Come on - David Wade's Belushi quote is pretty durn funny. And all by itself it made this pissing match kind of entertaining. Now I really want to see if old T Boone can back it up.

And like any good RepubliCON, when Kerry refutes every one of Pickens' accusations, Pickens won't pay one dime.

If somebody told the lies about you that these people told about Kerry, would you consider it "picking the scab" to object a mere three years later?

Is it really so totally inconceivable to you that from Kerry's standpoint there might actually be a matter of honor involved? I'd hate to think so, because that would be an awful reflection on you.

Dirty campaign tricks, especially outrageous lies, should be exposed and hooted down and shot down and never allowed to rest.

Look what Rove's methods have done to our Republic. Our elections are dominated by utter nonsense.

The Republicans' only hope in 2008 is to make the election about anything but the serious issues. Their mudball-throwing must be resisted forcefully.

In the end, its not really all that funny. Rich guy makes up lies about candidate and foolish public take up the easy rant and rave. Its not funny especially when seen in the reflection of an opposition that avoided any part of service in Vietnam thru deferments and special consideration.

You've got to be kidding. Kerry has every right to be upset about the smearing of his honorable wartime service by a group of conniving hypocrites that berated him nationally to put two draft...ahem...circumventers in charge of our country. For him to allow those lies to be circulated unrepudiated would be an incredible disservice to our national history and our nation. Good for him-- I hope the Democratic spin machine finally wakes up and uses this to its advantage.

Never read this lady's stuff before. Does she always sound so (right-wing) biased?

Hey Kerry - why all the drama? Just release all your records like you promised.

Its easy. Just do it. Unless you are hiding something.......

Hey Kerry - why all the drama? Just release all your records like you promised.

Its easy. Just do it. Unless you are hiding something.......

One thing to remember about the whole sorry swiftboat campaign was that John McCain could never find a way to speak out against the sleazy gang that put out the ads, or the ads themselves. His most telling response to the adds were that he couldn't do anything about them.

John could have been Vice President in a national unity government that would now be in its third year of healing the grave wounds to the body politic that HIS party has been responsible for. He chose to stand by the divider in chief, and tolerate the sleaze thrown at John Kerry, thereby showing that he could be as lacking in class as any Republican on earth, in the hope that this time the Republican Party would decide that it was his turn to be the man.

Now they still treat him like a boy. He let his dignity take a powder in 2004, so he can't even retire with that in tact, but he ought to retire anyway before some even more undignified posture seizes his parting image.

Where did the Post find THIS moron? She makes Novak sound halfway sane. Neat trick!

What? Didn't the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor? What's the joke exactly?

Mary Ann Akers is truly a very lame sleuth. If someone impugned YOUR integrity and destroyed your career and THEN dared anyone to catch them in their lies would you consider that a picking of the scab by YOU?

Yay for Kerry. He would have been a fabulous President.
.

In an attempt to intimidate them from accepting the SwiftVets' advertisements, the Kerry campaign's lawyers threatened in writing to sue TV stations who'd agreed to accept the SwiftVets' paid political advertisements. Kerry supporters, including former Gore speechwriter and Democratic consultant Kenneth Baer (writing in The New Republic), urged him to sue -- arguing that even if he failed to recover money damages due to the difficult "actual malice" standard for public figure defamation lawsuits, he'd nonetheless prove the falsity of the SwiftVets' allegations in court.

But most states have a short statute of limitations on defamation cases, typically only one year; Kerry's home state of Massachusetts has a comparatively generous one, permitting three years before such claims are deemed time-barred. Kerry has permitted more than three years to pass since the SwiftVets made their allegations public, most prominently through the publication of O'Neil & Corsi's book "Unfit for Command." If he thought he could prove the falsity of the SwiftVets' allegations -- after full pretrial discovery, including compulsory production of witnesses and documentary evidence he's successfully stonewalled producing (e.g., his war diaries) -- Kerry has forfeited that chance.

