Home > Shame on the Swift Boat Veterans for Bush

Shame on the Swift Boat Veterans for Bush

by Open-Publishing - Monday 23 August 2004
8 comments

Edito


By JIM RASSMANN

I came to know Lt. John Kerry during the spring of 1969. He and his swift boat crew assisted in inserting our Special Forces team and our Chinese Nung soldiers into operational sites in the Cau Mau Peninsula of South Vietnam. I worked with him on many operations and saw firsthand his leadership, courage and decision-making ability under fire.

On March 13, 1969, John Kerry’s courage and leadership saved my life.

While returning from a SEA LORDS operation along the Bay Hap River, a mine detonated under another swift boat. Machine-gun fire erupted from both banks of the river, and a second explosion followed moments later. The second blast blew me off John’s swift boat, PCF-94, throwing me into the river. Fearing that the other boats would run me over, I swam to the bottom of the river and stayed there as long as I could hold my breath.

When I surfaced, all the swift boats had left, and I was alone taking fire from both banks. To avoid the incoming fire, I repeatedly swam under water as long as I could hold my breath, attempting to make it to the north bank of the river. I thought I would die right there. The odds were against me avoiding the incoming fire and, even if I made it out of the river, I thought I’d be captured and executed. Kerry must have seen me in the water and directed his driver, Del Sandusky, to turn the boat around. Kerry’s boat ran up to me in the water, bow on, and I was able to climb up a cargo net to the lip of the deck. But, because I was nearly upside down, I couldn’t make it over the edge of the deck. This left me hanging out in the open, a perfect target. John, already wounded by the explosion that threw me off his boat, came out onto the bow, exposing himself to the fire directed at us from the jungle, and pulled me aboard.

For his actions that day, I recommended John for the Silver Star, our country’s third highest award for bravery under fire. I learned only this past January that the Navy awarded John the Bronze Star with Combat V for his valor. The citation for this award, signed by the Commander of U.S. Naval Forces, Vietnam, Vice Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, read, "Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry’s calmness, professionalism and great personal courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service." To this day I am grateful to John Kerry for saving my life. And to this day I still believe that he deserved the Silver Star for his courage.

It has been many years since I served in Vietnam. I returned home, got married, and spent many years as a deputy sheriff for Los Angeles County. I retired in 1989 as a lieutenant. It has been a long time since I left Vietnam, but I think often of the men who did not come home with us.

I am neither a politician nor an organizer. I am a retired police officer with a passion for orchids. Until January of this year, the only public presentations I made were about my orchid hobby. But in this presidential election, I had to speak out; I had to tell the American people about John Kerry, about his wisdom and courage, about his vision and leadership. I would trust John Kerry with my life, and I would entrust John Kerry with the well-being of our country.

Nobody asked me to join John’s campaign. Why would they? I am a Republican, and for more than 30 years I have largely voted for Republicans. I volunteered for his campaign because I have seen John Kerry in the worst of conditions. I know his character. I’ve witnessed his bravery and leadership under fire. And I truly know he will be a great commander in chief.

Now, 35 years after the fact, some Republican-financed Swift Boat Veterans for Bush are suddenly lying about John Kerry’s service in Vietnam; they are calling him a traitor because he spoke out against the Nixon administration’s failed policies in Vietnam. Some of these Republican-sponsored veterans are the same ones who spoke out against John at the behest of the Nixon administration in 1971. But this time their attacks are more vicious, their lies cut deep and are directed not just at John Kerry, but at me and each of his crewmates as well. This hate-filled ad asserts that I was not under fire; it questions my words and Navy records. This smear campaign has been launched by people without decency, people who don’t understand the bond of those who serve in combat.

As John McCain noted, the television ad aired by these veterans is "dishonest and dishonorable." Sen. McCain called on President Bush to condemn the Swift Boat Veterans for Bush ad. Regrettably, the president has ignored Sen. McCain’s advice.

Does this strategy of attacking combat Vietnam veterans sound familiar? In 2000, a similar Republican smear campaign was launched against Sen. McCain. In fact, the very same communications group, Spaeth Communications, that placed ads against John McCain in 2000 is involved in these vicious attacks against John Kerry. Texas Republican donors with close ties to George W. Bush and Karl Rove crafted this "dishonest and dishonorable" ad. Their new charges are false; their stories are fabricated, made up by people who did not serve with Kerry in Vietnam. They insult and defame all of us who served in Vietnam.

