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I talked to my Mother in Florida last night...................

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ClintonTyree Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:13 AM
Original message
I talked to my Mother in Florida last night...................
We usually get along well, she was telling me about her 7 hr. wait in line for a flu shot etc. Then we started to talk about the Presidential Race. I thought I had her solidly behind voting for Kerry (She's been a Repub all her life) but she HATES Bush. She will not vote for him.

However, last night she floored me. She said that she and many of her friends ARE NOT VOTING AT ALL! They won't vote for Bush because he's such a terrible President, but they won't vote for Kerry either because of, now get this, his TREASON during the Viet Nam War!! "All of those things he did with Jane Fonda".....I almost leapt through the phone to strangle her. She watched 24 hour "News" constantly during the day. She believes everything they say. She and her friends are convinced that Kerry was a traitor during the Viet Nam war because of his anti-war involvement. "I remember seeing it on TV".....
I told her that I remember it as well because it MY ASS that might have to go to Viet Nam and that I was a willing participant of the anti-war movement as well.

End of story. She's so convinced (by the Bush controlled Media) that Kerry is a traitor that she or none of her friends will vote this year. I was incensed. They HATE Bush, but rather than vote for a change they'll choose NOT to vote, thus making some kind of insane statement. I told her that I never again want to hear another complaint from her lips about the government, that by NOT voting she gives up her right to have any say in these matters anymore.

I guess I shouldn't be upset. ALL of these people voted for Bush in 2000 and by not voting Kerry will actually gain votes. Especially in Florida, that's helpful. I tried until I was blue in the face to try to change her opinion of Kerry, but she won't have any part of it. There are times when I think my Mother is a real asshole. These old folks in Florida piss me off (part of the reason I moved from that state this Spring). They won't believe anything but what they see on TV. "The internet is full of nothing but lies" and you believe all of that stuff (she thinks I"M stupid because I research things on the net).

I don't know what to do. I don't know if I can even bring myself to call her anymore. Anyone this ignorant of the facts doesn't deserve my attention. On the other hand, she is my Mother. I respect THAT but I no longer respect HER. People are so ignorant of the facts yet they believe that anyone educated on the subject at hand in brainwashed and wrong. I'm about to give up on my Mother.

End of Mother rant. Thanks for listening.
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sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:19 AM
Response to Original message
1. She thinks Vietnam was right?
She thought that a year ago? If she didn't, remind her. And remind her that the Agent Orange benefits, PTSD benefits, Vet Outreach Centers, and bringing home POW/MIA remains are all Vet issues led by John Kerry.

I always knew there were people who thought we should have just bombed Vietnam and won the war, but I didn't know so many could be swayed to think that after they stopped thinking that years ago.
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ClintonTyree Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:31 AM
Response to Reply #1
6. I mentioned all of those things.................
it doesn't matter to her. I told her of all the good that came of the Viet Nam Vets Against The War, she won't believe me. The only image that stickers in her mind is Kerry and Jane Fonda. I told her that they never appeared anywhere together, NEVER. "That's not my point, they all acted the same. What about the other poor soldiers (O'Neill etc) that had to see that. He let tehm all down." She said that those atrocites never happened! I told her that I had seen pictures friends took while serving in Viet Nam of atrcities that would make her sick. It was quite common, this one guy I used to work with had a necklace made from "Gook ears" that he'd cut off his enemies heads. I KNOW this shit took place, but again, I'm just a dumb kid (53 yrs. old though) who doesn't know anything.

Old people piss me off (hey I'm considered "old" by many). They know all the answers and won't listen to reason. I'll always be just a "dumb kid" to her, not knowing what I'm talking about. This really bothers me, I don't want to talk to her again for a LONG time, maybe never.
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sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:51 AM
Response to Reply #6
11. At least she's not voting
I guess that's something.

On a bright note, I just spent a week with my 88 year old uncle, an unabashed liberal. I had NO idea, I haven't spent much time with him as an adult and we'd never talked politics. He's an old railroad guy, an engineer. I knew my family was all solid Catholic union Democrats, but a true thinking liberal? Who knew! He blames everything that's happening now on Reagan, absolutely hates Reagan. It was nice to see an old guy with such a sharp mind!
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Warren DeMontague Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 07:26 AM
Response to Reply #6
22. NIXON let those poor soldiers down.

