Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Kerry's Records Show "Swift Boat Veterans" Flip-Flops

Sen John Kerry (D-MA) has finally released his military records. It's creating a new mystery about why he didn't do it sooner. They show commendations for his service. In a written statement, Sen Kerry says the delayed release was mainly stubborness toward his opponents who wanted the records released:


''The call for me to sign a 180 form came from the same partisan operatives who were lying about my record on a daily basis on the Web and in the right-wing media. Even though the media was discrediting them, they continued to lie. I felt strongly that we shouldn't kowtow to them and their attempts to drag their lies out."

The Boston Globe reports that an earlier release of his records may have even sunk his most vocal critics during the campaign:


"[O]ne of the first actions of the group that came to be known as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth was to call on Kerry to sign a privacy waiver and release all of his military and medical records.

But Kerry refused, even though it turned out that the records included commendations from some of the same veterans who were criticizing him."
The latest release doesn't include "after action reports" -- the write ups of firefights and other combat actions filed right after the battles happened. Those are public records. They've been available for years at the Navy historical center in Washington. (Boston Globe)

4 comments:

Ike said...

So, if the documents were so exculpatory, why did he not release them?

(That's the last time I take campaign advice from Hillary.)

Tex said...

He's a stubborn cuss.

Tex said...

"[A] horrible strategy..."

I guess his Swift Boat service dealt more with tactics than strategy. Even the reporter in the Globe article was stunned by it.

Releasing the records at the first comments from the Swift Boat Vets would have probably taken them out of the campaign. Failing to release the records very likely cost him the election.

If you'll remember, Sen Kerry was extremely slow to answer their charges -- several weeks late. By that time, it appears his stubborness kicked in. That's a dangerous thing for a politician.

Anonymous said...

Kerry Calls Swift Boat Liars Bluff, Will They Come Clean?

As a Kerry spokesperson pointed out yesterday morning, off the record, now Kerry has “called the Swift Boat Liars' bluff and let's see if they will come clean about THEIR records.”

And, for that matter, when will Bush be releasing all of his records?

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=1035