But when the noise and fog of their distortions and lies have cleared, a man who volunteered to serve his country, a man who showed up for duty when his country called, a man to whom the United States Navy awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts, will stand tall and proud. Ultimately, the American people will judge these Swift Boat Veterans for Bush and their accusations. Americans are tired of smear campaigns against those who volunteered to wear the uniform. Swift Boat Veterans for Bush should hang their heads in shame.

Mr. Rassmann, a retired lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, served with the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam 1968-69.

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109209179651686933,00.html

Forum posts

  • Why James Rassmann Is Honestly Mistaken About John Kerry Saving His Life And Kerry Is Shamelessly Exploiting The Situation

    I do not doubt the sincerity of Mr. James A. Rassmann regarding his version of events on March 13, 1969.

    My own experience and review of such part of the record as is available convinces me that then First Lieutenant James A. Rassmann is right about then Lieutenant Junior Grade John F. Kerry helping him out of the water. However, Rassmann is wrong about Kerry heroically saving his life.

    I was an Operations Officer for 2d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment during the first Gulf War.

    As a U.S. Marine Corps Officer, achieving the rank of Major, I was on active duty for over a decade.

    I have watched first hand how men behave under enemy fire.

    It is my opinion that Mr. Rassmann actually believes that he was under enemy fire and that now Presidential candidate Senator John Kerry is shamefully exploiting the situation for personal political gain.

    It is also my opinion that, if a proper investigation is conducted, that Senator Kerry’s "band of brothers" will reveal significantly embarrassing facts.

    The right questions have not been asked and pertinent U.S. Navy and U.S. Army operational, administrative award, maintenance, and medical documents have not been reviewed, which I believe would disprove Senator Kerry’s claims.

    I cross-referenced the available official Naval documents and numerous statements from Senator Kerry, Mr. Rassmann, and several other officers and sailors who participated in the "Sea Lords" tactical operation on March 13, 1969.

    I use a military "findings of fact" format, presented in chronological order, to describe this incident.

    Kerry and Rassmann contradict themselves many times. However, multiple versions match on several points with other first hand accounts so I weighed those findings as being the most accurate.

    The official Naval documents reviewed for these findings, to include the after action report (SPOT report), award citations, and battle damage report, were downloaded from the Kerry website.

    The closer the date of the statements to the date of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), the more embellished and divergent Kerry’s and Rassmann’s statements became as compared to older first hand observations and official Naval documents.

    The Kerry Presidential campaign news release dated January 17, 2004, appended to this statement, represents the most divergent, carefully embellished, and falsified account of the incident I was able to find.

    Why would Kerry’s Presidential campaign staff release a statement to the American people materially different from the "official" documents available on Kerry’s own website?

    Here are my findings:

    1.) A U.S. Naval Patrol Craft Fast (PCF), also called a "Swift" boat, is 50 feet long, nearly 14 feet wide, has a maximum speed of 32 Knots, and typically has a crew of six (1 officer and 5 enlisted).

    2.) On March 13, 1969, a squadron of five Swift boats participated in operation Sea Lords in Bay Hap River and Dong Cung Canal.

    3.) The squadron consisted of Swift boats PCF-94, PCF-51, PCF-23, PCF-43, and PCF-3.

    4.) Sea Lords was a "sweeping" operation conducted in conjunction with U.S. Army ground forces and other allied ground forces.

    5.) At the end of ground operations (approximately 5 hours), the Swift boats extracted the ground troops and began exiting the river.

    6.) LTJG John F. Kerry USN was the Officer-in-Charge of Swift boat PCF-94.

    7.) 1LT James A. Rassmann USA was the Executive Officer of A-Detachment (A404), a 12 man Green Beret unit.

    8.) Rassmann was a passenger on Kerry’s boat and did not serve with Kerry as a crewman.

    9.) As a Green Beret, Rassmann was not trained in U.S. Navy Swift boat operations.

