Kerry, perhaps the truth just hurts too much...

Now we discover that Kerry told a Virginia audience at a Martin Luther King Day celebration last year that he remembers hearing about King's death while in Vietnam. The only problem is that King was shot in April of 1968 and Kerry didn't make it to Vietnam until Nov. of 1968. Why does this matter? Obviously Kerry has chosen to romanticize his duty in Vietnam over the years and woven stories to fit the image he wants to project. Do any of us really care about Vietnam now? No, but Kerry is the one who made it the centerpiece of his campaign. We would much rather talk about his 20 yrs in Congress. But that is difficult to do since Kerry only spent a little over a minute on his congressional career at the Democratic National Convention. We do know that, for example, in 2003 Kerry's voting record shows that out of 119 votes recorded, he only showed up for 28% of them. But, come on, travel is difficult these days. Oh, wait...He has a private jet. Or perhaps its better not to be on record for votes that may come back to haunt you when running for President the next year? Just a thought.

In April Kerry referred to Bush as a president "who can't even answer whether he showed up for duty in the National Guard." and who "has yet to explain to America whether or not, and to tell the truth, about whether he showed up for duty." Kerry went on to say later, "Just because you get a honorable discharge doesn't in fact answer the question."

Perhaps Bush should ask, "Just because you received purple hearts doesn't in fact answer the questions." Kerry demands of Bush what he himself is not willing to give, the truth.

To set the record straight, Bush has answered the question fully. Kerry likes to demean National Guard Duty and dismiss Bush for not going to Vietnam. Kerry spent 4 months there and got out as soon as little purple hearts could get him home. Bush spent over 5 years in the National Guard, trained as a fighter pilot. The period Kerry is referring to was his 5th year of duty when he asked to be transferred ( a common practice ) to Alabama to work on Republican Winton Blount's campaign. He cut back his hours dramatically to do this, but more than fulfilled his requirements. The story hinged on several Guard members in Alabama who never remembered seeing him there. Considering Bush was not known then, just a regular guy, and a transfer with fewer hours, AND with 900 men at the base, this is no surprise. But not only did a now retired Lt. John Cahouhn say he remembers seeing Bush several times, but records show Bush was paid and given retirement credit days for service in Alabama.

Compare this minor story to Paul Galanti, who spent 7 yrs as a POW in Vietnam, saying that "John Kerry gave the enemy for free what I and my comrades in the prison camps in N. Vietnam took torture to avoid saying."
Powerful stuff. This is not lies and distortions, this is not where Kerry was on Christmas eve, 1968, or how he got his medals, this is how this man feels and he has every right to say it.