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Politics : Proof that John Kerry is Unfit for Command -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Gersh Avery who wrote (3296)	8/27/2004 9:40:45 AM
From: mph	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 27181

AN MPH EDITORIAL The biggest Kerry flip flop and the one which, imo, may well have undermined his entire campaign, was his decision to underscore, emphasize and effectively run on his military experience. In so doing, he's re-focused the country on Vietnam, exposed himself to scrutiny for his anti-war activities, and has really torn up a lot of veterans who deserve better. And I'm talking about the ones he trots out on demand as well as the ones who vocally oppose him and against whom he'll stop at nothing. (Brown books and smear tactics on each swiftvet were prepared by his camp already) So why am I referring to a "flip flop"? Well, here's Kerry's testimony on th floor of the Senate in 1992: opinionjournal.com An excerpt: The race for the White House should be about leadership, and leadership requires that one help heal the wounds of Vietnam, not reopen them; that one help identify the positive things that we learned about ourselves and about our nation, not play to the divisions and differences of that crucible of our generation. We do not need to divide America over who served and how. I have personally always believed that many served in many different ways. Someone who was deeply against the war in 1969 or 1970 may well have served their country with equal passion and patriotism by opposing the war as by fighting in it. Are we now, 20 years or 30 years later, to forget the difficulties of that time, of families that were literally torn apart, of brothers who ceased to talk to brothers, of fathers who disowned their sons, of people who felt compelled to leave the country and forget their own future and turn against the will of their own aspirations? There are two principal reasons for Kerry's emphasis on his military record in this campaign: to show he could be a wartime President despite his dovish record and to fuel his party's persistent allegations that Bush was AWOL. That's why he started his acceptance speech with "..John Kerry reporting for duty." A person would have to be brain dead not to recognize the slap at Bush by that remark. In sum, Kerry was right in 1992( when he was evidently backing Clinton against Bob Kerrey) and should have stayed that course in this election cycle. Despite all the whining and gnashing of teeth from the left, there is no doubt the Democrats started this rehash of Vietnam during their primaries and continued unabated with the AWOL charges, as well as criticizing members of the administration who did not serve for whatever reason. The swiftvets signaled their intended assault long before the DNC convention. Whether by arrogance or sheer miscalculation, Kerry et. al failed to adequately consider them. They went with his military service as the centerpiece of his campaign. Now he's embroiled in a nasty factual dispute over details of his service. We didn't need to return to Vietnam. Kerry didn't need to embellish his record. It was a mistake from the start. Kerry was right in 1992. His 2003/04 flip flop may cost him his shot at the brass ring.