ABC News: Kerry video tape contradicts Kerry comments/website re: medals

[TheStateChief]

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Politics/Investigation/kerry_vietnam_medals_040425.html


April 25— Contradicting his statements as a candidate for president, Sen. John Kerry claimed in a 1971 television interview that he threw away as many as nine of his combat medals to protest the war in Vietnam.

"I gave back, I can't remember, 6, 7, 8, 9 medals," Kerry said in an interview on a Washington, D.C. news program on WRC-TV's called Viewpoints on November 6, 1971, according to a tape obtained by ABCNEWS. Throughout his presidential campaign, Kerry has denied that he threw away any of his 11 medals during an anti-war protest in April, 1971.

His campaign Web site calls it a "right wing fiction" and a smear. And in an interview with ABCNEWS' Peter Jennings last December, he said it was a "myth."

But Kerry told a much different story on Viewpoints. Asked about the anti-war veterans who threw their medals away, Kerry said "they decided to give them back to their country."

Kerry was asked if he gave back the Bronze Star, Silver Star and three Purple Hearts he was awarded for combat duty as a Navy lieutenant in Vietnam. "Well, and above that, I gave back the others," he said.

The statement directly contradicts Kerry's most recent claims on the disputed subject to the Los Angeles Times last Friday. "I never ever implied that I did it, " Kerry told the newspaper, responding to the question of whether he threw away his medals in protest.

"I'm proud of my medals. I always was proud of them," he told Jennings in December, adding that he had only thrown away his "ribbons" and the medals of two other veterans who could not attend the protest.

[madmax]

1. I remember him saying he threw away his ribbons

but, not his medals. :shrug:

[LittleApple81]

2. If true then he has contradicted himself. I am sorry. We don't need this.

In the larger scheme of things, it is really non important. But the Bushits are going to make this an issue bigger than Michael Jackson.

[TheStateChief]

4. It isn't important...

but why doesn't he just level with everyone and say he screwed up when he was younger? Everyone would shrug their shoulders and say "big deal". Instead he goes out of his way to say the opposite of what he said on video tape and it just reinforces the image that Bushco is trying to paint of Kerry as a habitual flip-flopper.

I'm half cringing waiting to hear what he says tomorrow.

[Snivi Yllom]

27. circular firing squad once again

sigh

[flpoljunkie]

32. Here are photos of Navy purple heart, silver star, and bronze star medals

http://military.usmedals.com/medals.html?s=usmc&p=ww2&id_medals=0426MI871032
http://military.usmedals.com/ribbons.html?id_medals=0426MI871032

The second link is for ribbons, which are used to display one or more stars; they are horizontal with no hearts or stars attached. They are evidently considered as medals themselves in the previous medal link.

[flpoljunkie]

38. Photos of Navy service ribbons. They have no stars, hearts attached.

http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/ribbons/Navy1.html







Notice some "ribbons" on this page are also called "medals"!

I find what Thomas Oliphant said on the Kerry DBunker site conclusive:

1971: Oliphant Writes About Kerry’s Medals, But Actually Means Ribbons:

http://blog.johnkerry.com/dbunker/archives/cat_vietnam_war_protests.html

2004: "Never Any Confusion" from Reporter Who Covered Kerry in 1971:

“Thomas Oliphant, who was reporting on the event the event that day for the Boston Globe, recalled that Kerry reached over the fence to place his own service ribbons as well as medals he had received from other veterans. ‘I never had any confusion about what he did,’ said Oliphant, now a Boston Globe columnist, ‘that he had kept his Silver Star, Purple Hearts and Bronze Star.’ ” [John F. Kerry: The Complete Biography by the Boston Globe Reporters Who Know Him Best, pps 127-128; 2004

[Sinistrous]

3. Finally! A major issue

the illiterati can wrap their atrophied brains around as they lead us into the glories of the fourth reich.

</sarcasm>

[Feanorcurufinwe]

5. But is it true that Bush threw away his fillings?

[Tinoire]

6. Who to cater to next?

The first hint of a bit of disconnect in your style was when during your first Senate campaign you denied returning your war medals, with a thousand other veterans, in protest of the war during Dewey Canyon III. That was a bit of a shock, since for most veterans who returned their medals in that emotional ceremony on Friday, April 23, 1971, it was a very proud and healing moment. Your 1984 campaign response: You had returned the medals of a WWII acquaintance at his direction. All those 13 years everyone thought you had had the courage and leadership to return medals that to veterans who returned them represented medals of dishonor drenched in the blood of innocent Vietnamese who did not deserve to die for a lie, any more than our fellow US Americans. I guess you knew then that you were to be running for office.