    10.) Rassmann did not command or have "his own" Swift boat.

    11.) Swift boats do not operate independently and the commanders and crews of the other Swift boats in Kerry’s Swift boat squadron had direct and daily first hand observation of his conduct and actions.

    12.) From the morning ground operations Kerry was wounded in his left buttocks by a piece of shrapnel from a hand grenade, which he had thrown into a bin of rice.

    13.) At approximately 1445 hours (2:45 PM) the Swift boats started their exit of the river.

    14.) Swift boat PCF-3 was hit by a command detonated mine. The entire crew was wounded and two crew members were thrown into the water. Rassmann was not in this boat.

    15.) Only one mine explosion was observed.

    16.) Kerry’s Swift boat was on the opposite side of the waterway from where Swift boat PCF-3 was damaged by the mine. The waterway is approximately 75 yards wide.

    17.) Kerry had his driver speed away down river from the incident site hitting something in the river. This collision resulted in Kerry hitting the bulkhead and receiving contusions on his right forearm. At that time, supposedly responding to a bow gun being jammed, Rassmann was heading to the bow and was subsequently knocked out of Kerry’s boat.

    18.) Kerry’s Swift boat traveled as far as 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) down river before returning up river to retrieve Rassmann.

    19.) The maximum rated speed of a Swift boat is 32 Knots (36.8 MPH). Taking into account that Kerry’s boat had "curled and chipped" screws, Rassmann was in the water more than 10 minutes.

    20.) Rassmann spent a significant amount of his time in the water intentionally submerged, holding his breath in an attempt to evade what he thought was enemy fire.

    21.) Swift boats PCF-51, PCF-23, and PCF-43 remained at the scene with damaged Swift boat PCF-3.

    22.) After the mine explosion, Swift boats PCF-51, PCF-23, and PCF-43 provided suppression fire against both shorelines in anticipation of an ambush. It is a sound and proven tactical decision to go on the offense against an ambush. Turning and running only exposes your back to the enemy, presenting them with a much better target. Running from an ambush without firing also allows the enemy to easily establish accurate weapons fire.

    23.) The Officers-in-Charge of Swift boats PCF-51, PCF-23, PCF-43, and PCF-3 state that they were not receiving enemy fire after the mine explosion.

    24.) The weapons fire heard by Rassmann was from the twin .50-caliber Browning machine guns being fired by each of the Swift boats (PCF-51, PCF-23, and PCF-43), not enemy fire. Rassmann assumed that such a significant amount of weapons fire coming from the Swift boats must be in response to enemy fire.

    25.) The "Battle Damage" report of March 13, 1969 does not reflect any bullet damage to any of the 5 Swift boats. The lack of any bullet holes in any of the five Swift boats following the incident presents reliable forensic evidence that there was no enemy weapons fire. Also, none of the personnel involved in the incident received any bullet wounds during the incident. In a waterway less than 75 yards wide, if the enemy on both sides of the river were in covered positions with clear fields of fire, the enemy could not possibly miss hitting the 50 foot long aluminum boats. Rassmann and many others would be dead considering the length of time the boats were present supporting Swift boat PCF-3.

    26.) Kerry returned to the scene and picked up Rassmann at the same time another Swift boat approached Rassmann for an attempted pick up. Rassmann stated in an interview with Los Angeles Times on 3/13/04 that Kerry pulled him into the boat using his good arm.

    27.) Swift boat PCF-43 evacuated Kerry, Rassmann, and the injured crew and passengers of Swift boat PCF-3 to the U.S. Coast Guard vessel Spencer (WHEC-36) where Kerry was treated for the shrapnel wound to his left buttocks and the contusions on his right forearm. Kerry was released for duty immediately following his treatment.

    28.) Kerry’s Swift boat PCF-94 towed the damaged Swift boat PCF-3 (without Kerry on board) demonstrating PCF-94’s operational status after the incident.

    29.) Rassmann wrote the award recommendation that resulted in Kerry receiving a medal.

    30.) Rassmann recommended that Kerry receive a Silver Star. Rassmann believed then, as he does now, that he was actually under enemy fire.