He and Kissinger deliberately torpedoed the 1968 Paris Peace Accords. Why? Because they feared, rightly, that late-breaking peace in SE Asia would be an "October Surprise" guaranteed to put HHH in the White House. So they told the S Vietnamese to wait, they would get a better deal with the GOP in power. They lied...But the SVN walked away from the talks. Fast Forward to 5 years later. Nixon and Kissinger sign the exact same deal in Paris. Half the Americans who died in Vietnam, half the names on that wall, died between 1968-1973. For no reason. (The whole war was for no reason, but, this especially is a travesty.)

If she wants to blame someone for what happened to those poor soldiers--- his name was Nixon.

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Weembo Donating Member (324 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 09:12 AM
Response to Reply #6
36. Persistence
Don't give up. Try another angle at the appropriate time. I was a long-time "moderate" repub, and my wife a lifetime dem. She and I would debate often, with little budging on either side. Finally, the perfect storm of events and facts caused the light to go off in my head, and made me realize that Junior, and the R party under his and Karl's tutelage, were wrong. I know you may not have years, but don't stop. (The turning point for me (a trial lawyer) was recognozing the irony of O'Neill, a Houston trial lawyer, supporting the man and party who vilify trial lawyers and blame them for everything from global warming to the drastic increase in ingrown toenails).
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Skidmore Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:20 AM
Response to Original message
2. There's still time before the election
to talk to her and point her to the future. What matter is what is needed now, not what was needed 30 years ago. She's still your mother and one day you won't have her any more. Mine is gone and I would give anything to be able to have a disagreement with her and know that there would be a warm hug and a hearfelt "I love you" later.

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DemBones DemBones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:21 AM
Response to Original message
3. Parents. . . you try to do everything right, but sometimes they

just don't get it! I had some similar experiences with my parents, so I understand your frustration pretty well, I think. I don't have any cures, just sympathy and empathy. Hang in there. And be glad they're not voting for Bush*.
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iwillalwayswonderwhy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:24 AM
Response to Original message
4. Well, can I adopt you, then?
I am a democrat mother in Florida who is very angry at my three voting-aged children. They all say they hate Bush, but none of them have managed to find the time to register to vote and now it's too late. I drive my Kerry-Edwards stickered car into a parking lot that is a sea of BC stickers and hold my head up. If I hear political talk I am not shy about jumping in with my point of view. I didn't move out of Florida because I didn't like the direction. I hunkered down and started working on it.

The irony of my kids not registering is that I have been helping people get registered for months.

Be careful with your stereotypes. I know you are frustrated with your mom, but we are not all crazy.
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ClintonTyree Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:37 AM
Response to Reply #4
7. I'm probably...............
close to your age. I don't know if adoption would be an option! ;) I know I shouldn't stereotype. I worked at the Highlands County Democratic Headquarters while I lived there and I'd say a good 75% of the active members were retirees. It just pisses you off so much when it's your OWN mother that won't listen to reason. Like I said, she's been a Repub her entire life, never considered voting for a Dem. I guess it's a victory that she's not voting for Bush. Maybe I should just approach the situation in that manner and let it be.
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iwillalwayswonderwhy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 06:01 AM
Response to Reply #7
13. Quietly, at work, I've had die-hard republicans
come up to talk to me. Some say they hate Bush but can't bring themselves to vote for Kerry. I advise them to stay home or vote for a third-party candidate. I see that as a victory, too. I also quietly remind them that ballots are secret and that no one need ever know that they voted for Kerry if they feel that they will lose face by voting democrat. I'm telling you, I've seen some torn-up people, with real consciences who are VERY disturbed by the great "uniter".

I also get emails from democrat co-workers who are afraid to voice that they are Kerry-supporters in Bush world. Not me, I'm not a closet Kerry-supporter, the republicans at work know it and they come talk to me. I get encouraged everyday, but it's very quietly done.

I took my two bosses to lunch yesterday for bosses' day. The weekend came up--what are your plans? I told them I was going to a rally in Gainesville to hear Edwards speak. One of them said, "I only WISH I had your conviction". I asked them, "You are both lawyers. How do you condone keeping prisoners in Gitmo for YEARS without access to a fair trial or even charges? I can't quite understand not having conviction in this."

