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Jean-Pierre Kerry whines to President
2004-02-22
Tip to DU (really)
February 21, 2004

Dear President Bush,

Over the last week, you and your campaign have initiated a widespread attack on my service in Vietnam, my decision to speak out to end that war, and my commitment to the defense of this nation. Just today, Saxby Chambliss-- a man elected to the US Senate on the back of one of the most despicable campaigns ever conducted against Max Cleland, a true American Hero-- was carrying this attack for you.

As you well know, Vietnam was a very difficult and painful period in our nation’s history, and the struggle for our veterans continues. So, it has been hard to believe that you would choose to re-open these wounds for your personal political gain. But, that is what you have chosen to do.

I am fighting to become the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. Even before Democrats make their choice, you’ve launched a campaign of attacks against me. I am determined to run a campaign on the great challenges facing this country-- from creating jobs, to solving our health care crisis to getting our nation’s ballooning deficit under control. But I will not sit back and allow my patriotism to be challenged.

America deserves a better debate. If you want to debate the Vietnam era, and the impact of our experiences on our approaches to presidential leadership, I am prepared to do so.

This is not a debate to be distorted through your $100 million dollar campaign fund. This is a debate that should be conducted face to face.
Mr. President, I hope you will conduct a campaign worthy of this nation’s future.

Sincerely,
John Kerry

I took the liberty of responding for the President:
Dear Whiney Senator John Friggin Krybaby,

After six-months listening to charges of being AWOL, liar, cheat, murder, and just plain stupid I find your letter most comical. You did your time in Nam and you have a fine record there. When you returned you dishonored yourself and accused you fellow soldiers of despicable war crimes. If that wrong please correct YOUR testimony before Congress.

As for flying fighter jets and not going to Vietnam. While no one was shooting at me I was intercepting TU-95s over the North Pole while flying an outdated Fighter. Not exactly work for the faint of heart or pussies. Of course we didn’t have the cheap liquor and whores to visit after the mission either. Is that where you sustained your ‘war’ injuries? Can we view your medical records for that time period?

Exactly how long did you expect to run around the country leveling charges about me, my administration, and my family before we responded? So you don’t have a large election budget? Well blame that on the ‘reform’ you idiots passed in Congress (you voted for it). Maybe your wife will loan you a few bucks if you ‘take care of business’ (if you know what I mean). Or possibly you can get that Capitalists turned Commie Soros to channel money to you. But that not my problem!

I loved to write more but I have a team building seminar with my staff this afternoon. We're racing diesel trucks on the Artic refuge and then clubbing harp seals for dinner. You should try it sometime. On Monday I have a meeting with my dark overlords at Haliburton and Exxon. We are shaving puppies and using a sling shot to fire them into shark infested waters (WHAT FUN).

See you on the Campaign trail,
W
Posted by:

#20  I found the comment about the non serving republicans to be a bit humorous also. Especially since the 108th congress has 91 republicans with military service and only 63 democrats with service.
My son was home from college this weekend and he brought along three of his friends who are avowed liberals. The five of us sit up late at night and argue politics, and this morning when we all saw and heard Kerry's remarks, the three Kerry supporters, hung their heads and mumbled something that sounded like "what is this idiot trying to do?"
Posted by: Lou   2004-2-22 11:53:02 PM  

#19  Well, this settles it: Kerry's a coward.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-2-22 8:26:37 PM  

#18  I dont want to call into question his service in Vietnam. I *do* however want him to open up his service record for full disclosure like Bush did.

My response to Kerry's letter would be:

Dear Kerry,

Put up or shut up. Your side opened up the whole debate about Vietnam and now you don't have the belly for it?

Open you your service record for all to see like Bush did.