    31.) An official statement from an officer is rarely questioned. The U.S. Navy chain of command at the time of the incident acted in good faith on Rassmann’s recommendation for a medal. However, the U.S. Navy issued Kerry a Bronze Star instead of a Silver Star. Kerry also received a Purple Heart.

    32.) An act of heroism is defined as going "above and beyond the call of duty". It was Kerry’s duty to pick up Rassmann when he fell out of Kerry’s boat, not an act of heroism. Kerry could have been charged for dereliction of duty if he had not done so. If the U.S. Navy higher chain of command knew that there was no enemy weapons fire, the medal would not have been awarded.

    33.) Rassmann is mistaken about Kerry "saving his life". Swift boat PCF-51 picked up the other men in the water from Swift boat PCF-3 and could have also picked up Rassmann as well.

    If this incident is scrutinized, Kerry’s "band of brothers" will collapse and, in turn, so will the artificial foundation of Kerry’s presidential campaign.

    As a child I asked my WWII U.S. Marine Corps veteran father about the scars on his body. It was not until I became a Marine that I realized they were bullet wounds. I found a box of his medals and had to use an Encyclopedia to find out what a Purple Heart, Silver Star, and Bronze Star were.

    The day before my Marines crossed the line of departure to clear the minefields in Operation Desert Storm, I was ordered to report to my Battalion Commander. He was surrounded by a number of somber looking officers and clutched a red cross message - the only thing a Marine in combat fears. He notified me that my father had passed away.

    My father died alone after drinking himself to death. He took to his grave what happened to him in combat. I do not talk to my little boy or my beloved wife about what I experienced in combat. Why should they be exposed to my demons? I thank God that I am alive and have a family that loves me and that I live in the greatest nation in history.

    Appended is a news release from the Kerry Presidential campaign.

    Reading this news release left with me with a perception that Kerry’s lack of integrity is accompanied by a self-regard so excessive that it empowers him to act in an unethical and manipulative fashion.

    By making this exaggerated event the cornerstone of his Presidential campaign, Senator Kerry profoundly disrespects the Office of the President, the citizens of our great nation, and generations of men and woman who have sacrificed their lives in the defense of our nation.

    John Kerry is not qualified to hold any public office.

    Grant K. Holcomb
    Larkspur, CO
    (303) 726-3736
    marine@healthcommunications.org

    For Immediate Release

    January 17, 2004

    Contact: Stephanie Cutter, 202-528-0143, Laura Capps, 515-288-5504

    Kerry Reunites with Fellow Veteran in Iowa

    Veteran says Kerry saved his life in combat; has not seen him since 1969

    Des Moines, IA- Former Lieutenant John Kerry was reunited today with fellow Vietnam veteran Jim Rassmann, who says Kerry saved his life during combat.

    On March 13, 1969, Rassmann, a Green Beret, was traveling down the Bay Hap river in a boat behind Kerry’s when both were ambushed by exploding land mines and enemy fire coming from the shore. Kerry was hit in the arm, while a mine blew Rassmann’s boat out of the water. With enemy fire coming from both sides of the river and swift boats evacuating from the area, Kerry’s crew chose to turn their boat toward the ambush to save Rassmann.

    "We were still under fire, and he was wounded at the time·," recalled Rassmann. And with his boat’s gunners providing suppressing fire, Kerry extended his wounded arm into the water and the two lieutenants locked arms.

    Kerry and Rassmann have not seen each other since 1969. Yesterday, Jim Rassmann called John Kerry’s campaign headquarters and said: "I saw that John is in another tough fight, and I want to lend a hand."

    Rassmann, a retired Los Angeles county sheriff who now lives in Florence, Oregon, flew to Iowa this morning to reunite with Kerry. Kerry, with fellow veterans around him, said he was moved by Rassmann’s decision to come to Iowa.

    "I remember the day and the moment we last met; the lingering bond between us comes from the shared experience of our service," Kerry said. "I told Jim what I tell the thousands of veterans I have met in Iowa: As president, I will never-ever-forget your service." Kerry added.

    For Kerry’s bravery, Rassmann recommended that he be recognized, and Kerry was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V. The citation that followed the award read as follows:

    "The man was receiving sniper fire from both banks. Lt. Kerry directed his gunners to provide suppressing fire, while from an exposed position on the bow, his arm bleeding and in pain, with disregard for his personal safety, he pulled the man aboard.