The only logical inferences available, then, are that Kerry either doesn't care about his reputation, or else that he is deathly afraid to have it tested IN COURT. If he were prevented by the rules of procedure and evidence from filibustering and evading, the myth of his "heroic record" would evaporate, and matters that he's successfully kept off the public radar screen despite the SwiftVets' advertisements -- e.g., his trip(s) to Paris to meet with the Viet Cong while Americans were still fighting in Viet Nam and Kerry was still a reserve officer in the Navy -- would finally become broadly known.

"It all started when Swift Boat financier and megabucks Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens said earlier this month that he'd give a million dollars to anyone who can disprove even a single charge the Swifties made against Kerry's Vietnam record."

So, Ms. Mary Ann Makers, according to para 2 of your "story" it all started with Pickens making his challenge.
But still you lead in para 1 with " Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) can't help himself: he just has to pick the scab every time the folks he blames for ruining his 2004 presidential campaign open their mouths. "

Anything to make Kerry look bad right?

**************************************************

MaryAnn Akers must be married to somebody to keep her job; this scab-picking lede is embarassing. Pickens laid down the bet; Kerry accepted it; Pickens changed the bet.

It's classic GOP change-the-rules behavior, but Akers finds a way to lie in her lede, and make it about Kerry picking a scab.

Is she a legacy hire, perhaps?

****************************************************

I've been searching for T. Boone PIckens' military service in his bios. Can anyone provide a link?

I thought by now, after 17 posts, somebody would have cited PROOF that one of the claims against Kerry was false.

I imagine it's hard to come by, and really just boils down to a matter of opinion or hearsay.

I'd love to know what the arbiter of proof turns out to be if this challenge actually plays out.

Beldar wrote:
"he only logical inferences available, then, are that Kerry either doesn't care about his reputation, or else that he is deathly afraid to have it tested IN COURT."

You've never participated in litigation have you? It's expensive, time-consuming, and frustrating because the rules of evidence and procedure trump logic. Kerry would look spiteful, even if he won.

I'm still amazed that the people who claim to "support the troops" don't grasp the logical inconsistency of trying to disprove Kerry's war service as unworthy of honor. In 30 years, when a Democratic candidate with a medals award while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan comes forward, will you also minimize his service?

Kerry may be as stiff as a board in public, but the SOB put his butt on the line while Cheney and Bush were partying at home. Every member of Kerry's crew survived while he was in command. Bush and Cheney can't make the same claim.

She's married to Michael Isikoff. She is nothing but a gossip columnist who, obviously, thinks that writing with tired, sophomoric metaphors is witty.
As for Senator Kerry, he could have sued, but he's a Senator, for God's sake. He has better things to do with his time, like legislating.
As far as proof goes, his shipmates have been backing Kerry all of the way. They were there.
T. Boone Pickens war record is nothing, zero, nada. He's a Texan oil and takeover thief who supported Bush because Bush made him richer. And, like most rich Texans, they think they can do or say anything they want to get what they want.
It's crooks like Pickens that demean the political process and have made this country the laughingstock it is today in the world.
My only hope is that his holdings are in the US Dollar, so he can feel a little of the pain this kleptocracy of George W. Shrub has caused so many.

Even more disgusting in the Swift Boat episode : the "purple band aids" worn by Republicans in 2004. Mocking wounded soldiers.

Did this not turn your stomach ? Honestly, Ms Columnist ... what kind of JERK mocks a wounded soldier from his own country ?

Why not write about that ?

Seriously, not a single T. Boone Pickens bio mentions ANY MILITARY RECORD. None. Nada. What was he 4F? Did he see any combat? Did he earn an medals?

He was a few years too young for WWII, having been born in 28, but he should have been ripe for Korea. My dad, a WWII vet born in 26, was called up for Korea. Pickens was in college until 1951.

"mano a mano" means hand-to-hand, not man-to-man. This post is from the Swift Boat committee for proper usage of spanish terms.

Interesting. Pickens changes the stakes mid-game. He's a piece of work-but then, he is the person who funded the Swift Bores and helped to elect Bush. Way to go, Picker.

So no one should be surprised when Pickens changes the rules. He's a rich goof who's used to getting his way. I hope he's proud of his presidential choice. Historians will be talking about Bush for years, just not in glowing terms.

