland on his mind and without a selfless bone in his body is just a bit of a stretch, don't you think? His military record is easily 10x that of GWB's, but that isn't necessarily saying a whole lot.
cKGunslinger
Lifer
- Nov 29, 1999
- 16,408
- 57
- 91
That's not what I said at all, and you know it. Of course it would be somewhat nice for the Pres to have combat experience, but it's not "that" important. The president has enough advisors and staff to make up for any lack of experience in almost any matter. It would be nice if a candidate was an ex-teacher, as he would have some insight into our educational system, but that's just not a deciding factor for me or a lot of other people.
My point is that so far, there are only 2 facts that I see from the Pro-Kerry camp as to why he'd make a good President:
1) He's not Bush.
2) He served in Vietnam
I can easily acknowledge and accept both of those facts, but it's not exactly a glowing, stand-out resume. How can anyone get worked-up and rally behind that? It's like arguing that you should be class-president because you have a 'C' average and your opponent has a 'C-'. Not exactly impressive.
Like I said earlier, I'm going 3rd party this year. My state will go to Bush no matter what, anyway.
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