Crewmates Attest to Kerry's Mettle as Wartime Commander

[papau]

Crewmates Attest to Kerry's Mettle as Wartime Commander


By Maria L. La Ganga, Times Staff Writer


BOSTON — Fred Short only needs two minutes. He'll take more if you give it to him, but it's not really necessary.

The abridged version of his harrowing tale, delivered in a honeyed Arkansas drawl, has been honed to accomplish the tasks at hand: burnishing Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry's national security credentials, showcasing his humanity and defending against attacks on his Vietnam War record.

"In 1969, I was Sen. Kerry's gun mate atop of the Swift boat in Vietnam," he told the Mississippi delegation at a Democratic National Convention breakfast. "And I just wanted to let everyone know that, contrary to all the rumors that you might hear from the other side, Sen. Kerry's blood is red, not blue. I know, I've seen it."

The campaign is betting that the mettle of the candidate, as seen through the eyes of Short and other former crewmates, will help erode the Republicans' traditional strength on foreign policy and cut into voters' belief, as reflected in many polls, that President Bush is better equipped to handle the war on terrorism.

The crewmates' goal also has been to assuage voter fears about switching commanders in chief in the middle of combat, as well as to woo the nation's 26.5 million veterans.

Short has campaigned for the Massachusetts senator before, but this week has been different for the unassuming computer programmer and the small fraternity of Vietnam veterans who say they saw Kerry earn every one of his medals the hard way — as Short describes it, while providing target practice to the Viet Cong.<snip>


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-vets29jul29.story

[mbperrin]

1. Heck, what does Fred know? He was only

THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! after all.

For REAL expertise on Kerry's war record, ask Tom Delay or any other Repuke whose vision is not clouded by having been THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fishnfla]

2. Shrub's TANG comrades: "Now that boy could put away some liquor!"

"And the wommenfolk, well they didnt call him the "Texas Souffle" for nothing"

[blm]

3. Bush's blood was not only blue but 120 proof.

.

[Lisa]

9. where ARE those guys, anyway?

People tend to talk about meeting someone as famous as the Shrub -- if they don't, it's either because the experience was so ghastly that they want to forget it -- or because he wasn't there.

[Barney]

4. The contrast with bush* is stark

Has anyone come forward to say they served in the National Guard in Alabama when bush was allegedly there? The White House produced records proving he had his teeth cleaned by a Guard dentist, but I have yet to hear anybody say they served with him.

This is in stark contrast to Kerry's crewmates, some of whose lives he saved.

[wabeewoman]

5. Same ole, same ole

bush/rove are trying to muddy the water with 'controversy' about his heroism, his popularity, his leadership. What a bunch of one note losers!

But Steve Schmidt, spokesman for the Bush campaign, argued that Kerry was actually "a figure of enormous controversy" among veterans. And veterans support the president, he insisted, because Kerry has been unable to articulate a coherent policy on the war in Iraq.

[bushisanidiot]

6. Freeps Desperately Cling To Their Homespun Lie That Kerry Only Has 2

former crewmates who are supporting him. Guess their heads will explode when they see all his swift boat crewmates on stage with him tonight. ;)

heh..

"To: hope; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; Arrowhead1952
Well that tells you just how reliable Old Mr. Crowe is, now doesn't it? As for the "few" Swift Boat vets who support him, make that TWO! (unless you're counting Kerry himself and then that would be THREE, thereby qualifying as a FEW!)

5 posted on 07/29/2004 7:51:17 AM PDT by StarCMC "

[MaineDem]

7. "Sen. Kerry's blood is red, not blue. I know, I've seen it."

Man, that gave me goosebumps!

People like Novak on CNN this morning saying that Kerry's medals were somehow obtained through fraud piss me off more than I'm able to explain.

The GOP has such a deficit in the war record department that they have to find fault with Kerry's medals. I hope we are able to show their desperation tot he American people!

[LeinesRed]

8. has one fellow guardsman spoken for Shrub?

just one? anybody?

[yellowcanine]

10. The goopers are going to wish they had left this lie before it is all

over - blowback is a bitch.