Anyone willing to be assiciated with the swiftboaters should be f*cking deported forever. SCUM SCUM SCUM.

Akers is a scab this great newspaper should pick soon.

Here we go again, the GOP and the Oil man, liar liar and liar, they don't fight for this country, and they send our young soldier to fight to steal sombody's oil.
Then lie about the real fighter, if that is not redicule I don't know what is !

Hey George, you and you moron Republicans who dodge the melitary services, have no right to talk to sombody who served to ask for hir record.

At Navy OCS in 1968 we were told that volunteering for river boat duty was the quick route to career advancement, but those among us who were not interested in long term naval careers should note the 45% casualty rate.

I did not volunteer for that duty.

I applaud anyone who did.
----------------------------
If the eyewitness accounts of Kerry's boat mates who were closest to him in action and under fire with him is not good enough to convince the detractors, what quality of evidence would be?

Kerry is a gentleman & I for one would have loved him for president...one word to describe him "integrity"....think what a different course we would have taken!

Kerry is a proven hero as everyone who was actually there testifies. Pickens was, I believe the evidence shows, a corporate raider who made millions destroying companies other men had built, and Pickens loved Bush's taxes policies of stealing from the poor to give to the rich. Consequently, he financied a sleeze campaign. Mary Ann Akers' pesudo-jounalism is just something you flush down the toilet, quickly before its stench pervades the house. ODUG

This is the first time I've read The Sleuth. This is the last time I'll read The Sleuth. The last thing the Post, or the country, needs is another muck-slinging right-wing "journalist". Please Ms. Akers, return to the Washington Times from whence you came.

I find it interesting that JFKerry copied another JFK who commanded another type of fast attack boat. Yes he went and he did his duty, perhaps in a caluculated kind of way because he bailed as soon as possible, unlike others who completed full tours.

As to this comment by capemh... "As for Senator Kerry, he could have sued, but he's a Senator, for God's sake. He has better things to do with his time, like legislating." He really didn't sponsor all that much legislation until after the election campaign where that had been used against him.

The first JFK did not have to repeatedly mention his wartime service. The second JFK did so ad nauseum. This is the strategy that backfired and cost him the election. All he had to do to overcome it was release his records. There is at least an appearance that to do so might have been even more costly to his campaign. He lost a lot of trust with voters, especially with veterans like me.

Oh, he is an "oilman", that means he is evil, right?

Oil = evil? Evil = oil!

How lame and transparent.

If the good Senator is so concerned about the paralized vets (26 years in the Navy here), then he should spend some of his wife's money on the project.

To the point at hand: If Kerry can come up with the proof, then Pickens should pay-up. Politics aside, a bet is a bet.

If I had that kind of money I'd pay to see ALL those records about Dubya's National guard history see the light of day. Wonder why he had to make them classified? Maybe hiding a big embarassment. Let's also see the files concerning Cheney's many deferments.

Kerry is a hero just for serving his country in the military. Something neither Bush or Cheney can say. These idiots are treating our troops like a bunch of toy soldiers. Interesting that neither the Bush twins nor any of Bush's large family are currently serving in our military. Last hero in that family was Papa George in WWII.

Bush's recent statements that he knows what war is like are absurd, he doesn't even go to political rallies where ever question hasn't been prescreened. What an insult to our troops in IRAQ?

"The first JFK did not have to repeatedly mention his wartime service. The second JFK did so ad nauseum."
Posted by: actuator | November 20, 2007 09:23 AM

Because when the first JFK ran, almost all candidates were veterans. This time around we had someone with 5 draft deferments and someone who stayed stateside during war attempting to portray a combat veteran as weak on defense. And sadly, apparently succeeding with people like you.

Why should anyone be surprised by what the Republicans did to John Kerry? Remember what they did to a legitimate World War II hero named George McGovern? And remember the late Mike Royko's "War Wimp" brigade that he suggested for the likes of all of the Republican draft dodgers and draft evaders. We could begin immediately with the Limbaughs and Hannitys for starters!

Where is the dignity that is associated with the office of President of the United States? I am ashamed of our Country and our President and Vice President. The want of power is something I cannot understand, the same as the love of money.
Look what it does to people.