And, yes I do have every right to question your service when you are running for President. You questioned Bush'es now its your turn...
Posted by: CrazyFool   2004-2-22 6:33:18 PM  

#17  Anonymous is on the mark! Do not denigrate his Viet Nam service. His actions after, and his votes in Congress are open game - that's why he's trying to0 cover his sorry ass by pre-empting any rightful criticism. He's got skeletons in the closet and is afraid they'll be exposed. Do it Karl!
Posted by: Frank G   2004-2-22 6:06:37 PM  

#16  JFM
Try this and this
Posted by: tipper   2004-2-22 5:57:05 PM  

#15  The man served. He was awarded medals. To split hairs about "flesh wounds" and such is neither fair or useful. The focus should be on Kerry's public record since returning from Vietnam, not on whether his awards were justified. Attacking his medals serves no useful purpose and focuses attention AWAY from Kerry's rather revealing public record post Vietnam.
Posted by: Anonymous   2004-2-22 5:37:47 PM  

#14  Let's see. A Bronze and Silver Star for a dubious action where the only witnesses were a four-men crew (who also got their share of rewards for the action). And three insignificant wounds in rapid succession who did't incapacitate him but put him out of Vietnam. Am I the only one who thinks that this smells as if at least the two non-incapacitating wounds could have been self-inflicted?


BTW Where are the Bronze and Silver Stars in the hierarchy of medals? "El Cheapo" medals distributed left and right or something awarded for really admirable actions just behind the Medal of Honorr?

Posted by: JFM   2004-2-22 5:08:50 PM  

#13  As for Capt. Max Cleland who was injured by a socalled "grenade accident" in 1971, it was more likely a FRAGGING. In 1971, Hanoi John was a leader in Vietnam Vets Against the War which was encouraged US military personnel in Vietnam to FRAG their officers. When I see Max Cleland today clapping for Hanoi John by patting his arm stump with his one remaining hand, I feel very sorry for Max. He is being EXPLOITED like a sideshow freak at a carnival.
Posted by: Garrison   2004-2-22 4:23:56 PM  

#12  Lt. Kerry served honorably for FIVE months of his 12-month tour. Then he turned tail and RAN. He used his three FLESH WOUNDS -- which did not prevent him from performing his duty -- to take advantage of a US Navy regulation allowing a sailor with three Purple Hearts to transfer out of the war zone. To take that easy out and leave his band of brothers behind was COWARDICE. He turned CHICKEN. And it is relevant as Senator Kerry has a tendency to turn CHICKEN too. He voted to send our military to war in Iraq, turned CHICKEN, and voted to defund the war. Kerry is a COWARD who has repeatedly provided AID and COMFORT to this nation's enemies. Kerry has pissed off Vietnam Veterans and voters like me -- the children of Vietnam Veterans.
Posted by: Garrison   2004-2-22 4:11:57 PM  

#11  Huh? Oh well... paste it into your browser...

http://rantburg.com/popArticle.asp?ID=26587

Posted by: WUZZALIB   2004-2-22 3:03:08 PM  

#10  JFM--

Try this....

Posted by: WUZZALIB   2004-2-22 3:02:12 PM  

#9  Anyone knows what medals were awarded to Kerry? The French press is portraying him as a war hero but the idea of being awarded with a medal just for being wounded (and Kerry's wounds were light) ever looked silly to me. It reflects on a guy's lack of luck but real medals are awarded for performance (eg Sregent York bagging over 100 bad guys) or heroism (eg going into no-man's land to rescue a wounded comrade).

So did Mr Kerry do something hearoic or did he just collect a million dollars wound? (for the political clout)
Posted by: JFM   2004-2-22 2:27:30 PM  

#8  The funniest thing about this: the criticism hasn't even been that bad... yet. I 'spect come around August the blogosphere will be white hot with this issue.

