John Kerry's Turning Point

[Feanorcurufinwe]

The path to John Kerry's most prized political achievement began in an awkward silence aboard a C-135 military transport plane bound for Kuwait nearly 13 years ago.

There, Sens. Kerry, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz. -- men with distinguished Vietnam War records but whose views of Vietnam were as distinct as night and day -- sat opposite each other and broke through an anger that had consumed a generation.

The work that grew out of their conversation helped to move America beyond the ordeal of Vietnam; without it, neither man might have sought the presidency of the United States. McCain went first, four years ago. Now it's Kerry's turn.

Over the course of that flight they opened up. First they discussed their shared experiences as Navy veterans. Then Kerry talked of his high-profile opposition to the war in the 1970s, McCain about his six years as a prisoner of war. Slowly they bonded.

In time, the Vietnam protester and the POW worked together to end lingering suspicions that POWs and MIAs remained alive in Vietnam and ultimately to normalize relations with their former enemy.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/7678341.htm

I don't think Kerry thinks of it as his most prized achievement -- I think he is most proud of his myriad environmental achievements -- but he did show real leadership on this issue.

[blm]

1. I think BCCI and IranContra investigations were even more significant

to our country's future. I can see how others would see normalizing relations with Vietnam as significant to our past, though.

Funny, how Dean never mentioned how Kerry's efforts and negotiations set the guidelines that helped retrieve his brother's remains in Laos.