I'm not tooting my own horn here, what I really am trying to convey is that I am a 49 year old grandma and the following things in the last two years have been firsts for me:

I publicly protested the war in Iraq.
I gave money to the DNC, the Kerry campaign, and MoveOn.
I've been an active volunteer with the Democratic Headquarters in my town.

I don't keep it secret. People notice. They talk to me.
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luaneryder Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:46 AM
Response to Reply #4
10. Good for you!!
It's really frustrating to see and hear of people who just will not take the time to register and vote. I know of several cases where the Election Board was less than a mile from a person's place of employment, but, gee, they never could find the time to pop in and register, yet I hear the same ones lamenting the ills of this administration. Keep up the good work!
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tibbir Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:28 AM
Response to Original message
5. My mother is 83 years old,
her entire estate is worth less than $150,000 and she lives on social security and a very small amount of dividends. Her medical insurance is principally medicare. When the medicare drug bill becomes fully effective my father's corporation will probably stop covering her secondary medical insurance.

In short, she has nothing to gain by voting for * and EVERYTHING to lose. But she's a died-in-the-wool repuke and she doesn't get it. She and the rest of my family think I'm from another planet for being such a liberal democrat.

She and I have already voted absentee so our votes have cancelled each other out. The only solace I have is that we both live in Texas so our votes didn't really matter anyway this time. :grr:
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ClintonTyree Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:40 AM
Response to Reply #5
8. I share your pain............
like I said, maybe the fact that she's NOT voting for Bush should be victory enough and I shouldn't be that upset with her.
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Road Scholar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 06:10 AM
Response to Reply #5
17. Your mother sounds like a carbon copy of mine. Except that she lives alone
and watches faux news all day long.She is a total victim of their propaganda and was all gung ho to vote for the Bushies, but now she says she's so tired of it all, she probably wont vote. I've always thought of voting as a duty and a responsibility, but, I can't honestly feel too bad if she doesn't vote this time.
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Guava Jelly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:43 AM
Response to Original message
9. If shes not voting shes voting for bush Period
did she watch the debates?
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ClintonTyree Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 05:56 AM
Response to Reply #9
12. No.............
it's "past her bedtime"!! Like I said, she bases her entire decision on "24 House News Channels" which we all know are complete crap at best.
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Guava Jelly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 06:04 AM
Response to Reply #12
15. Maybe you could tell her that Bush did really good in the 3
debates even though you hate him and send her to cspan.org to watch the 3 debates. that is if she has a computer
if not get on a file sharing program and see if you can download them and mail them to her. I bet cspan sells them in vhs or dvd format
http://www.cspan.org/
if she watches these debates either she will not vote for bush or she will find kerry an acceptable alternative
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ClintonTyree Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 06:26 AM
Response to Reply #15
18. No computer....................
and thinks eveything on the "intenets" is lies. She always tells me how foolish I am to believe anything I read there. Of course she's never visited the WWW, but she's an expert you know?
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iwillalwayswonderwhy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 06:03 AM
Response to Reply #9
14. I don't agree
Particularly the ones who voted for Bush last time.
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Media_Lies_Daily Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 06:09 AM
Response to Original message
16. Maybe I'm missing something here, but....
...if a lot of Republican voters are feeling the same way about not voting at all, that's actually GOOD for Kerry, isn't it? Even though it's not going to go to Kerry, that's one less vote for Chimpy, right?

I wonder what percentage of Republicans who voted for Chimpy in 2000 are not going to vote for him now? 1%? 2%? 3%?

Leave your mother alone...it's HER decision to make, let her make it.
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ClintonTyree Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 06:28 AM
Response to Reply #16
19. You're right.................
I guess I get so wrapped up in things I can't see the forest for the trees. At least she's not voting for the Chimp. That in and of itself is a victory.
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NicRic Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 07:47 AM
Response to Reply #16
25. Agree, Better to not vote then ..
a vote for bush ! Iam hoping alot more repug voters , that arnt saying so ,will not vote in this election. That can only help Kerry.
In fact when you realize there is no chance of her voting for Kerry, encourage her to stay home on election day !
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snippy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 06:57 AM
Response to Original message
20. I would write her a letter if I were you.
People are sometimes more reflective when reading than when discussing something on the telephone. I would keep it brief, but I would point out that if Kerry is a traitor so are tens of millions of other Americans, including her son.
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fujiyama Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 07:06 AM
Response to Original message
21. Be happy
Edited on Sat Oct-16-04 07:08 AM by fujiyama
that she hates Bush (or says she does).

