VFW RECEPTION
Notice:
Kerry's speech in Cincinnati drew about 6,000 people, fewer than half the 15,000 attending the VFW's national convention. The audience offered polite applause.
But many veterans did not clap at some standard stump-speech lines that usually draw applause, suggesting that numerous former warriors were skeptical if not hostile. At least two men heckled Kerry.
One word explained the tough crowd: Vietnam.
Kerry's public protests against the Vietnam War as a young veteran newly home from Southeast Asia were a sore point for many veterans.
Kerry campaign officials said they were pleasantly surprised by what they saw as a relatively warm response from an audience Democratic candidates sometimes have avoided.
Indeed, quite a few clapped, and almost all of them refrained from throwing rotten fruit during Kerry's speech.
HOW DO YOU GET A PURPLE HEART WITHOUT TAKING ENEMY FIRE?
Neal Boortz' observation is reason number 7,985 that Kerry needs to do a big sit down interview about the Vietnam allegations:
In that entry he says that after several missions he has not yet taken any enemy fire. Ok .. big deal. Big whoop, right? Sorry .. but actually this is a big deal.
The problem here is that this particular entry in Kerry's diary was made concerning the mission which followed that mission where he earned his first Purple Heart. Now .. think this one through. Kerry goes on a mission and earns a Purple Heart. Then, after his next mission, Kerry writes in his diary that he has not yet experienced any enemy fire. Tell me .. if Kerry had not yet experienced enemy fire then how did he earn a Purple Heart?
Sit down with Russert, Kerry. Sit down, and get it out of the way now
KERRY VFW SPEECH RESPONSE-A-THON
More from the Bush camp...
KERRY: “At the same time, I believe we need to strengthen homeland security and we have to do everything we can to prevent another 9/11. We shouldn't be letting 95% of our container ships come into our ports without ever being physically inspected.”
Port Security. President Bush has called for $1.9 billion of funding for port security in FY 2005, a 13% increase in funding levels from FY 2004 and a whopping 628% ($1.6 billion) increase from the funding levels that existed when the President came into office (FY 2001). Richard Bonner, Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Department: "100% of the containers identified as having potential terrorist risk by our targeting efforts are screened through xray and for radiation either abroad or upon arrival in the United States." (Testimony of Richard Bonner, 3/24/02)
More military comments:
Major General Boyd Cook, USA (Ret.): John Kerry's Desire To "Continue The Status Quo" Ignores Reality. "If John Kerry wants to continue the status quo, he is ignoring the fact that America is no longer faced with the Cold War, but the War on Terror. America no longer needs to be positioned to defend Europe, but to strike at terrorists before they attack. President Bush's troop redeployment not only better positions troops, but also reduces the burden on taxpayers and military personnel."
Lieutenant General John B. Conaway, USAF (Ret.): Kerry's Criticism Represents A "Dangerous Pre-9/11 Mentality." "The Kerry campaign's criticisms of President Bush's troop redeployment are not only unwarranted, they represent a dangerous pre-9/11 mentality that is blind to the new realities of the War on Terror. America needs agile, mobile troops who can adjust to new threats. This troop redeployment is much-needed reform, and President Bush is doing what it takes to better equip America in its battle against terrorism."
General Pat Brady, USA (Ret.): "John Kerry's Attacks On President Bush's Redeployment Plan Show A Troubling Misunderstanding Of The War On Terror." "Considering the events of September 11th, John Kerry's attacks on President Bush's redeployment plan show a troubling misunderstanding of the War on Terror."
Major General Evan "Curly" Hultman, USA (Ret.): Troop Deployments Should Not Be Geared Towards "Enemies Who Vanished 15 Years Ago." "American troop deployments should be used to protect our national security, not to protect our allies from enemies who vanished 15 years ago. Instead of his baseless attacks, John Kerry needs to explain why he reflexively opposes the President's common-sense plan."
Major General James Livingston, USMC (Ret.), Medal of Honor Recipient: Kerry's Attack "Illustrates His Pre-9/11 View Of The World." "John Kerry's criticism of the President's troop redeployment plan illustrates his pre-9/11 view of the world. The War on Terror requires a flexible, agile military that can respond to the challenges of the 21st century and adjust to fighting the War on Terror. A strong defensive posture in Europe is no longer a necessity. Rather than playing politics with our national security, John Kerry should instead recognize that the President's common-sense move represents the realities of modern-day warfare."
