Text 1299, 117 rader
Skriven 2004-08-15 07:34:00 av FRANK SCHEIDT (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av TIM RICHARDSON
Ärende: Another analysis
========================
-=> Quoting Tim Richardson to Frank Scheidt <=-
 
 RJ>> At issue is whether Bush was, technically at least, a deserter in
 RJ>> his fourth year of National Guard service, when he requested a
 RJ>> transfer to Guard duties in Alabama so he could assist a Republican
 RJ>> senatorial campaign there.

 JH> Don't bet on it, Frank.  Cal Thomas had a rather long column in the
 JH> paper today about how these questions about Kerry's military and
 JH> Vietnam service are legitimate questions.  Why?  Two reasons:  1. He
 JH> has been trying to sell his leadership ability and courage under fire
 JH> based on his alledged Vietnam record, and 2. He has made a big deal of
 JH> Bush's record, trying to get traction by saying he was AWOL, etc.
 
 JH> He can't have it both ways, and I have to tell you, we conservatives
 JH> would WELCOME him into a courtroom to try to take legal action for what
 JH> the Swift Boat guys are saying.  WELCOME IT!
 
 JH> This is not going away and it won't do him any good.
 
 FS>I'm certain it won't go away, but, from my standpoint the closer
 FS>his actions are to *today* the more important.  After all the
 FS>Vietnam War was three decades ago while his Senate record is
 FS>fairly recent.
 
 FS>I think his Vietnam record is largely a wash.  People can use the
 FS>swift boats challengers to knock him down while supporters can
 FS>use his official record in that war to build him up.  I don't
 FS>care much for his Vietnam record in general.

 TR> The problem Kerry has is he pretty well made his so-called war record
 TR> a part of the presidential campaign on the night he accepted (make that
 TR> read `went through the formality') the nomination.

 TR> He stepped right up to the podium in `military record' mode with his
 TR> "reporting for duty". They have been slamming Bush on his National
 TR> Guard service, while trumpheting Kerry's Vietnam record.

 TR> The problem is, Kerry's Vietnam record is beginning to not pass the
 TR> smell test.

 TR> He claims to have spent Christmas eve in 1968 in Cambodia, being shot
 TR> at by the South Vietnamese, who were celebrating something or other.

 TR> Its unlikely they were celebrating Christmas, since the vast majority
 TR> of the country (Vietnam `and' Cambodia) were Budhist.

 TR> And the Vietnamese New Year was still several weeks away.

 TR> So the question is, `what' were the South Vietnamese celebrating?

 TR> Most of the people in the unit at the time dispute his claim. Members
 TR> of his crew at the time are strangely silent on the `being shot at in
 TR> Cambodia' front.

 TR> Kerry thought he could just walk up and claim a whole block of votes
 TR> among Vietnam Veterans, by touting his status as a veteran of that war.

 TR> His biggest problem is he's caused far more `focus' on his Vietnam
 TR> service than he thought would be brought to bear. Now, some of the
 TR> things he's stated over the years are coming back to haunt him.

 TR> Its like the Kennibunkport police department waiting for just several
 TR> weeks before the last election to release the report of Bush's DUI
 TR> arrest way back when..... as if anyone cares. Lots of people have had
 TR> DUI's. People who are good solid members of the community. Its no
 TR> disgrace. Last time I looked, alchohol is legal in America. Even cops
 TR> get DUI's now and again. So do judges. So what?

 TR> That was a cheap underhanded trick, that someone like Hillary Clinton
 TR> would think up.

 TR> A few days before the election popping up with a question like; `well,
 TR> what about these charges of fraud and money laundering in Mexico City
 TR> back in the late `60's? When are they going to be resolved with the
 TR> Justice Department?' 

 TR> By the time people find out there `aren't' any such charges, and the
 TR> candidate has never even been in Mexico in their life, the damage is
 TR> done and the election has been influenced away from that candidate.

 TR> They tried to paint George W. Bush as a draft dodger (ignoring
 TR> Clinton's draft dodging, of course), but it didn't wash. Bush was in
 TR> the Texas Air National Guard, and flew war planes.

 TR> They looked into thirty year old paper work, and found some `i' that
 TR> hadn't been dotted, and a few `t's' that hadn't been crossed correctly,
 TR> and tried to make something out of it. But that didn't wash either.

 TR> Some thirty year old paper work is missing (gee, in thirty years a lot
 TR> can happen to paper work) and right away the loony left start chiming
 TR> `AWOL, AWOL'!

 TR> Kerry tried to make his war record a big deal, but its coming around
 TR> to bite him on the ass.

 TR> So now, they're gearing up the old `well......that was thirty some
 TR> years ago. Do we `really' care what happened thirty some years ago?'

Actually *I* don't care nearly as much about what happened three 
decades ago as I care about Kerry's Senate record.  It's *that* 
which Kerry should be emphasizing:  His major accomplishments in 
the U.S. Senate.  What *were* they?  As for the Vietnam war 
problems Kerry now faces he clearly brought that on himself by 
emphasizing his Vietnam record.  He shot himself in the foot by 
doing that.

Furthermore, since he's aspiring to an executive office he should 
discuss his accomplishments in *another* political executive 
office -- his term as Dukakis's Lt. Governor ... he seems very 
silent about *those* years ...

... "Scotty, Beam down Yeoman Rand and a six-pack"

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