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| Whatever You Do, Don’t Question Kerry’s Patrioitism! | |||||
| 2004-04-17 | |||||
| WARNING - Chicken Hawk counterargument writ large... Kerry Hits Back at White House, Defends Patriotism Reuters - Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry, lashing out at the White House’s "twisted sense of ethics and morality," accused Republicans on Friday of distorting his record and attacking his patriotism. "Did I mention I served in Vietnam?" Kerry, at an outdoor rally on the University of Pittsburgh campus, used an American flag and the national anthem to fire back at Republicans who charge he is weak on defense for voting against some weapons systems and an $87 billion bill to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The record speaks for itself. Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, pointed out Vice President Dick Cheney and political adviser Karl Rove did not serve in the military. "I’m tired of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney and a bunch of people who went out of their way to avoid their chance to serve when they had the chance," the Massachusetts senator said. "I’m not going to listen to them talk to me about patriotism."
"I’ve seen how these people in the White House today, in their twisted sense of ethics and morality, don’t think twice about challenging John McCain and what happened to him as a prisoner of war," he said in reference to attacks by President Bush in 2000 on his Republican primary rival McCain, an Arizona senator. What’s that town with great steaks? Kansas City? Steve Schmidt, a Bush campaign spokesman, said Kerry’s judgment in his voting record on defense and security was in question, not his patriotism. He called the Rove and Cheney comments "outrageous." "Outrageous!" Cheney received a student and family deferment from military service, and Rove had a student deferment and later drew a low draft number but was never called. It’s still a quesion of who shows more balls at facing down our enemies.
Mostly right, at least until Kerry develops solid, unambiguous stances on the subject. That doesn’t seem to be in his character. Kerry has come under heavy attack from Republicans, who have launched tens of millions of dollars of advertising trying to paint him as a waffling, traditional tax-and-spend Democrat. Some truths are self-evident. "They don’t think twice about trying to pretend to America that I somehow don’t care about the defense of our nation," Kerry said, paraphrasing wording in the Star Spangled Banner. Look at your voting record, it speaks for itself. He recalled his service under the U.S. flag and seeing flag-draped coffins of friends returning from Vietnam. "Did I mention I served in Vietnam?" "When I look up, that flag is still there and it belongs to all Americans," he said, pointing to a flag near the stage. "Not to them, not to a party. It belongs to us."
It’s still early in the game, JFK. "They’re out 50 million bucks and they got nothing for it," Kerry told reporters on his campaign plane on Thursday night.
Outgunned, so to speak... Cheney will make the keynote speech at the convention on Saturday, but Kerry did not mention the gun issue during his appearance. Good call... The NRA has not made an endorsement yet but is certain to back Bush over Kerry, who supports the federal ban on assault weapons and a waiting period and background checks for the purchase of handguns. | |||||
| Posted by:Raj |
| #10 Kerry served as a commanding officer in war time for, what, three months? Longer? By the time of the election, Bush will have served as Commander in Chief, during war, for over three years. Which one has more experience in the job they're competing for? |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-04-17 7:47:01 PM |
| #9 Patriotism, hell. I question your existance, Kerry. God was definitely laughing when he made a gasbag like you, but I think he slipped up and put you in the wrong country. And yes, I question your patriotism. I remember what you and your fellow-travelers did to the Vietnamese people. I remember how you lied to the very Congress you're now in, how you denigrated our troops while they were still fighting, and some where suffering and dying in prison camps. A great many of us remember. Saying that we can't question your complete lack of patriotic behavior over the last 30+ years because you served in Vietnam (and managed to weasle out of it pretty quickly, too) is like saying we can't charge you with murdering these dead people here, that all the evidence shows you killed, because you were once a Boy Scout. Move to Frawnce where you belong. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-04-17 2:53:30 PM |
| #8 "When I look up, that flag is still there and it belongs to all Americans," Senator Kerry, would that be the American or North Vietmanese flag you are looking at? The last flag I recall you marching under was the North Vietmanese / Viet Cong flag. And yes, Senator Kerry I, as an american citizen, have every damn right to question your patriotism and your ethics when you are seeking the Commander in Chief and President position. I have every right to review your military record and your voting record in your political career. Senator Kerry, I have a friend who had to flee Vietnam. I've known people who have had to flee Vietnam in boats because of you and Hanoi Jane giving aid and comfort to the enemy. It was either flee or die. I'm sure their are Rantburgers who have honorably served in Nam (I myself was 12 years old at the time) and have left friends there. So yes I have every farking right to question your patroitism and honor. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-04-17 11:35:26 AM |