Take heart, folk. We KNOW where Kerry is vulnerable now, and he will be toast in Nov. 2004.
Posted by: badanov   2004-2-22 1:56:58 PM  

#7  When did W challenge Kewwy's patriotism? His letter sounds like everybody's little sister, whining to the parents. If he wants to go after the male vote, of which he has about 5%, he should try another tactic.
Posted by: Mr. Davis   2004-2-22 1:07:19 PM  

#6  Bwahhahahhhhaaaa! Now that Nader is in the race, Kerry is stepping to the center so fast that he's tripped.

Perhaps someone should explain to Kerry the concept of publicity. I'm sure the Bush campaign is so busy faxing out copies of Kerr's letter that their fingers are sore. Discussions re: Kerry's anti-war activities can only benefit Bush.
Posted by: B   2004-2-22 12:59:05 PM  

#5  Same old thing acid, amnesty and abortion. I liked the old democrats of Rum, Romanism and Rebellion...
Posted by: Shipman   2004-2-22 12:23:21 PM  

#4  I guess I forgot to put my contact info on this. It's my post but the titled was altered, rightly so I might add. What the letter should have said was: I am out of money and ideas! Please don't pick on me until I get some of each. IMO Cleland needs some meds, but what democrats doeasn't?
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2004-2-22 12:21:03 PM  

#3  I just about fell off my chair this morning when I heard this. All this is an intimidation tactic to try to get the GOP not to say anything about his postwar activities. And did you hear his message later something to the effect "I don't know what it is about all the republicans who didn't serve in Vietnam trying to disparage the patriotism of us democrats who did." I hope his last statement pisses off a bunch of republican veterans like myself.

The dems are trying to rebuild themselves as the party of the military. I think their voting record and action over the past couple of decades speak for itself.
Posted by: AF Lady   2004-2-22 12:07:18 PM  

#2  Porphyrogenitus had this to say about negative campaigning:
I hereby assert that the Democrats, not the Republicans, are superior at negative campaigns. [....]Any fool can run a negative campaign. But it takes special skill for the Democrats and their supporters, like the NAACP, to run the sort of campaigns they have and maintain a "clean" reputation. Or maybe special dispensation rather than special skill. The worst that is ever said in the press about Democratic negative campaigning is that "both sides do it". For the last several months, the Democratic candidates have been saying scathing things about President Bush and Republicans in general. At every debate that I've seen, a question has been directed at the leading Democratic candidate on the subject of negative campaigns. However, it has always gone something like this:

Newsperson Panelist: "As you know, the Wascally Wepublicans are just waiting to unleash a torrent of negative campaign tactics against you, if you win the nomination, what will you do about it?

Candidate: You know, Tom, I want to run a positive campaign on the issues of how Bush decieved us and ruined the economy and denies people the drugs they need to live. I'm going to run a positive campaign about how Republicans are selfish, have turned this into a third-world country filled once again with Hooverville shantytowns and are enriching their Enron buddies while starving the troops of funds, and Nixon got us into Vietnam, how there are two Americas: one with fat Republicans in stovepipe hats conspiring over Trusts while putting the other America, of workers, to the wall and sicking their Pinkertons on them, and how you can’t trust Bush. That’s my positive vision for America, the one I want to campaign on. But I'm ready for the Republican’s negative hit-job campaign of character assassination and lies like when they'll try to point out I voted against funding the troops or say I want to raise taxes just because I do want to raise taxes, and I'll fight back when it comes.
Panelist: Thank you
Post-debate Analyst: That was a very good answer [John Kerry/Howard Dean/Fill in Candidate Here] gave on how they're running a positive campaign but will fight back when the Republicans say mean things about him. [....]
Posted by: GK   2004-2-22 11:56:47 AM  

#1  nice post - take credit for it, whoever wrote it...

Kerry's trying to use Max ("I picked up a grenade at a radio relay station and it exploded - I'm no hero") Cleland as a shield for his dishonest, dishonorable, and objectionable actions after the war and in Congress. W would be a fool to do anything but ridicule this pussy's whining.
Posted by: Frank G   2004-2-22 11:41:01 AM  

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