You tried your best to convince her otherwise reagrding voting for Kerry. That's all you can do. When talking to her focus on the commonalities - the fact that she dislikes Bush for example.

Hey, better not to argue with her and end up driving her back TOWARD Bush. I'd rather have her and her friends not vote at all than vote for Bush.

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richardk Donating Member (23 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 07:35 AM
Response to Original message
23. Aunt in WPB Florida told she would be called up for jury duty
My Aunt lives in West Palm beach, she wanted to register to vote but someone told her that if she registered she would be called up for jury duty, I told her thats bull but by the time she went to register it was too late :(

Friggen Republicans, last time it was "Arrested if you have Parking Tickets" now it's "You'll get jury duty".

Someone ought to stop this nonsense.
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newyawker99 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 08:47 AM
Response to Reply #23
32. Hi richardk!!
Welcome to DU!! :toast:
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MockSwede Donating Member (579 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 07:37 AM
Response to Original message
24. Mother Rant II
Glad to listen to a mother rant. Same problem here. Except she IS voting for *. Intelligent person, well educated. But has come into money and sees politics only through money colored glasses. "I have mine - so go screw yourself" Republican attitude. I got away from Repubs when I got to college. I'm canvassing and polling for K/E here and we just talked on phone. She asked what I was up to and I filled her in. No, 'that's nice' or 'I'm not voting that way', etc. Just dead air. Cannot come to grips with her avarice and selfishness. I no longer respect her, either. End of mother rant II.
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Road Scholar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 07:54 AM
Response to Original message
26. To be honest, if my mother was gonna vote for Kerry I would drive the
forty miles and be sure she got to the polls. Otherwise,I'll just drive a few locals to the polls here.
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RollergirlVT Donating Member (452 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 07:58 AM
Response to Original message
27. At least they won't be voting for any other repubs either.
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fishnfla Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 07:59 AM
Response to Original message
28. DumpGump, your mother will take away her right to complain about anything
If she doesn't vote in this election. 7 hour wait for a flu shot? Wait 'til next year, when she'll have to wait just as long and pay twice as much.

You, my friend, have an out. I know a few things about dealing with the elderly. They love to complain, they are experts because they have so much to complain about! "today sucks, yesterday was so much better, I'm worried about tomorrow" very common complaint theme.

The minute your mom starts to bitch and moan about anything in the future, you can just cut her off with the truth: "Well Mom you should have voted"
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Roland99 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 08:00 AM
Response to Original message
29. ***Send Her THIS Information***...Print it out and MAIL it to her! :-)
Edited on Sat Oct-16-04 08:02 AM by Roland99
Ted Koppel apparently put some serious smackdown on the swiftboat liar, John O'Neill, on Nightline.
Watch the video:
http://news.globalfreepress.com/movs/wonk/ABC/NightlineSwiftBoatVetLiars.wmv





More on the swiftboat liars:

Larry Thurlow, one of the lying Swiftboat Veterans:
http://www.nationalreview.com/script/printpage.asp?ref=/york/york200407301059.asp
Thurlow says that Kerry's version of the events of March 13, 1969, is simply wrong. "His story is a total fabrication," Thurlow says. One of the Swift Boats did hit a mine that day, Thurlow says, but much of the rest of Kerry's story is inaccurate. "This thing about being under intense enemy fire is a falsehood...There was no fire off either bank . This thing about getting Jim out of the river under a hail of bullets with these serious injuries is totally fabricated."



The lie exposed:
http://www.thehistorynet.com/ah/blkerryinvietnam/index3.html

Larry Thurlow received a bronze star for a fire fight he now says did not occur!



AND

George Elliott lying:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5694561/
HURLEY: This is from George Elliott, one of John Kerry‘s commanders in Vietnam. This is the recommendation for the award of the Bronze Star. And he talks about a little bit in this.

Then he says: “Shortly after starting their exit from this river, a mine detonated under one of the boats, PCF-3, lifting it two feet above the water and wounded everyone on board. Almost simultaneously, another mine detonated, close aboard PCF-94, knocking First Lieutenant Rassmann into the water and wounding Lieutenant J.G. Kerry in the right arm.” It goes on that PCF-4 provided cover fire, that they received sniper fire from the riverbanks. “Lieutenant J.G. Kerry, from his exposed position on the bow of the boat, managed to pull Lieutenant Rassmann aboard despite the painful wound in his right arm.

