"John Kerry saved my life"

[sMiLeYz]

he is the man

Kerry Reunited With Serviceman He Saved


January 17, 2004

AP

by Mike Glover
Des Moines -

John Kerry, battling in a Democratic nomination contest too close to call, held an emotional campaign trail reunion Saturday with a fellow serviceman he rescued 35 years ago in Vietnam.

"He could have been shot and killed at any time," Jim Rassmann said at a subsequent campaign rally. "I figure I owe him my life."


The retired Los Angeles police officer's remarks came shortly after he and Kerry reunited with a teary embrace arranged by Kerry's campaign staff after Rassmann telephoned from his Oregon home Friday and said he wanted to help Kerry.


"I wrote you in '84," Rassmann told Kerry as they hugged.


"I never got it," said Kerry.

The Massachusetts senator's staff said the two had not talked since 1969 when Kerry, skipper of a river patrol boat, was retreating under fire with a group of other boats when he noticed someone in the water, reversed course and fished a wounded Rassmann from the water.

Kerry was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions.

"I'm very emotional about this," said Kerry after the two met at a community center. "I'm very touched. I never thought I'd see the guy again. I'm amazed."

Rassmann said he's a registe
red Republican, but plans to vote for Kerry.

Kerry's staff said they did not tell the senator of the impending meeting until a few hours before it happened, even though they had been working out details since receiving Rassmann's call Friday.

Kerry scrapped an appearance at a multi-candidate event to make the appearance with Rassmann.

How can you honestly think that John Kerry is someone less than honorable, you may disagree with his politics, but he is a man of character.

 

[Syringer]

I'm sure Bush saved a dog from getting hit by a car once too..by braking.

 

[Cassaya]

Originally posted by: sMiLeYz
he is the man

Kerry Reunited With Serviceman He Saved




How can you honestly think that John Kerry is someone less than honorable, you may disagree with his politics, but he is a man of character.

Might be ... but in anyway that doesn´t automatically make him a good politician! I´m a little bit worried about all that "I´m was in Vietnam"-Stuff of Kerrys ... seems to me that he lacks of good ideas for his election-programm and tries to detract from that fact.

Well, I shure do hope he wins ... I would pity you guys in America if you would have to take that stupid moron Bush for another legalative period.

 

[chess9]

Was it a Republican dog?

-Robert

 

[LordMagnusKain]

Originally posted by: sMiLeYz
he is the man

Kerry Reunited With Serviceman He Saved


John Kerry, battling in a Democratic nomination contest too close to call, held an emotional campaign trail reunion Saturday with a fellow serviceman he rescued 35 years ago in Vietnam.

"He could have been shot and killed at any time," Jim Rassmann said at a subsequent campaign rally. "I figure I owe him my life."

How can you honestly think that John Kerry is someone less than honorable, you may disagree with his politics, but he is a man of character.

I don't doubt that when it came to doing what was right in the fact of adversity he did.

But I also don't doubt that he wanted to gut our military, our intelligence agency's, and will only go into a UN approved war. I don't doubt that he feels that international terrorism isn't a war, but that it's a policing problem. I don't doubt that he's as much in the pocket of special interest groups as bush is. I don't doubt that he doesn't care about American workers and will allow out-sourcing of more high-tech jobs. I don't doubt that he's going to raise taxes on the suppliers in the economy, causing them to have more incentive to leave the country, and more incentive not to higher new people so much as raise prices. I don't doubt that he'll fight for destructive policies when it come to our health-care system, that he'll spend even more than bush has, that he'll expand the role of government in all of our lives, and that he'll be a puppet for the international lobbyists and corporations.

 

[BDawg]

Originally posted by: Syringer
I'm sure Bush saved a dog from getting hit by a car once too..by braking.

And he was probably drunk, so being able to brake is a bigger deal than you think.

 

[tec699]

You all better vote for this guy or your all terrorist!! He's an American hero who deserves to be Prez!!

 

[maluckey]

Most veterans (myself included) disagree with your take on Kerry and his "heroism", but your devotion is admirable. He's a better choice than Dean, but will not likely carry the south, and that could spell his downfall.

 

[NetGuySC]

I have a real problem with Kerry protesting while marching under a North Vietnamese flag in Washington. But even without that he just does not strike me as Presidential. Edwards was Presidential but not Kerry

 

[XZeroII]

Originally posted by: NetGuySC
I have a real problem with Kerry protesting while marching under a North Vietnamese flag in Washington. But even without that he just does not strike me as Presidential.

 

[chess9]

Malucky:

Yes, I agree. As I've said before, I have lots of buddies who didn't get Bronze or Silver Stars after 2 tours in 'Nam. I'm talking Marines in the swamp and bush....