Kerry was a horrible candidate, totally clueless, and I'm not convinced he was ever meant to be anything more than a fill-in on the ticket until Hillary could run in this election. That said, NO ONE who had the courage to actually go to Vietnam and serve honorably should have been treated by the MEDIA the way Kerry was. Without the assistance of the talking heads, who love hearing the sound of their own voices, giving credence to the lies of the Swift Boaters, the non-story would have died a quiet death.

A couple of points. the first JFK didn't have to trumpet his war record because, once his older brother Joe died and JFK became the focus of his father's thwarted political ambitions, Joseph Kennedy trumpeted the PT-109 story far and wide.

Secondly, the figurehead who ran the Swift Boat committee, the same fellow picked by the Nixon administration to publicly "debate" Kerry in the early 1970's, was, I believe, Kerry's successor as the commander of the same Swift Boat. By most accounts I've read, he was a wimp and a petty tyrant, and the object of complete scorn. He had a score to settle with Kerry, and he's spent most of his adult life doing it.

Just a quick endorsement of the general tone here-- what a disgraceful piece of right-wing propaganda this column is. A group that was first hired by Richard Nixon to undercut Kerry because he dared to question the war and had the medals and credibility to do it re-emerges 30 years later in a dirty political hit against Kerry, but it's Kerry who's 'picking scabs' when he takes up a bet offered from one of the self-serving rich Republicons who funded the hit? When we all know George Bush didn't even complete the NG service he took on (with the help of family connections) to avoid going to Vietnam? Pitiful.

"a million dollars to anyone who can disprove even a single charge the Swifties made against Kerry's Vietnam record."

Of course it all depends on what the meaning of "a single charge" means and also, Kerry isn't just "anyone". Plus, you have to put up a million in case you try and I say you didn't prove it. No wonder this guy liked George Bush, same kind of wishy washy whiny little creep. Typical Frat boy games.

The name, John Kerry, is one that will live in infamy at least to most of us who honorably served in Vietnam. His sophmoric medal throwing antics, Paris trip during the peace talks and highly inaccurate Senate testimony all gave aid and comfort to the enemy and was a disgrace. And that can't be sugar coated notwithstanding the efforts of Kerry and his historical revisionists.

One does not have to be a Bush fan to conclude that Kerry was indeed unfit for command.

Almost everyone of Kerry's fellow officers in the four months Kerry spent in Vietnam supported the Swift Boat Veterans. They were there and they came out against him. Was it for his Purple Hearts for being injured by rice kernals, or was it for his treasonous acts when he came back and met with Viet Cong in Paris (an illegal act for private citizens and definitely against the law for a Naval reserve Officer)? As to stating that President Bush evaded the military, may I suggest his months in Officer Candidate School and two and a half years of ACTIVE DUTY being trained as a pilot by the AIR FORCE is military service. Only a sub-prime mind considers National Guard service to not be military.

"Only a sub-prime mind considers National Guard service to not be military."
Nice try conflating Vietnam with today. Any rudimentary amount of research will tell you the National Guard was where the kids of the rich and powerful (see Quayle, Dan...) flocked to sit out Vietnam because Johnson made it clear neither the Guard nor the Reserves would be sent to Vietnam, and next to none were. The waiting lists were miles long to get into the National Guard for just that reason.

Maybe Kerry should have spent the Vietnam era drinking like a fratboy stateside in Massachussetts. Then, there would be no efforts to smear his Purple Heart and Silver Star... but I guess he didn't have the political clout of George W Bush (who supports war as long as HE'S not doing the fighting) or "had other priorities than war" for taking 5 deferments like Dick Cheney.

Miss Akers what war did you fight in? It's pathetic that even a journalist would speak against a war veteran and hero. The fact that John Kerry fought in VietNam as was requested by the U.S. government at that time, is more then enough reason to honor him, add to the fact his medals of valor. Over 50,000 men gave their LIVES and LIMBS during the VietNam campaign. Where were the "T-Boone's, Bushies and Cheney's? I also feel that its very sad that a surviving "POW" John McCain never backed John Kerry with this issue. War if necessary should always be bipartisan, And no one regardless of their status in this country should ever have the right to dishonor any person who served and fulfilled his/her duty fighting in any WAR. Especially a jounalist....

