Vietnam Is a Double-Edged Issue-Dems Laud Kerry Service; R's Hit Activism

[TacticalPeek]

Vietnam Is a Double-Edged Issue
Democrats Laud Kerry's Service; Republicans Hit His Activism

By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 21, 2004; Page A05

In his campaign ads and speeches, Sen. John F. Kerry has made his military service in Vietnam and antiwar activities after leaving the U.S. Navy a hallmark of his bid for the Democratic nomination. To Kerry's image-makers, the Massachusetts senator was a patriotic war hero and a principled opponent of a conflict that cost more than 50,000 American lives.

But as a potential general election showdown looms, some supporters of President Bush have been sketching a decidedly different portrait of Kerry. On the Internet and talk radio and in conservative journals, Kerry has been criticized for impugning his fellow soldiers. The attacks come on the heels of a week-long flap over Bush's record as a member of the National Guard during the war.

Bush's reelection team signaled this week that it intends to make an issue of Kerry's post-Vietnam antiwar record, although campaign officials have not said specifically what they intend to call into question.

more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58846-2004Feb20.html

[grytpype]

1. So being against Vietnam is bad now?

Bush is going to run on Vietnam?

Jeebus, this gets weirder and weirder.

[David Dunham]

2. Kerry's War Record v. Bush's AWOL Record. My bets on Kerry.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

9. Robert McNamara just admitted "WE WERE WRONG" in the movie

"Fog of War". He was the architect of America's Vietnam policy under Johnson and has gone on the record.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. Man, this is gonna be a weird year to summarize for

history books, huh?

[countmyvote4real]

4. wrong is right and 1984 is not that distant a future

I know it's ironic. Can it be any clearer? We have got to dump these assholes or our goose is cooked.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

5. Kerry will get the "undecided" voters, as well...

...as the GOP cross-over voters who have grown to hate Junior and are anxious to vote for a REAL war hero. He will also bridge the gap within the Democratic Party between the liberal and conservative wings.

As usual, the NeoCons and their media mouthpieces are full of it.

[maggrwaggr]

6. So if the R's are against Kerry's activism ......

They must REALLY hate Shrub's skipping out on the war altogether by joining hte guard.

[fearnobush]

7. So Bush only proves that it's OK to kill 58,000 U.S. troops and

well over 1,000,000 Vietnamese in a war that was escalated by an other big fat lie, the gulf of tonkin incident. WTF Does Rove's focus groups really show that the majority of people in this country are Today.... 2004, against the anti Vietnam War movement. This all looks like some weird (find one that works) smear attactic. Bush ducked that war... WTF???

[pinniped]

8. chimpy's living in Bizarro world alright.

This proves that no matter the issue chimpy will oppose him.

Can't chimpy campaign on how big a champion of the environment he is and how he saved us from the evil polluters?:crazy:

his stupid website claimed he was a champion. Boy they sure set the standards low to be a champion. Maybe they meant champion of the pollution industry.

[emulatorloo]

10. "If we want to redebate the war on Vietnam in 2004, I'm ready for that."

Inside Politics 2-20

WOODRUFF: They are saying, in effect, you were accusing American troops of war crimes.

KERRY: No, I was accusing American leaders of abandoning the troops. And if you read what I said, it is very clearly an indictment of leadership. I said to the Senate, where is the leadership of our country? And it's the leaders who are responsible, not the soldiers. I never said that. I've always fought for the soldiers. In fact, not only did we oppose the war, but we proudly stood up and fought for the additions to the GI Bill so that vets would be able to use it. We fought for the V.A. Hospitals. I wrote the Agent Orange legislation with Tom Daschle. I helped with the post-Vietnam stress syndrome outreach centers.

I'm proud of the record of fighting for soldiers and for veterans. And the fact is if we want to redebate the war on Vietnam in 2004, I'm ready for that. It was a mistake, and I'm proud of having stood up and shared with America my perceptions of what was happening.

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0402/19/ip.01.html

[BeatleBoot]

11. I can't think of one person I know that thinks

Viet Nam was the right thing to do. Not one.

This article is not only off base, but Bush was too in Alabama (LOL)

This issue is a win-win for Kerry and the Dems.