“Meanwhile, PCF-94 gunners provided accurate suppressing fire.” It concludes by saying: “Lieutenant J.G. Kerry proved himself to be calm, professional and highly courageous in the face of enemy fire.” That is signed by George Elliott, one of these same guys now who is saying, oh, but I remember it differently and I want to change my mind.


http://www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docID=231
What Elliott said in the ad is that Kerry "has not been honest about what happened in Viet Nam." In his original affidavit Elliott said Kerry had not been "forthright" in Vietnam. The only example he offered of Kerry not being "honest" or "forthright" was this: "For example, in connection with his Silver Star, I was never informed that he had simply shot a wounded, fleeing Viet Cong in the back.

In the Globe story, Elliott is quoted as saying it was a "terrible mistake" to sign that statement:

George Elliott (Globe account): It was a terrible mistake probably for me to sign the affidavit with those words. I'm the one in trouble here. . . . I knew it was wrong . . . In a hurry I signed it and faxed it back. That was a mistake.


http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_4998.shtml
Another prominent figure in the anti-Kerry book as well as the ad denouncing Kerry, retired Lt. Commander George Elliott, recanted his statement last week in interviews with at least two news sources and then recounted his recant. Elliott also supported Kerry in his 1996 campaign and told a Boston audience that he felt the Senator "deserved the medals he won in Vietnam."

O’Neill further destroyed his credibility by appearing on CNN after assuring the network he had not spoke out publicly about Kerry this year. CNN later had to retract their claim of an “exclusive” interview after they learned O’Neill appeared on C-Span to discuss Kerry in March.


Elliott Praises Kerry in 1969 Report
Elliott had a much different opinion of Kerry at the time than in the ad. In a fitness report on Kerry, dated Dec. 18, 1969, he stated that "in a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action LTJG Kerry was unsurpassed...LTJG Kerry emerges as the acknowledged leader in his peer group."


Elliott also said he voted for Gore. I find that very hard to believe considering he's donated to the GOP. Elliott is a pathological liar. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.


AND

Hibbard has not revealed that he was Kerry's CO for only two weeks and never wrote a performance review for Kerry.


AND

Hoffman has been called a Kurtz-like psychopath.

Capt. Roy Hoffmann: "I told them you not only have authority," Hoffmann now says, "I damned well expect action. If there were men there and they didn’t kill them or capture them, you’d hear from me."


Also, Hoffman is a liar:
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_4998.shtml
“They seek retribution by fabricating stories to destroy Kerry,” Brinkley says. “Hoffman, in particular lacks credibility.”

On May 6, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Steve Schultze, interviewed Hoffman and wrote “Hoffmann acknowledged he had no first-hand knowledge to discredit Kerry's claims to valor and said that although Kerry was under his command, he really didn't know Kerry much personally.”

On August 5, however, Hoffman told Sean Hannity on his ABC radio show that "I knew him (Kerry) well, because I operated very closely with him and, uh, many of the operations, uh, most of the operations were-were conducted with multiple boats."



AND

Merrie Spaeth is the Communications Director for the Swiftboat Veterans group and is a staunch GOP supporter.


AND

Their website is funded by a Missouri Republican with close ties to John Ashcroft.


AND

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/5/4/132751.shtml
“It is our collective judgment that, upon your return from Vietnam, you grossly and knowingly distorted the conduct of the American soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen of that war (including a betrayal of many of us, without regard for the danger your actions caused us.) Further, we believe that you have withheld and/or distorted material facts as to your own conduct in this war.”

But it is with regard to the latter sentence of the charge that O’Neill and others get vague.

When asked by NewsMax if they had in mind any potential smoking gun of distortion that might be revealed by an unfettered examination of Kerry’s military records, there was no answer forthcoming.


AND

Who is Steve Gardner?
Swift Boat Vet "eyewitness" was not present for events leading to Kerry's medals or Purple Hearts
http://mediamatters.org/items/200408240001
Gardner admitted that "he was not on the boat with Kerry during the incidents for which Kerry got his medals," reported The Columbus Dispatch on August 6. And as a guest on Michael Savage's radio show, Savage Nation, on August 2, Gardner said that of Kerry's three Purple Hearts, he could only attest to the first; Gardner later admitted to Savage that he was "not on the boat with him " when that injury occurred...

