Stark question: Was it McCain or Kerry who led on Vietnam normalization?

[blm]

And if you know the answer - can you compare it to Bill Clinton's version of the story in his book?




Thanks.

[nam78_two]

1. Kerry led

In fairness to McCain he did his bit on that one, but I have definitely always gotten the impression that Kerry was the pivotal one...

I have never read Clinton's book.

Kerry is a good man...If Gore won't run, I certainly hope Kerry runs in 2008. I like him the best of all contenders.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A50479-2004Jan2?language=printer

snip
Elected to the Senate in 1984, he returned to Vietnam in May 1991. Frances Zwenig, his chief of staff at the time and later the staff director of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, recalled that even before returning to Washington, Kerry had instructed her to try to organize another trip to Vietnam by the leaders of American veterans organizations.

"This was totally his idea, and it was the right idea," Zwenig said. "If these people could see the need for going forward, that was exactly what we needed politically."

Bob Wallace, now executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars' Washington office, was among the veterans who returned to Vietnam in July 1991, when the United States was allowed to open a U.S. office for POW/MIA affairs in Hanoi.

"It came about because of John Kerry," Wallace said. "We had breakfast, and he said that the Vietnamese would welcome a trip from the veterans organizations. We firmly believed that if we wanted to make our point about the POWs and MIAs, we had to do it face to face. He was the catalyst."






snip
The Vietnam veterans who were in the Senate at the time were expected to serve on the committee, and they did -- reluctantly. It was seen as a time-consuming and thankless task, certain to be controversial and probably inconclusive, a distraction with no political upside. "It was a no-win situation," McCain said.

Kerry's staff unanimously urged him to reject the chairmanship, but he accepted it. "I thought as a Vietnam veteran that I had an obligation to my fellow Vietnam veterans and to all veterans to get the answers," he said.


snip

[blm]

2. This was started in 1991. I think Gore didn't work on it because of son's

accident - seems likely. I think that would be about the right timeframe.

[blm]

3. kick.....

especially for those who read Clinton's book.