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2004-05-04 Home Front: Politix
Kerry’s Doctor for Purple Heart #1 Speaks Out
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Posted by BigEd 2004-05-04 6:34:33 PM|| || Front Page|| [11128 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 ...he remembers his brief encounter with Kerry 35 years ago because "some of his crewmen related that Lt. Kerry had told them that he would be the next JFK from Massachusetts."

Somehow, that does not surprise me even one tiny bit. Sheesh...
Posted by Dave D.  2004-05-04 6:42:18 PM||   2004-05-04 6:42:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 ROTFLMAO !!!

Ooooooh, brave hero!!!!

Not.
Posted by Dem no longer 2004-05-04 6:43:45 PM||   2004-05-04 6:43:45 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 What is Kerry's current description of this "injury"? Anybody know or have a link? I think he hurt himself worse when he pulled a muscle tossing his ribbons over the fence. He probably applied for another purple heart for that.
Posted by sludj 2004-05-04 7:10:26 PM||   2004-05-04 7:10:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 If you read Bill Mauldin's WWII memoir, you'll find that he received a Purple Heart for a would even more superficial. When he was in line waiting to get outprocessed, the interviewer expressed some credulity at this. Then, a Sargeant told the interviewer not to complain; you take the medals the Army gives you.

So, please don't make a big deal about this medal; there are more important things to worry about.
Posted by Eric Jablow  2004-05-04 7:24:12 PM||   2004-05-04 7:24:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 I don't think it is that big of a deal, but there are two things that make it relevant: (1) Kerry apparenty sought the Purple Heart (unlike Mauldin I take it), and (2) Kerry apparently lied to get it.
Posted by sludj 2004-05-04 7:33:54 PM||   2004-05-04 7:33:54 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 you take the medals the Army gives you

Ahhh, but Kerry demanded this medal. He put himself up for it. It wasn't thrust upon him.
Posted by spiffo 2004-05-04 7:36:44 PM||   2004-05-04 7:36:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Apparently almost all his colleagues in today's press conference think he is unfit. The Dims are trying to spin this as Republican smear but I don't think that all of those other Nam Vets are Repubs. I just can't think of anythjing more appropriate for John Kerry than the name Hanoi John. That says it all for me. Spin away Hanoi John you haven't fooled a lot of us Nam Vets.
Posted by Bill Nelson  2004-05-04 9:43:57 PM||   2004-05-04 9:43:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 I think Kerry actually believes his exploits as he describes them in the same way that Al Gore believes his own hype. Cognitive Dissonance Reduction tends to purify incidents that could otherwise cause a mental breakdown. I speculate that CDR has a larger effect on politicians because they have to believe their own myths in order to convince others. For instance, it is documented that Tail gunner Joe received his "battle wound" during a crossing the line ceremony (shipboard hazing conducted when a USN ship crosses the equator.) A guest lecturer at a history symposium that I attended in college put forth a convincing argument that by the end of his life, Joe whole-heartedly thought he had been wounded in battle. Note - large amounts of bourbon tend to facilitate the CDR process.

Disclaimer: as a Math major with a low GPA, feel free to dismember my foray into petulant foray into graduate level psychology. 8~}
Posted by Super Hose  2004-05-04 10:43:53 PM||   2004-05-04 10:43:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 [Troll droppings deleted]
Posted by Man Bites Dog TROLL 2004-05-04 10:44:43 PM||   2004-05-04 10:44:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 
Ahhh, but Kerry demanded this medal. He put himself up for it. It wasn't thrust upon him.

And he felt it and its two successors gave him the right to an early trip home.
Posted by Robert Crawford  2004-05-04 11:05:38 PM|| [http://www.kloognome.com/]  2004-05-04 11:05:38 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 I think Kerry actually believes his exploits as he describes them in the same way that Al Gore believes his own hype.

Remember the story about Kerry having a film "re-enacting" the event that won him one of his medals?
Posted by Robert Crawford  2004-05-04 11:06:46 PM|| [http://www.kloognome.com/]  2004-05-04 11:06:46 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 The difference between this and the Bill Maudlin story is you didn't go home from WW2 because of Purple Hearts. In Vietnam 3 purple hearts and you were gone.

A cynical person might wonder if Kerry inflated his first wound to increase his odds of getting out quickly. If you play your cards right you could get out in 6 months or so that way. Or so a cynic might wonder.
Posted by ruprecht 2004-05-04 11:36:59 PM||   2004-05-04 11:36:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Ruprecht,

Under the point system the Army used after the war ended, each Purple heart was worth a certain number of points. the more points, the earlier a soldier got out.

Let's find another reason to bash Kerry. There are so many....
Posted by Eric Jablow  2004-05-05 1:30:35 AM||   2004-05-05 1:30:35 AM|| Front Page Top

#14 [Troll droppings deleted]
Posted by Man Bites Dog TROLL 2004-05-04 10:44:43 PM||   2004-05-04 10:44:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 Off-topic or abusive comments deleted]
Posted by AF Lady TROLL 2004-05-04 10:44:43 PM||   2004-05-04 10:44:43 PM|| Front Page Top

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