If Senator Kerry insists on making an issue of this why not just provide the evidence necessary to shut everyone up. Not like a politician to beat a dead horse, try to revive said horse, and beat it some more.

Thank God, Kerry did not become President. He is no better than Jane Fonda or anyone of these Hollywood idiots who protest against the war but have never served. I am afraid I don't call someone who served 4 months a "Veteran". One who is so happy to claim he/she is a veteran would be more than happy to produce proof of his/her claims "If they had Integrity". I am a veteran and also a Democrat of 47 years.

Kerry said on numerous times he would release his military records. He was called on it by the Swift Boaterss and, again, said he would. He still has not released "all" of his military records (as Bush has). Those would be his reserve records. Maybe when he does, it will explain how he recieved a non-existent medal - Silver Star with V for valor. And the conditions of his final discharge.

It also seems the Swift Boaters caught him in his "Christmas in Cambodia" story. That is the one that was "seared" in his memory when President Nixon sent him to Cambodia in 1968. Nixon was only "president elect" and Kerry did admit he was not in Cambodia. I also remember him saying he didn't deserve all of those purple hearts.

So, factually, Kerry has admitted to some of the Swift Boater's charges and nobody has refuted any of the others - thus the million dollar offer.

Yes, Kerry was in Nam, but strictly for his resume for political reasons. And his trashing of his fellow vets to Congress was for political reasons. When Nam was still acceptable he wanted to serve, when it was not in favor he switched. In 2004, it was again favorable to be a Nam vet. Not very honorable intentions.

Regarding National Guard service in Nam, some did serve. And ask the airmen from the 107th at Niagara Falls Air Base (along with other ANG units). They spent a year at Tuy Hoa, VietNam flying combat support in F-100 Super Sabres. At least one was shot down and the pilot had to fight his way into a fire support base.

Let's stay with facts, and civil language.

Richard
173rd ABN BDE An Khe, RVN 68-69.

Right after the Swift boaters came out with their smear campaign, an editor for the right wing Chicago Tribune, who commanded another swift boat at the scene, came out with a published report in the Tribune verifying the facts for one of Kerry's medal awards. If that wasn't good enough for Pickens, I don't think anything will be.

Seems a bit strange that the burden should be on Kerry to "disprove" the Swift Boat charges. Of course, this isn't a legal proceeding so Pickens et al are under no obligation to prove anything-- they can just make assertions and hope they stick. (As they obviously did, unfortunately.) But if this devolves into a contest between the two of them, seems to me the pressure should be on the Swift Boat folks to prove whatever malfeasance they're accusing Kerry of.

Just looooove the way Pickens changes the rules when actually challenged by the war hero Kerry.

Richard Szcz writes, in part:

"Regarding National Guard service in Nam, some did serve. And ask the airmen from the 107th at Niagara Falls Air Base (along with other ANG units)."

And next, I suppose you're going to tell us that George W. Bush was a member of that unit? Feh.

No Mister Methane, I will not say W was with those Air National Guard (ANG)units as that wouldn't be factual. I stick to facts, not emotion. I notice you only used emotion to attack me. You didn't factually attack my facts, because you can't.

Taking the word of a welching, chickenhawk oilman over a Vietnam veteran?

Mary Ann Akers, you just might have a big, big future ahead of you over at Fox News.

And you certainly look weird enough to be on one of their shows.

The military should have a retroactive policy to give the Swift Lying Boaters a dishonorable discharge!

Unfit for command? I think Pickens should be more concerned with things like this:

Ex-aide points finger at Bush for deceit in CIA leak scandal
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan blames President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for efforts to mislead the public about the role of White House aides in leaking the identity of a CIA operative....

Tell Kerry to quit crying about getting beat by the better man and the incredibly better president. Go home and shut up you loser.

Both McCain and Kerry allegedly had their military records sealed. If Pickens is so concerned about the military records of presidential candidates why doesn't he demand that McCain publish his records?

during

Pickens made the brag, Kerry called him on it. If Pickens were a real man, he'd put his money where his mouth is, but he wants to change his own rules. Pretty shifty, or perhaps I should say, swifty.