    Lt. Kerry then directed his boat to return and assist the other damaged craft and towed the boat to safety. Lt. Kerry’s calmness, professionalism and great personal courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the US Naval Service."

    – 30-

    www.JohnKerry.com

    — 

    • 1) Kerry asked to go to Nam.
      2) Kerry served in Nam.
      3) Kerry received awards for meritorious service.

      Compare to Bush:

      1) Bush’s daddy got him into a champagne unit flying a plane obsolete for service in Nam.
      2) Bush never served in Nam, matter of fact, we can’t seem to find anyone who remembers serving with him during a 10 month period.
      3) Bush didn’t receive awards for meritorious service.

      All of this is nothing but a circus to distract the citizens from Bush’s absymal policy and security failures. It’s a straw man. Don’t fall for it. Evaluate the proposals of the candidates, decide, and VOTE. Your fellow Americans died so you have that opportunity. Use it!

    • I have listened to the mainstream Media / Press for a long time, excoriate President Bush, his administration and conservatives at every opportunity. From multiple sources I have seen on the Internet, listened to on radio talk shows, read in newspapers and watched on network news; the exhibition and application of extremely liberal concepts and perspectives in approaching analyzing and asembling for consumption by the mostly unwitting public, the Media / Press’s opinion of what you the public should hear.
      We daily are confronted with a river of information and most of us rely on and trust the Media / Press to honestly teach us about the news.

