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| KERRY CAMPAIGN BACKTRACKS ON FIRST PURPLE HEART AWARD |
| 2004-08-24 |
| Campaign Says May Have Been Self-Inflicted In a reversal of their staunch defense of John Kerry's military service record, Kerry campaign officials were quoted by Fox News saying that it was indeed possible that John Kerry's first Purple Heart commendation was the result of an, unintentional, self-inflicted wound." "GARRETT: And questions keep coming. For example, Kerry received a Purple Heart for wounds suffered on December 2, 1968. But in Kerry's own journal written nine days later, he writes he and his crew, quote, "hadn't been shot at yet," unquote. Kerry's campaign has said it is possible this first Purple Heart was awarded for an unintentional self-inflicted wound -- Brit." (Special Report with Brit Hume Aug.23, 2004)A recent television ad from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth featured Doctor Lewis Letson who treated Kerry for his minor injury and Grant Hibbard who served as John Kerry's direct commander on the mission where he claimed his medal. Both men say Kerry did not deserve the medal given the fact that Kerry received a very minor wound requiring no more than band-aid treatment and because the wound was not a direct result of hostile fire, a requirement for a Purple Heart commendation. "When Grant Hibbard and Doctor Letson appeared in our ad, they were attacked and vilified by the Kerry campaign but now we see news reports saying the Kerry campaign is now sheepishly acknowledging that what we said was true," said Admiral Hoffmann, founder of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. "John Kerry's own journal reinforces the fact that neither Kerry nor his crew had seen hostile enemy action. John Kerry's first Purple Heart medal is based on fiction." Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is calling on the Kerry campaign to apologize to Grant Hibbard and Doctor Letson as the men did nothing more than come forward to speak the truth about the situation involving John Kerry's first Purple Heart medal. |
| Posted by:Bill Nelson |
| #11 Talk about looking foolish... MSNBC's chief political analyst was on Scarborough Country tonight debating Pat Buchanan. (If it weren't for the graphic I'd have assumed the guy was a paid Kerry flak. Rather, he was a volunteer. Any-who...) The political analyst was going on and on about all the 'journalistic scrutiny' on "Unfit for Command" showing that none of the Swift Vet stories re: Kerry awards are standing up. Apparently this guy didn't get the memo on the backtrack. Buchanan had already read the story, though. The phone rang, so I didn't hear if PB read the story to him or not. In the words of Glenn Reynolds: heh. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2004-08-24 11:29:20 PM |
| #10 If I were a liberal journalist, I'd be doing some real soul searching right now. Liberal journalists have souls? |
| Posted by: GK 2004-08-24 10:42:29 PM |
| #9 Chris Matthews, Keith OB, etc., etc., all look very foolish. Liberal press...you have no credibility. |
| Posted by: jawa 2004-08-24 10:21:08 PM |
#8 If I were a liberal journalist, I'd be doing some real soul searching right now. Which is more important to me: my self-respect, or getting John-John into the White House?C'mon, Dave D; you know the answer to that question. And it ain't self-respect. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-08-24 10:16:58 PM |
| #7 There is a very enlightening post over at polipundit.com about Kerry's service. The second of three has been posted. The first dealt with the evalutations. The second is about Kerry's service period. |
| Posted by: AF Lady 2004-08-24 9:58:04 PM |
| #6 I do not think the press thought thought they were covering for Johnny K. They simply bought his warrior personna as the preferred alternative to GW. After all Michael Moore said so. They have spent four years telling us that Bush and Cheney lie. Turns out Kerry LIES. Now how are they going to explain the last few years? Ignore the story and shoot the messengers. |
| Posted by: john 2004-08-24 9:35:16 PM |
| #5 Stlll trying to cover, big-time. This week's Slime (p. 18) has a handy one-pager called "Kerry In Combat: Setting the Record Straight" which compares "The Charge" (what the Swifties say on a point) with "The Evidence" (what Kerry or his shills say about the same point.) What liberal media? Of course, being deadtree media, Slime doesn't even have the latest version of Kerry's position on the issues, such as the article posted here. So many positions, so little time. |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-08-24 9:21:16 PM |
| #4 I am not sure that this bandwagon can stay on the road much longer. The good news is that he has the next 70 to slide into the abyss. The bad news is that the press will throw him line after line to try to keep him afloat. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2004-08-24 9:19:35 PM |
| #3 They're still covering for him, but I sense their esprit du corps is beginning to flag. They sure as hell have to be starting to wonder-- at least some of them-- whether they really want to sacrifice what little respect they still have among the public for this fatuous poseur. They also have to be wondering: what if Skipper Flippy wins? Do they really want to spend the next four years making themselves look like fools by doing damage control for what surely will be an endless string of spectacular screwups? Do they really want to endure four years of trying to justify their blatant support of this dolt in his campaign? If I were a liberal journalist, I'd be doing some real soul searching right now. Which is more important to me: my self-respect, or getting John-John into the White House? |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2004-08-24 9:18:12 PM |
| #2 Are the wheels coming off the Kerry bandwagon yet? Or is the press still covering for this guy? |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2004-08-24 9:06:11 PM |
| #1 It was a teeny weeney rice wound a'schemey that he tried out the first time that day..... |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-08-24 8:04:31 PM |