Pickens looks like another loud-mouth, cheap-shot piker like the swift-boaters & neocons posting here. Put up or shut up, Booney, stop weaseling. Of course, if you're phony, forget it. A rich phony, but phony nonetheless.

Yeah, Kerry served, served himself. If Kerry's service was misrepresented by the swiftboat crews why has he not taken them to court to prove the lies? Shaazaam, I know, they were not lies. Kerry saw Viet Nam and the swiftboats as an opportunity to emulate his hero JFK. He managed to get into service and sent to Nam, once there he was assigned to the swiftboats. Once on the swiftboats he realized the enemy shot real bullets and he better get out while he could. Being a shyster lawyer he found a loop hole, three purple hearts and you have a ticket home. Being a commander of the swiftboat he could write his own reports. Eureka, write it up that the commander was injured forward thru channels and get a purple heart, repeat 2 more times, 2 more purple hearts and a ticket home. Being a good shyster dhimnocrat lawyer. He did it in a record time of four months. He can't dispute it or he too, would have taken it to court.

Any veteran who has seen combat will tell you that it is phenomenal that someone would get three purple hearts in four months and really not been hospitalized or have permanent scars.

Viva La Dubbya

I am not going to try and defend the Swift Boat Veterans or Kerry on the issue of how deserved Kerry's medals were or how honorable his service was.

But the passion on both sides responding to this article indicate that it might have been a major tactical error by Kerry to make his service in Vietnam the centerpiece of his 2004 campaign given the divisive nature of the conflict.

He should have let his service speak for itself. As it came off, it seemed like he was blowing his own horn too much. Add this to numerous errors that caused Kerry to lost what was a winnable election.

Pickens knew the adds were lies when he helped pay for the adds. His promise to pay the 1 million dollars if proved wrong is the same kind of lie. He is just running his mouth. Like any gambler who can't be trusted he is trying to change the bet to put Kerry on the hook. T Boone Pickens is a typical run of the mill chicken hawk Republican. He has plenty to say about other peoples service but he hasn't dared to catch a whiff himself. Kerry ought to get the money by default.

The time for John Kerry to refute the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth was in June-July 2004. He didn't.

He waited until 2005 to promise Tim Russert that he would release all his military records, including the medical records. We are still waiting.

I will not be surprised at all when Kerry tries to pass off incomplete records to T Boone Pickens... because I do not expect Kerry will EVER tell the whole truth about what he did and didn't do in Vietnam.

I cheered for Kerry when I read he had accepted the million dollar challenge.
Kerry doesn't have to release his entire military record, he only has to prove the Swift Boaters lied about 1 issue. That's what Pickens said, prove them wrong on 1 issue. So Kerry needs to keep focused on the one. And Pickens doesn't get to choose the one, since he said just one had to be proved fales.

I spent my time in Vietnam on the MeKong river. I voted for Kerry, and am proud of his record. The "Swift Boaters" who defamed him were just lackeys of Bush and Cheny. Bush has brought our nation to a new level of international disrespect. The only Republican I would consider voting for is John McCain, but I hate to think what the "Swift Boaters" would do to him. This country needs a Democrat at the head, and any of the Democratic candidates is head and shoulders above every Republican except McCain.

I see Beldar is still repeating his meme that Kerry's lawyers "threatened in writing to sue TV stations who'd agreed to accept the SwiftVets' paid political advertisements," though he's perfectly aware they did no such thing. Another fact run through the wingnut twist-o-matic.

But it's pretty revealing of the smear boat veterans for truthiness's integrity that their defenders are reduced to claiming that failure to sue equals proof of the charges.

I'm looking for Beldar's hard-charging crtique of George Bush's National Guard service, seeing as he didn't sue any of the bloggers who accused him of going AWOL.

Tick tock.

"Almost everyone of Kerry's fellow officers in the four months Kerry spent in Vietnam supported the Swift Boat Veterans. "

And every single one of them had nothing but praise for Kerry at the time. Almost every single one of them had nothing but praise for him in 1996.