...in at least two interviews, Gardner has falsely claimed that he was present for the incidents leading to Kerry's receipt of awards...

...In an apparent attempt to substantiate his status as an eyewitness to key Kerry events, Gardner claimed on Scarborough Country, "hat boat never left the dock that I wasn't aboard it with John Kerry, never. I was with that boat everywhere we went." Gardner went on to make assertions regarding the events that occurred on March 13, 1969, involving Kerry's rescue of Jim Rassmann, for which Kerry received the Bronze Star. Gardner claimed to know that Kerry fled the scene on the river that day while the other three boats stayed and that Kerry then "turned around and came all the way back to pick up Mr. Rassmann that he had thrown off his boat when he took off, when he fled down the canal." But later in the show, Gardner admitted to not being present that day. When Scarborough attempted to revisit the "March 13, 1969 incident," Gardner said, "I'm not going to deal with that. Because I wasn't there."...

...On the August 2 broadcast of Savage Nation, Gardner himself claimed that all of the wounds for which Kerry received Purple Hearts "were superficial wounds, and I mean very superficial, scratches. The very first one is the only one that I can actually attest to because I was there when that wound happened." But Gardner was not there when Kerry sustained that wound; as noted above, Gardner went on to admit: "I was not on the boat with him but I -- in the next three days following that, I was with him on the boat going to take our new position up down there on the seaward operations."


And John O'Neill in his lie:

Swift Boat Writer Lied on Cambodia Claim
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&u=/ap/20040825/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_critic_swift_boats_1&printer=1
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bushwakker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 08:24 AM
Response to Original message
30. keep working her - she's still up for grabs
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bear425 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 08:35 AM
Response to Original message
31. Tell your mom that this administration is posing as Rebublican
It is truly not... It's more like neo-conservative fascist. Good luck and keep working on her - you have nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain.
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lawladyprof Donating Member (628 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 08:52 AM
Response to Original message
33. Kerry saved American lives
First, I sympathize with your mom. I am older and single and often have the TV on for company/just for the sound of voices in the house.

Second, why don't you write her a letter--a real hand-written one 'cause that is warmer and reminding her of the past (the way things were done in the past) is likely to make her more receptive.

When John Kerry testified before Congress (when Jane Fonda did her thing) 44,000 Americans had died in Viet Nam. By the time the war ended it was 58,000. If John Kerry could have ended the war when he testified he would have done so and 14,000 Americans who went to their graves would have come home to their mothers and fathers and their brothers and sisters. If John Kerry's actions (even the indirect effect of those actions) shortened the war, even by a few weeks, then some hundreds and perhaps thousands of men (not forgetting their were some women in Viet Nam too) lived to come home to their families and to live out the rest of their lives. Who could say to Bill from some little town in Nebraska, "You shouldn't have had the rest of your life. Shouldn't have married your sweetheart. Had your family. Become a dad and then a grandfather. No baseball games. No teaching your son to fish. No smiles the night your daughter went to the prom or got her college degree" No Christmas mornings"? And who could say to Bill's mom, "You should have never been able to put your arms around your son again. Never again felt the skin of his cheek and thought of the baby smell, baby softness of the infant you carried and loved, cherished and cared for. Only stood by his grave and smoothed the fabric of the flag that draped his coffin."

The people who fought to end the Viet Nam War did so for Bill and countless others like him. They were not always judicious because they were desperate, frantic if you will, to save Bill and Frank from Pittsburgh and Henry from White Plains and Jeff from some small town in Oklahoma so that Bill and Frank and Henry and Jeff could come home to their mommas and their dads.
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lawladyprof Donating Member (628 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 08:56 AM
Response to Reply #33
34. One more point
It makes me sick to see the POW wives (widows?) on the current Swift Boat Vets ads. If the war had lasted longer (because I believe the anti-war movement played a significant role in shortening it), then their husbands might not have come home at all. Disease, lack of medical care, and/or prison guard brutality might have cost them their lives. They should be grateful to John Kerry for his courage in working to bring their husbands home.
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blm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-04 09:00 AM
Response to Original message
35. Send her Going Upriver on DVD or videotape and ask her to share it
with her friends.

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