I'm not that impressed with Kerry's war record, but it IS a heck of a lot more impressive than Bush's.

-Robert

 

[DoubleL]

Since when does pulling a wounded man out of the water make you a hero and what about the men that was with Kerry why are they not hero's, In my unit it was no man will be left behind, We had a man die trying to get a dead man, Another took his place and we got the body, That is nothing to get a medal over that is just something you do, Hero's don't go over to be hero's and Kerry is no Hero,

 

[Tom]

Did you know that the mission of the Swift boats changed after Kerry signed up for them ? I don't think it's fair to portray Kerry as someone who was looking to be a hero, to collect medals, he was just trying to fullfill his duty to serve as he saw it. Circumstances put him in a position to demonstrate his valor under fire.

And while it's true that many showed equal or greater valor and did not get a medal, no one would deny this, but that does not mean that those who did get medals didn't deserve them.


Also something that is frequently overlooked is that Kerry served two tours in Vietnam theater, the first was on a missile frigate for 6 months.

Before some Kerry hater responds about the comparitive danger of that service, keep in mind that if you choose to denigrate that part of Kerry's military service, what are you saying about the other veterans who served in the Navy ?


Frankly, as a political issue in the 2004 campaign, people opposed to Kerry would be a lot smarter to try to keep the focus off of Kerry's military record because the more the facts come out the better he will look.

 

[DoubleL]

Did you know that the mission of the Swift boats changed after Kerry signed up for them ? I don't think it's fair to portray Kerry as someone who was looking to be a hero, to collect medals, he was just trying to fullfill his duty to serve as he saw it. Circumstances put him in a position to demonstrate his valor under fir
And while it's true that many showed equal or greater valor and did not get a medal, no one would deny this, but that does not mean that those who did get medals didn't deserve them.

-I think it is fair to portray someone for what they are, Yes he got medals he didn't deserve-

Also something that is frequently overlooked is that Kerry served two tours in Vietnam theater, the first was on a missile frigate for 6 months.

-You call 6 months and 4 or 5 months two tours-

Before some Kerry hater responds about the comparitive danger of that service, keep in mind that if you choose to denigrate that part of Kerry's military service, what are you saying about the other veterans who served in the Navy ?

- I am not a Kerry hater, Just don't care for him, He doesn't tell the truth , I would not put any veteran down that served but I would put a person down if they did what Kerry did-

Frankly, as a political issue in the 2004 campaign, people opposed to Kerry would be a lot smarter to try to keep the focus off of Kerry's military record because the more the facts come out the better he will look.

-No it will not make a diff. one way or the other, The people that plane to vote for Kerry will no matter what but I will stand up for the men that was in Nam and I will not stand for anyone trying to put them down and I will not stand for the lies told about them and I don't care what party or who is doing it-

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: DoubleL
Did you know that the mission of the Swift boats changed after Kerry signed up for them ? I don't think it's fair to portray Kerry as someone who was looking to be a hero, to collect medals, he was just trying to fullfill his duty to serve as he saw it. Circumstances put him in a position to demonstrate his valor under fir
And while it's true that many showed equal or greater valor and did not get a medal, no one would deny this, but that does not mean that those who did get medals didn't deserve them.

-I think it is fair to portray someone for what they are, Yes he got medals he didn't deserve-

Also something that is frequently overlooked is that Kerry served two tours in Vietnam theater, the first was on a missile frigate for 6 months.

-You call 6 months and 4 or 5 months two tours-

Before some Kerry hater responds about the comparitive danger of that service, keep in mind that if you choose to denigrate that part of Kerry's military service, what are you saying about the other veterans who served in the Navy ?

- I am not a Kerry hater, Just don't care for him, He doesn't tell the truth , I would not put any veteran down that served but I would put a person down if they did what Kerry did-

Frankly, as a political issue in the 2004 campaign, people opposed to Kerry would be a lot smarter to try to keep the focus off of Kerry's military record because the more the facts come out the better he will look.

-No it will not make a diff. one way or the other, The people that plane to vote for Kerry will no matter what but I will stand up for the men that was in Nam and I will not stand for anyone trying to put them down and I will not stand for the lies told about them and I don't care what party or who is doing it-

What lies? DoubleL, did you serve over ther? If not where you even alive when that war was going on?

 

[chess9]

DoubleL:

I completely agree with your two posts. Kerry wasn't much of a hero and he, oddly it seems to me, got medals pretty quickly. But he didn't sit in the Officer's Club sucking down whiskey sours like one of the candidates.

Also, as I recall a "tour of duty" was 18 months for most units when I was in. I may be wrong, though.

-Robert

 

[NetGuySC]

Funny how the democrats that are here bolstering kerry's military record are probably some of the same people that supported the draft dodging Clinton.

Since when did military service become a priority to Democrats?????

