The SmearVets exposed:
FactCheck.org:
Republican-funded Group Attacks Kerry's War Record
Ad features vets who claim Kerry "lied" to get Vietnam medals. But other witnesses disagree.
factcheck.org
VERY SOLID ANALYSIS.
USA Today:
usatoday.com.
Excerpt:
Elliott was not available for comment Sunday, but in an interview with USA TODAY earlier this year, he said that while he strongly disagreed with Kerry's anti-war activities, "I don't know how anyone would have taken the risks he took in combat just for the glory of running for office."
• Adrian Lonsdale, who in 1996 called Kerry "among the finest of those swift boat drivers." He says he changed his mind after reading Brinkley's book. Lonsdale, who outranked Kerry, recalls meeting him only once at an officers club. "The only thing I remember is he whined a lot about the lack of air support," he said.
• Charles Plumly, a retired Navy captain who was Hoffmann's chief of staff. He says Kerry "required a lot of supervision" and "did things without permission." Asked in an interview for examples, he said, "I can't give you exact specifics."
• Van O'Dell and Jack Chenoweth, who are among those who say Kerry lied about an incident on March 13, 1969, for which he received a Bronze Star and a third Purple Heart. Kerry was cited for pulling Army Special Forces Lt. Jim Rassmann from a river during a firefight, despite an arm injury. O'Dell says there was no enemy fire and Kerry "fled the scene." Chenoweth says that Kerry's arm was not bleeding and that the official reports were "completely different than" what he saw.
Rassmann has dismissed such accounts as "pure fabrication." Del Sandusky, Kerry's boat driver, says, "I saw the gun flashes in the jungle, and I saw the bullets skipping across the water," adding that the contrary accounts are "part of the Republican slime machine."
• Louis Letson, a doctor who says he treated Kerry. He says Kerry didn't deserve his first Purple Heart because he "inadvertently wounded himself" and "there was no hostile fire." Medical records, however, note that Kerry was treated for shrapnel by J.C. Carreon, not Letson. Bill Zaladonis, who was on Kerry's boat at the time, says the men believed they were shooting at Viet Cong.
Sunk! Swift Boats weren’t meant to ride on sewage
zeppscommentaries.com
Veteran retracts criticism of Kerry
boston.com.
Franks Says Kerry Qualified for President
news.yahoo.com.
EXCERPT:
Do you think Senator Kerry is qualified to be commander in chief?" Franks was asked.
"Absolutely!" he said.
Anti-Kerry Ad Is Condemned by McCain
nytimes.com
"I think the Bush campaign should specifically condemn the ad,'' John McCain
nbc10.com
More McCain Quotes:
"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me,"
The SmearVets Ad is "dishonest and dishonorable".
An Ugly Attack
sptimes.com |