| #7 cont.. Of course, in order to make that choir actually sound good - they have to they have to be digitally remastered in the lab...live performances will always be a disaster....if you know what I mean. |
| Posted by: B 2004-04-17 9:32:33 AM |
| #6 Kerry..."who charge he is weak on defense for voting against some weapons systems and an $87 billion bill to pay for operations in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan" snicker...did Karl Rove write this piece? While it could just be real reporting of an issue, that is so rare these days, that excuuuse me for thinking that every piece written has an agenda for one side or the other. If the agenda was to make Kerry look good - I rate this -2 If the agenda was to make Kerry look bad - I rate this a 10 for successfully allowing the choir to think they are singing on key - while exposing to the rest of the congregation just how bad they really sound. |
| Posted by: B 2004-04-17 9:23:20 AM |
| #5 "When I look up, that flag is still there and it belongs to all Americans," .... "And this time I have the flag right side up unlike the cover on my book 'The New Soldier'". If Kerry wants to run on his Vietnam era record, then he should be drawn into to defending his coalition with Hanoi Jane and the highly visible anti-American protests. Those actions gave support to the enemy then much as his present day comments are embolding the Mullah led insurgents in Iraq today. Good rant badanov. |
| Posted by: GK 2004-04-17 9:05:46 AM |
| #4 I realized that the Bush Campaign should let Kerry run with Vietnam until that horse drops dead. Then slam Kerry and the Democrats with images of the Vietnamese hanging off a helicopter trying to get away from the US Embassy, people blowing there brains out to save there children because they would be orphaned and would face certain death from the commies. Remind the American people of all the murdering that went on after we deserted South East Asia because of a Democrat Congress chickened out. Remind them of about 5 million people being flat out murdered between Vietnam Cambodia and Laos because Teddy Kennedy and his crowd of cowards, and let's not forget the testimony of the modern day Benedict Arnold, John Kerry to congress. Remind the Vietnam Vet's that were in the Hanoi Hilton and heard his testimony. Remind all the parents of men and women that died over there that it was for nothing except 60,000 of their American sons and daughters lives. Remind today's soldiers and parents and god fearing Americans of that rhetoric of 30 years ago and that it is seeping into today's by the Leftist Socialist Media. Yeah Senator Kerry you run with that Vietnam crap it's all you have at the moment and I am sure it's going to blow you right out of American politics!! |
| Posted by: Long Hair Republican 2004-04-17 1:56:15 AM |
| #3 Dear JFK, Everything you have done, spoken and committed to since your return from Viet Nam has negated your military service. You shat upon soldiers while they were still in the field in 1971 and you are doing so now to the soldiers in the field in Iraq. I would never question that which you do not have. Your sense of duty and patriotism you threw away when you committed perjury in lying before congress, when you gave aid and comfort to the enemy in your 'Winter Soldier' testimony, when you committed conspiracy to commit murder and sedition by failing to report a plot to kill civilians by an organization you ran, and you have done nothing but to reinforce your agenda and the agenda of your leftist allies and handlers: the destruction of the United States by wrecking our national defense, be it by voting against critical weapons system, withholding money to soldiers in the field, your very own defeatist remarks regarding current operations in Iraq, and the anti-American remarks by your current squeeze, a bagman for socialist causes. This is to say nothing of your wife's love of leftist causes, so extreme that the company from which you and her draw your millions refuses to even be identified with you, in fear of the economic backlash that will surely come in the wake of your election. You will find that hatred in a national election will only carry you so far. Mondale learned it in 1984, and you will learn it 20 years later. Replacing a conservative government, epecially while we are at war with soldiers under fire, with a defeatist socialist government, will be impossible. So please, do not wander into the area of patriotism. You repudiated your love of country and your sense of duty to it in 1971; You swapped it for socialist politics; it can never be gained back but through humbly and quite publicly repudiating a lifelong career at attempting to weaken our national defense against all the threats it now faces, thanks in part to your service as a US Senator. You have many, many years of speaking publicly, honestly, sincerely, and humbly about how wrong you were. It won't get you elected, but it will be the right thing to do. |
| Posted by: badanov 2004-04-17 1:55:42 AM |
| #2 "When I look up, that flag is still there and it belongs to all Americans," he said, pointing to a flag near the stage. "Not to them, not to a party. It belongs to us." Howie used a similar line. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2004-04-17 1:29:38 AM |
| #1 Four Acres of Guns and Gear The Kerry rally was known as, "Four Liters of Hot Air and Fear. |
| Posted by: Anon_of_E-LB-Ca 2004-04-17 1:16:38 AM |