And just about every John O'Neill lie they signed off on in 2004 has been disproven.

Oh, and did I mention that every single one of them had nothing but praise for Kerry when they were interviewed for the Brinkley book in 2003?

First I SERVED in Vietnam.
Second, I was regular army and in the reserve.
Second, I know an individual who served WITH Kerry during the time in question.
Third, That person will tell you that the swift boaters are correct about Kerry.
Fourth, Kerry has NEVER signed the forms to release his records.
Fifth, His purple heart "wounds" are suspect.
Sixth, He did not throw HIS medal/ribbons away, his hang in his senate office.
Seventh, He should be court-martialed for his lies before Congress.
Eighth, Unfortunately for him, T. Boone could buy and sell him with his pocket change.
By-The-By it is NOT about what others did or did not do during that time, it is that Kerry attempted to run on his "war record" and got caught!!!

To all you right wing crackpots out there (yes I'm also refering to those Kerry-hating commenters who claim to have served in Vietnam) who still believe the blatent lies told by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (there's an oxymoron!) and say Kerry never released his military records; he did in 2005 as was reported in the Boston Globe and other newspapers, including the Washington Post. It's easy to look up. To bad none of you can be bothered with the facts.

ks

you must be a liberal. Facts don't get in your way. Kerry has NOT released his reserve records.

"you must be a liberal. Facts don't get in your way. Kerry has NOT released his reserve records.

Posted by: szcz | December 5, 2007 11:52 PM "

Well, facts sure don't seem to get in your way. He actually has released all his reserve records, and you should look them up.

If you had, you'd know that when he was transferred to the Standby Reserve-Inactive in 1972, there was nothing more for him to do except keep his address current. No drilling, no nothing.

In other words, there ARE no "reserve records" for people in the Standby Reserves-Inactive.

And because Navy reserve officers serve for an indefinite term, they are only discharged from the reserves when they request separation or the Navy separates them. And that's exactly what happened in 1978 when the Navy officer's board reviewed the records of officers on Standby Reserve-Inactive status. In fact that's exactly what it says in those records.

But like you said, don't let facts get in your way.

Szcz (aka Richard) says, "let's stay with the facts." Okay.

" He still has not released 'all' of his military records (as Bush has)."

And you know Bush has released "all" of his military records how? He has only handed out copies of his records. No one has obtained independent access to his records, unlike the three news services and the writer (Brinkley) Kerry authorized to access his.

"Those would be his reserve records. Maybe when he does, it will explain how he recieved a non-existent medal - Silver Star with V for valor. And the conditions of his final discharge."

Reserve records, "conditions" of discharge explained above.

Kerry never claimed to have a Silver Star with a combat "v" device. It's a typo on his DD214, which he provided with his other records, but he's never claimed such a thing.

And why would he? Silver Stars are only awarded for combat service, so a "v" device would be redundant...it's not like someone would be claiming to combat service he didn't have.

"It also seems the Swift Boaters caught him in his 'Christmas in Cambodia' story."

No they didn't, they just lied some more. Kerry never said he was sent on a mission to Cambodia on Christmas Eve. He said he was on a patrol at the border, which at least two crewmembers agree with, and which is described at length in his journal. They were also ambushed, which is described in George Elliott's fitness report. Kerry told the Boston Globe he thought he'd crossed the border inadvertently that night.

" That is the one that was "seared" in his memory when President Nixon sent him to Cambodia in 1968. Nixon was only "president elect" and Kerry did admit he was not in Cambodia. I also remember him saying he didn't deserve all of those purple hearts."

He never said Nixon sent him to Cambodia in 1968, and he never "admitted he was not in Cambodia." And he sure never said he didn't deserve any of his Purple Hearts.

"So, factually, Kerry has admitted to some of the Swift Boater's charges and nobody has refuted any of the others - thus the million dollar offer."

Kerry has admitted to none of their charges, all of which have been refuted many times over.

"Regarding National Guard service in Nam, some did serve."

But most didn't, as George Bush well knew. Which is one reason he said he chose the Guard over "shooting out my ear drum or going to Canada."

In fact he checked the box that said he did not want to volunteer for overseas duty.