Mickey Tries To Stop Kerry
By The MinuteMan
Mickey Kaus is looking for ways to Stop Kerry:
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Magic Anti-Kerry Solution #2?
How to get John Kerry off the national stage before he wastes any more of his party's energy? One promising solution, already discussed, is Form 180, which would authorize press access to Kerry's complete military record. Kerry recently told Tim Russert on national TV that he'd sign it. (Well? ...) ...
But what about Kerry's complete Vietnam diaries? As far as I know, he hasn't released them either. He's only given access to publicity-addled historian Douglas Brinkley, who has quoted from them. Democrats who don't want to be Swift-boated again have every reason to demand full press access to the Viet-era diaries. Or do you trust Brinkley to have published the most significant damaging nuggets?
The short answer - I very much do not trust Brinkley to have released all of the relevant material.
Now, how about the long answer? Details are in this not-too-long post noting the controversies surrounding Kerry's first Purple Heart; more can be found by following the links.
The gist - there are significant controversies surrounding Kerry's first Purple Heart. However, in both his "Tour of Duty" book, and this Salon piece defending Kerry, Brinkley relies on interviews Kerry gave to Brinkley and the Boston Globe in 2003. (If we are following his book notes correctly, Brinkley only obtained access to Kerry's war records *after* his 2003 interview with Kerry).
SO - the evening where Kerry was awarded his first Purple Heart was his first "combat" (even though he may not have been fired upon) and his first wound. He has since described it as one of the most frightening nights of his life.
But Brinkley could find nothing in Kerry's diary or correspondence that touched on it at all? Is that odd? Or is it vaguely possible that Brinkley found evidence that contradicted Kerry's on-the-record interviews in 2003, and just decided to sit on it?
In Kerry's favor - he got a new boat and a new assignment right after this Purple Heart incident, so maybe he simply did not have time to write home, or to his diary. Fine. Sign the Form 180, release the notes, and we can see for ourselves.
Or, we can reprise all of this in 2008 (my calendar is clear). The research has been done, the questions are ready - the only thing likely to change is that the press may not roll over for Kerry this time. Or is Russert going to be OK if Kerry stiffs him on the Form 180 for four years?
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