October 15, 2002

An Open Letter to Sen. John Kerry on Iraq
Brian Willson, A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT who had his legs severed for standing up for what he believed in.

http://www.brianwillson.com/awolkerry.html


Kerry should consider NOT flaunting this subject; flaunting it calls for a more detailed look.

[NMDemDist2]

7. good grief-- the only thing W threw away in '71

was his daddy's money for cocaine

[TheStateChief]

8. Kerry's response

Appears from his website that they will argue that he didn't throw away medals, but the ribbons that represented the medals. I don't know if that's a good response or not because it certainly doesn't sound consistent with what he said in 1971. I guess we'll see tomorrow morning.

[TheStateChief]

10. Oops. Here's the link to Kerry website

http://blog.johnkerry.com/dbunker/archives/cat_vietnam_war_protests.html

[JDPriestly]

9. The ABC item does not quote Kerry clearly.

ABC interprets what Kerry supposedly said to mean he gave back his own medals. But, the few quotes ABC attributes to Kerry don't make it clear whether Kerry said he gave back his own medals or the medals of other people. I think we need to hear the Kerry interview or read the full transcript to figure out what he really said. Even if we do find out what he actually said, it may be ambiguous.

[richmwill]

11. Medals

If the American public finds this story more scandalous than a "President" outright lying to lead his country into a war, which has cost the lives of hundreds of citizens, all to boost his approval ratings- then that's a sad day for this country, in my opinion.

[Democat]

17. It's not the public, but the media - read the article, it's tabloid!

When Bush lies, the media says that some partisan Democrats are daring to question his wisdom.

When Kerry changes his mind, he's an unexcusable and absolute liar who isn't fit to be president.

This is not a problem with the public, but with the right wing media.

ABC is trying to out fox Fox by trashing Kerry and defending Bush.

[blondeatlast]

20. Welcome to DU; you've found a home!

:toast:

[newyawker99]

25. Hi richmwill!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[richmwill]

42. Thanks

Thanks to you and blondeatlast for the nice welcome.

[ngGale]

47. Welcome.....

to the DU. Enjoy!

[flpoljunkie]

44. Well said, richmwill!

Welcome to DU!

[rolodomo]

12. This article is full of crap....

There is no support for the conclusion that he threw away up to nine of his medals. He said that he "gave back" the medals during a protest. The first obvious question is why did he say "gave back" instead of "throw away" you dumbass press? By plain meaning, one seems broad and symbolic, the other narrow and literal. Don't you think you should answer that question first?? What basis do you have to equate giving back with throwing away?? I think it is pretty f* obvious he was TRYING TO AVOID saying he threw away his medals during the '71 interview. Plus, he never even said he "gave back" *HIS* medals. Don't you think it likely that if he had threw them away he would have simply said it?? Naw, that would deny us the chance to INSERT FICTIONAL WORDS INTO YOUR VERY OWN MOUTH!!! Earth to ABC: you're out of control.

[The_Casual_Observer]

13. Whats wrong with throwing away these medals?

He earned them, they were his. In this "free country" he can do anything he wants with them & it's nobody else's business.

[CityDem]

14. JKF needs to come clean

You are absolutely correct - they were his medals and it was his right to throw them in the sewer if JFK felt like it. However, he needs to be honest and dispel this image as someone who cannot tell the truth or give a straight answer. People will understand if he said that he threw the medals away because he was disgusted with the killing in Viet Nam. End of story. People do not like someone who shades the truth or is a liar. Kerry has to change his style or he will be badly beaten in 2004.

[onefreespiritedchick]

33. My sentiments exactly...

My heart fill with dread upon hearing about this earlier

[formernaderite]

41. He is very bad at responding to these sort of things....

...just like the bizarre SUV question....instead of a simple answer he starts to hhemmm and haw....that he doesn't have an SUB..but his family does.
He didn't throw medals, just ribbons...it's starting to get old.
An easier answer would have been, I threw my ribbons, and was referring to them only. In the heightt of the emotional chaos surrounding the war, I apologize for not being as precise.

[Old and In the Way]

15. Big Deal.

All of the medals earned by this administration wouldn't equal what Kerry was awarded. That's the real issue....

[Democat]

16. This is a fucking editorial attacking Kerry

"Kerry told a much different story..."

When would the press ever in history say that about Bush?

Bush told a "much different story" about Iraq before the war, but the fucking press will always say something like, "some partisan critics have hinted that Bush's story was slightly different".

What a fucking right wing scam the U.S. media is.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[blondeatlast]

21. "Once you become a hero..." So true, my friend.

Service in battle vs. alleged service at a desk; that's the issue.

Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[AngryAmish]

19. There is no contradiction

This is another story by ABC (who everybody knows is in the pocket of the Republican Party) who will say and do anything to injure Kerry. Liars, all of them.