      Imagine a river where the water flowing in the river is actually news information.
      You are sitting on the left side of a small island which is in the middle of the river ( of information). The river water goes to the left of the island ( information going to the left ) and the river water goes to the right of the island ( information going to the right ). Your always sitting on the left side of the island. watching the river water ( information going to the left ). You never see the river water going to the right of the island, ( information going to the right ). Consequently you only see left sided information. You hardly ever see the right sided information. When you do see right sided information, the left side, because they control the information always belittles it, denigrates it, distorts it, makes it hard to understand and on an on.
      I fervently believed the Medi / Press to not only be Liberal, but to be so far left as to embrace the principles of Socialism and some times Marxism. The Media / Press has had its own agenda for a long time. With the recent events they have not only admitted to their extreme Liberal agenda, they have unequivocally convicted themselves. All during the Afghanistan War and then the Iraq war, they reported every bizarre accusation, sought vitriolic and inflammatory opinions against Bush, against our policies, against the administration and basically against America. This was provided for terrorist and Middle East Muslim consumptionas well as the American Public. They knowingly but indirectly inflamed national opinion as well as world opinion. All in an effort to denigrate and crush Pres. Bush. This was not Freedom of the Press. It was totally abandoning the principle of Journalism. The Media / Press virtually ignored any thing that represented anything postive in the war on terror. THE MEDIA / PRESS in my opinon was indirectly responsible for many of our soldiers dieing in both of these wars. The Media / Press provided hourly encouragement by their reporting to our enemies. The Media / Press never reported on Saddams murderous brutality so that they could keep reporters in Baghdad, on the hundreds of mass graves where tens of thousands of men, women and children were slaughtered as well as thousands of other items that would have portrayed Saddam for what he really was. Had the Media / Press showed in detail to the Middle East the real Saddam the Islamic Muslims would have been convinced of the reality of Saddams brutality. Instead the American Media / Press left a condemnatoy picture of the United States reinforced daily by itself and the weekly incantations and curses of anti american speech from the likes of Ted ( Chappaquidick Lifeguard ) Kennedy. He compared the Abu Graib episode similar to the US running a concentration camp. Talk about Psych. Warfare. They used to call it aiding and abetting the enemy. In the same way they never reported about the terrorists as scum. Did you ever hear Media / Press condemnation after a beheading call them savage, uncivilized, anti societal, thugs or paint them in a picture that didn’t attribute some possible noble cause on their part. Did they ever really report in detail Wahabbism, Muslim Honor killing of their own daughters or sisters in their own family and on an on.
      Fast forward to the present. The Democratic Party had the statement on their own Party website that they had partnered with Moveon.org and named radical groups. That was totally illegal of the DNC. This is what they are trying to accuse Pres. Bush of. The Media / Press always has a double standard. The Media / Press has examined Pres Bush with an electron microscope in an effort to smear excretment on him. They regularly have had on news programs, spokespersons from Institutions of various kinds plus think tanks. What they never said was, that these persons and organizations were politically all extremely left. The Conservatives examined Moores Fahrenheit 911 and found over a hundred substantial errors. The Media / Press never bothered to report it. That would have added a little support to Bush. They have not followed up on the dishonesty of Richard Clarke, Sandy Berger, Oneil and many others. Now we have the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The Media / Press has tried to ignore them as well as the contents of the book Unfit for Command. The constant suppression of conservative thought, distortion of news, self censorhip by presenting only news that agrees or supports their agenda, overtly and covertly manipulating public opinion is treasonous. The public is clamoring for the book Unfit for Command. Borders and Barnes and Noble Books have engaged in disgraceful conduct by refusing to carry the book. The Media / Press has abrogated all of the tenets of Freedom of Speech.
      The book ’Unfit for Command’ is a very well documented book. During the Vietnam war there were a total of about 500 to 600 Swift boat veterans. Two hundred fifty four ( 254 ) Swift boat veterans support the Swift boat Veterans for Truth. Sixty three ( 63 ) of them served directly with John Kerry, during combat. The Media / Press has totally ignored the Swift Veterans and the contents contained in the book. Why? Because they know that most of all their facts will stand up to any kind of scrutiny they can apply to the veterans and issues contained in the book. The Media / Press is censoring the news by not reporting truthful news that will be damaging to Kerry.
      The Media / Press could care less about the publics right to know in any instance like this. ABROGATION OF FREE SPEECH BY THE MEDIA / PRESS / SUPPRESSION OF NEWS TO THE PUBLIC
      John Kerry did not enlist for combat. He tried to get a deferrement first, couldn’t and signed up for the Naval Reserve in 1966. Later he was sent to a Guided Missile Cruiser off the coast of Vietnam. Shortly after he signed onto the Swift boats which that at that time were patrolling between the fleet and shore to prevent sappers from planting mines. After signing on the Swift boats the mission was changed to patrol the coast line, rivers and tributaries. The book covers in exhausting detail Kerrys four month assignment with the Swift Boats, until he requested out after receiving three Purple hearts, a silver star and a gold star. Kerry was never shot. His three wounds required band aids for two Purple Hearts and perhaps two bandaids for the third Purple Heart. The Swift Veterans provide the details of how Kerry was irresponsible, falsfied reports which provided the means he acheived his medals and detail after detail of many other things.
      After Kerry returned to the US he joined a pro communist group called Veterans Against the Vietnam War ( VAVW ). This group was supported by Jane Fonda ( Hanoi Jane ) and Mark Lane. Kerry gathered around a 150 veterans that gave testimony of random and regular atrocities committed by US soldiers at the direction of those in Command in Vetnam. This was called the Winter Soldier investigation. These Veterans spoke of widespread atrocities committed by soldiers at every level in Vietnam.
      Problem was veterans opposing Kerry were not allowed to speak at the Fulbright Commssion hearing held in Washington, DC. There, Kerry made his "cut off ears, cut off heads and ravaged the countryside like Ghengis Kahn," speech. The Media / Press daily, relentlessly spread this message to the public with no in depth ivestigation of the veterans themselves. It was later absolutely proved that many, many of them were complete fakes. Many of them had never been in military service. Some had been in the service and never served in Vietnam. Al Hubbard the actual founder stated he was a highly decorated officer. It was later proved he had been a seargent and had never been to Vietnam. This action by Kerry helped creat the percetion by the public that most of the veterans were baby killers, rapists and murdereres. Kerry was despised by most living veterans.
      Shorly after Kerry made unauthorized trips to Paris and met with the head of the North Vietnam goverenment. A relative of his named Colliers later got a billion doller contract for reconstruction of Vietnam.
      The Media / Press knows all this, but has chosen to remain silent. The American public is entitled to know when we are considering Kerry as the next potential President. Stop! Stop!
      Think deeply and honestly about the next two sentences.