 

[Shad0hawK]

Originally posted by: NetGuySC
Funny how the democrats that are here bolstering kerry's military record are probably the same people that supported the draft dodging Clinton.

Since when did military service become a priority to Democrats?????

it so kerry can use a whole war where tens of thousands died to promote himself, while they point the finger at bush for a few seconds of 911 video and be uberhypocrites.

also the fact that many other 911 families were not offended is somehow irrelevant,and the fact many 911 families and a new york firefighter liked them..but that must NEVER be mentioned!

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: NetGuySC
Funny how the democrats that are here bolstering kerry's military record are probably some of the same people that supported the draft dodging Clinton.

Since when did military service become a priority to Democrats?????

are you slow?

did clinton call himself a war president?

did clinton play dressup and do pretend landings on carriers?

No, Bush called himself a war president and made it an issue. it is republicans that spent endless hours lambasting clinton as a draft dodger. it is chicken hawk draft dodgers like cheney and limbaugh that try to link service with patriotism, and hold others to higher standards then themselves. now that the tables are turned, its not so funny is it?

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: sMiLeYz
he is the man

Kerry Reunited With Serviceman He Saved


January 17, 2004

AP

by Mike Glover
Des Moines -

John Kerry, battling in a Democratic nomination contest too close to call, held an emotional campaign trail reunion Saturday with a fellow serviceman he rescued 35 years ago in Vietnam.

"He could have been shot and killed at any time," Jim Rassmann said at a subsequent campaign rally. "I figure I owe him my life."


The retired Los Angeles police officer's remarks came shortly after he and Kerry reunited with a teary embrace arranged by Kerry's campaign staff after Rassmann telephoned from his Oregon home Friday and said he wanted to help Kerry.


"I wrote you in '84," Rassmann told Kerry as they hugged.


"I never got it," said Kerry.

The Massachusetts senator's staff said the two had not talked since 1969 when Kerry, skipper of a river patrol boat, was retreating under fire with a group of other boats when he noticed someone in the water, reversed course and fished a wounded Rassmann from the water.

Kerry was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions.

"I'm very emotional about this," said Kerry after the two met at a community center. "I'm very touched. I never thought I'd see the guy again. I'm amazed."

Rassmann said he's a registe
red Republican, but plans to vote for Kerry.

Kerry's staff said they did not tell the senator of the impending meeting until a few hours before it happened, even though they had been working out details since receiving Rassmann's call Friday.

Kerry scrapped an appearance at a multi-candidate event to make the appearance with Rassmann.

How can you honestly think that John Kerry is someone less than honorable, you may disagree with his politics, but he is a man of character.

Its all lies

 

[Gravity]

Originally posted by: tec699
You all better vote for this guy or your all terrorist!! He's an American hero who deserves to be Prez!!

Or what?

 

[DZip]

So he did something right during his tour of duty. So did millions of others. After he became a "hero" , he returned home and accused others of war crimes and supported the enemy of the US. What does something heroic that happened 35 years ago have to do with what he plans to do today? His political record is what we need to be concerned about. How would he handle our future? He needs to explain his plans for combating terrorism and his reason for increasing our taxes. Complaining about Bush offers me no vaild reason for giving him my vote. I need to know what will he do and how does he plan to do it.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: DZip
So he did something right during his tour of duty. So did millions of others. After he became a "hero" , he returned home and accused others of war crimes and supported the enemy of the US.

He never supported Nixon!

What does something heroic that happened 35 years ago have to do with what he plans to do today?

Well it shows he's a man of convictions unlike the Dub whose only convictions have been for a DUI

His political record is what we need to be concerned about. How would he handle our future? He needs to explain his plans for combating terrorism and his reason for increasing our taxes. Complaining about Bush offers me no vaild reason for giving him my vote. I need to know what will he do and how does he plan to do it.

I do agree that he needs to lay out what he is going to do and mean it unlike the "We will not get in the Business of Nation Building" and "We will not be the Worlds Policeman" Bullsh!t that the Dub gave us when he was running.

Frankly he's to liberal for my taste but then again the Dub is way to incompenent for my liking too!

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: NetGuySC
I have a real problem with Kerry protesting while marching under a North Vietnamese flag in Washington. But even without that he just does not strike me as Presidential. Edwards was Presidential but not Kerry

and what is your baseline for this "looking presidential"?? George W Bush??

HAHAHAHAHAHA

compared to bush, the bums on the street looking presidential. at least kerry can pronoune Nuclear.

 

[NetGuySC]

at least Bush never marched under a North Vietnamese flag like Mr. I got a splinter in my finger, give me my Purple Heart Kerry did.


"Number of soldiers that George Bush spat on- Zero. Number of soldiers that John Kerry spat on-Endless."