Kerry Pays Tribute to Fellow Veterans
John Kerry paid a solemn early morning visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Monday, offering a quiet Memorial Day counterpoint to President Bushâs tribute to the fallen across the Potomac River at Arlington National Cemetery.
Did he mention that he had served in Vietnam?
On a cool, misty morning, Kerry slowly walked along the black granite wedge, pausing to seek out a few names of significance to him.
Does that include the names of those who died because of his and Hanoi Janeâs pro-Vietcong / anti-American antics which convienced the North Vietmanese hign command to continue the war and not seek peace?
Kerry visited the wall with the family of William Bronson of Gardner, Mass. Bronson died in 1976 from a seizure related to a head wound he suffered in 1968 during combat in Vietnam. The Democratic presidential candidate worked with Bronsonâs family and the Navy to have Bronsonâs name added to the wall. His name was recently inscribed on the memorial wall and will be officially enrolled during ceremonies later Monday. "Iâm very happy we could get this done," Kerry told Bronsonâs mother, Barbara, and other family members Monday. "He belongs here." Kerry placed a wreath near Bronsonâs name and made the sign of the cross before pausing for a few moments of silence.
The wall is a touchstone of sorts for Kerry, who came home from Vietnam with three Purple Hearts and Silver and Bronze stars - and growing dismay at the way the war was unfolding. He soon became a leader of the pro-vietcong/North-vietmanese anti-american anti-war movement. A number of Kerryâs close friends from decades past are among the dead whose names are etched on the memorialâs polished black granite walls. It was here that Kerry brought his future wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, when he first began seeing her. They stopped to stroll along the memorial as he drove her home from a dinner party in 1994.
This must have been where he told her he once served in Vietnam...
From Washington, Kerry was heading to Portsmouth, Va., where he was to join Virginia Gov. Mark Warner and Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott for the cityâs annual Memorial Day parade. Portsmouth is home of the naval shipyard. Just last week, the Kerry campaign signaled new interest in Republican-leaning Virginia when it announced plans to begin running TV ads in the state. Population shifts over the past few years have made Virginia more attractive to Democrats, campaign aides say. And the campaign hopes Kerryâs war record will have particular appeal along the Virginia coast, with its heavy military presence.
Hmm... someone needs to drag out his true war record and anti-war record....
Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-05-31 |