      First assume President Bush was the candidate for President TODAY and had committed the things Kerry is currently accused, like fraudently obtaining his Purple hearts, marching under the communist flag with war protesters and giving testimony before the Fulbright comittee about alleged atrocities by veterans that were later proved to be lying.

      Second assume Kerry is the current President.

      Honestly now! How would the Media / Press be reacting to the possiblitly of electing a person that claimed that he was qualified to be President of the United States because he was a Vietnam war hero. At the same time knowing there was strong testimony and evidence that indicated he had faked his medals, falsfied military records, provided false testimony to the goverenment, met illegally with the North Vietnam goverenment and protested by marching under the Communist flag?

      I think you know the answer. The Media / Press would have rabidly and mercilessly attacked Bush the CANDIDATE until he was charged with criminal acts and put in jail to be tried.

      The difference is, that no matter what the offense they will protect the candidate that represents their own interests and idealogy. OH. Wake up. Tthis is the Journalistic standards we live under. Sounds like the kind of Media / Press that existed in the Soviet Union twenty years ago, except in this case the Media / Press is not goverenment controlled it is onmipotent.

      By Ron Ford

    • I believe the Major is correct. Kerry is unfit to hold any public office.

  • John Kerry is participating in throwing this election to Bush.

    Here we have an imbicile for president, who has made horrible decisions, insulted everyone’s intelligence at his press conferences, is responsible for killing and maiming untold thousands of innocent civilians, not to mention not doing anything on 911.... but he is going to let the bushies steer the debate this way. ANYONE could beat bush.....apparently except Kerry. Start asking around...would you have voted for the war in Iraq? would you have voted for the patriot act? If you answered ’no’ you are more qualified to be president then Bush or Kerry who have not done their basic jobs as public servants, which is to uphold our constitution.

    We have to unite against the rich elite controlling class and their perpetual lies and war.

    • You have been sold a bill of Goods.....
      Kerry is worth over 650 million dollars.
      Bush will go down as one of the best Presidents our nation has every had....
      Just wait until November, and watch the landslide.....

  • On the floor of the Senate on March 27, 1986, Sen. John Kerry issued this statement:

    "I remember Christmas of 1968 sitting on a gunboat in Cambodia. I remember what it was like to be shot at by Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge and Cambodians, and have the President of the United States telling the American people that I was not there; the troops were not in Cambodia. I have that memory which is seared — seared — in me."

    Boy, this dude can really tell a whopper! It would be one thing to make up a story like this while sitting with your buddies on a bar stool in the local VFW hall, but to make a statement like this before congress is really scary. What’s with this guy?

    Well, I was in the Mekong Delta for Christmas of 1968. Believe me, when you are a young soldier far away from home you remember where you were — and what you were doing on Christmas. John Kerry, as far as anyone can tell, was not in Cambodia for the Christmas Holiday in 1968 — or at any other time for that matter. This guy may have a problem telling the truth. Maybe he was confusing Christmas with Groundhog Day, which is in February?

  • After researching the swift boats for veterans, I would like to point out:

    1. The Swift Boat Veterans are NOT ENDORSING BUSH. They are democrats, independants, and people from all walks of life who want to "set the record straight."

    2. Therefore, the article’s title gives everyone the wrong impression.

    3. Mr. Rassmann is mistaken. I am not impuning his integrety or his sincerity. He believes he was saved by Kerry, and that is understandable. No one who has read the other eye witness accounts of this incident could believe anything but the fact that Kerry was not under enemy fire. Virtually every other credible witness confirms the Swift boats version of events.

    4. Kerry has made a career out of blasting our military. He has impuned the integrity of every single Vietnam Veteran, and voted against the military every chance he had during the past twenty years in the senate. As President, there is no doubt the United States would be subjected to a Carter-like pacifist presidency devoid of any substnace.

    5. Their (Kerry/Rasmann) version of events is germain. It shows how an exageratting liar is taking advantage of his military service to cover his real pacifist agenda. Kerry knows he does not represent the views of the majority of Americans, and the only way he can get elected is to fool us into thinking he is something he is not...