[onefreespiritedchick]

36. ABC hardly...

Is in the pockets of the Republican Party. Actually, they're more to the left then most. Unfortunately, Kerry denies this matter to Peter Jennings in Decmember dispelling it as a myth, I'm sure there is an explanation for this.

[Cocoa]

37. wrong

ABC, particularly Chris Vlasto and Brian Ross, are out to get democrats. They played a big role in the impeachment, and they were responsible for the WORST mainstream news smear in the primaries, the shameful story about Dean condoning wife-beating by a VT state trooper.

[zulchzulu]

22. Yawn Factor on this: 9 out of 10

Surely the only ones who would give a rat's ass about this issue would be Freepers who have a self-loathing for backing an AWOL coward like the Chimp.

One side of their mouth would say that it shouldn't matter what someone did 33 years ago if it pertains to the Chimp's behavior.

The other Hannityesque moral relativistic side of their mouth would then quote this half-assed article as some kind of proof that Kerry possibly never even served in Vietnam or other cumquat garbage spewed from some Chimp Shill media channel.

People who love the Chimp will love this article. People who hate the Chimp and/or like/love Kerry will yawn. Those that don't know the difference will either not vote nor care about this "issue".

[Sparkly]

23. Email ABC

I think the "content" email address is: [email protected]

My email:

I am dismayed to see that you're focused on John Kerry's "Discarded Decorations" while George W. Bush's history from 1971 to the present day remains cloudy at best.

Which is it: "Nobody cares about what the candidates did that long ago," or "The candidates' statements and actions in 1971 matter enough to make news today?" Please apply the same standard to both candidates.

[Moderator]

24. TheStateChief

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
news source.


Thank you.

DU Moderator

[AP]

26. Net gain zero on this story.

If you didn't like Kerry before, this story just makes you like him less. If you liked him before, there's enough in this story that will allow people to let him off the hook. If you didn't have an opinion yet, I doubt an old story about Vietnam is going to make a difference, which is why this is coming out now and not in October. It's a story that compounds emotions rather than sways minds.

[SlackJaw]

28. Net Gain zero, maybe

The problem is that the more you make the opposition dislike him, the more likely they are to vote for Bush instead of a third party candidate. It also becomes less likely for someone who slightly dislikes Kerry to change his or her mind. It can never help Kerry for his negatives to be increased to a stronger negative even with those who already plan on not voting for him. JMHO

[eumesmo]

29. People won't care what he did 30+ years ago

But they do care about what he's doing now. If the public (i.e. swing voters) percieve that Kerry has been being dishonest now, during the campaign, that will hurt him. Otherwise it won't.

[Cocoa]

30. ABC sinking to the "thrown medals" story

a favorite story of the Skull and Bones freaks.

Imagine if the media was as dogged with Bush as they are about Kerry, imagine if they gave equally trivial stories legs about Bush as they do about Kerry.

[leftyandproud]

31. IT's a LIE folks...caught red handed..

stop defending it...Jesus Christ. Kerry made a mistake and should apologize for posting the LIE on his campaign website...especially when they have the FUC*ING VIDEO OF IT!!!!!!!!

[Cocoa]

34. it's been thoroughly covered

there's nothing new in this story.

Why aren't the media dredging up Harken Energy over and over? Their excuse is always "well, it's up to the Democrats to make it an issue."

But with Bush, they take the initiative themselves, and dig up dirt, even old dirt, on their own.

[Sparkly]

35. I'm confused.

What's the lie?

Where does he say that these were HIS medals?

Here's the website URL... Please explain where the lie is. I must be missing something.

http://blog.johnkerry.com/dbunker/archives/001343.html

[CharlieBakerAble]

45. The Kerry website was changed. Here's the before and after...

Before:


After:

[Tinoire]

39. Damn. It's good to know there are still some clear thinking people

here.

The problem is not medals or ribbons or where they Kerry's or someone else's- it's the subterfuge, the outright lie for years and telling different things to different audiences.

And this isn't the only instance.

Kerry needs to clean up his act and stop thinking he's smarter than everyone out there because he's insulting the intelligence of a good many people.

[Qutzupalotl]

40. What Kerry should say:

"So where are your medals, Mr. War President?"

[Demoin04]

43. The GOP campaigners love this

The GOP digs up something, makes a half baked statement and it's then bickered about for weeks. Eventually I think it'll end up not being talked about. I'm trying to post something on these half truths but I don't have enough posts yet.

Once again, we have political propoganda telling us how big an issue this is when it's not one. In the end taking away from the point of the medals, which is awol vs tour of duty.

[Zorra]

46. Uh, wait a minute here.....

Has anyone seen this videotape? Is there a direct transcript?

Because this can really be taken out of context. Something stinks like smear about the way this article is written.