Admiral Jeremiah Denton, USN (Ret.): Kerry Does Not Realize "We Face A Different Threat Today." "President Bush should be applauded for proactively responding to the new challenges of the War on Terror. Opponents of the President's plan are mired in the status quo — unwilling to acknowledge the reality that the Cold War is over and we face a different threat today."
Rear Admiral Grant Hollett, Jr., USN (Ret.): Kerry Is "Doing A Disservice To The Men And Women In Uniform." "In opposing the President's plan to adapt our armed forces to the realities of the 21st century, John Kerry and his surrogates are doing a disservice to the men and women in uniform, to the families sacrificing with them abroad, and to the people they are protecting here at home."
Rear Admiral Thomas Morris, USN (Ret.): President Bush Is "Enabling Our Nation To Meet The Challenges Of A Post-9/11 World." "John Kerry's baseless attacks ignore the reality that President Bush's troop redeployment positions our nation to fight the new kind of war we face. Soldiers will move less and spend more time with their families, while taxpayers will pay less. President Bush is protecting America and enabling our nation to meet the challenges of a post-9/11 world."
Lieutenant General Gordon Sumner, USA (Ret.): Kerry "Ignores The Fact That A Cold War Strategy Does Not Make Sense In A Post-9/11 World." "When John Kerry criticizes the President's plan to increase our military's flexibility and efficiency, he ignores the fact that a Cold War strategy does not make sense in a post-9/11 world. President Bush understands that America needs to bring the fight to the enemy in order to win the War on Terror."
Keep in mind the Kerry campaign's earlier excitement about "unprecedented" support froim retired military officers. And don't miss Cliff May's instant analysis.
QUICK RESPONSE FROM BUSH TEAM [
The Bush team is circulating the following statement from Gen. P.X. Kelley (Ret.), former commandant of the United States Marine Corps:
"John Kerry's opposition to troop realignment demonstrates a backward looking view that blindly embraces the status quo and ignores the realities of the post-9/11 world. The threat America faces today is fundamentally different than the threats America's military was configured to face during the Cold War. I should know, I was commandant of the Marine Corps during the Cold War.
"Modern military capabilities make force deployment and the projection of power more important than the location of standing armies. The world has changed since the Cold War, and President Bush justifiably recognizes that our Armed Forces must also change if we are to effectively fight and win the War on Terror.
"Senator Kerry's political attack is an insult to the hundreds of people who have been working on this proposal for years."
KERRY RIPS HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT VFW PRAISED [
Kerry just ripped the Veterans’ Administration’s new health care plan. Um, Senator, you may have wanted to check with the leadership of the group that invited you to speak…
“The CARES program is an unprecedented initiative that moves the VA health care system into the 21st century,” said VFW National Commander Edward S. Banas Sr., of Voluntown, Conn.
The CARES program is designed to reduce redundancies, close outdated facilities, and build new or consolidate existing medical facilities. The move addresses the health-care needs of rising veterans' population shifts to different parts of the country with new facilities proposed in Las Vegas, Colorado and Orlando, Fla. The new initiatives are expected to reduce the waiting lists of veterans seeking access to VA health care. In addition, 156 new community-based outpatient clinics are planned in rural areas, which will move health-care options closer to veterans.
According to Banas, the VFW will continue to work with the VA to see that all veterans receive timely and quality health care. In areas where facilities may be closed, the VFW will work with its members, local veterans and the VA to ensure services will not be disrupted. “The VFW fully understands that the closing or consolidation of some facilities may inconvenience some veterans,” he added, “but the VA has offered reassurances that no veteran will be denied or have their health care delayed during the transition. We also realize that more work needs to be done to study mental health and long-term care, especially with the unknown impact of the war on terrorism on our military personnel and their families.”
Doh!
SWIFT BOAT VET AD HAVING IMPACT?
From the New York Post:
Vietnam veterans opposing John Kerry have scored a hit with a tough TV ad that claims he lied about his war record — it makes swing voters think twice about backing Kerry, an independent study has found.
The ad planted doubts in the minds of 27 percent of independent voters who planned to vote for Kerry or leaned pro-Kerry. After seeing it, they were no longer sure they'd back him, the study found.
“The whole goal of a negative ad is to plant a seed of doubt — and it did,” said Professor Chris Borrick of Muhlenberg College, who did the ad study with the firm HCD Research.
“Obviously, the Swift Boat Veterans’ intent was to publicly question Kerry's war record, and it looks like they succeeded,” said HCD chief Glenn Kessler, who added that viewers found the 60-second ad more believable as it went on…
The Swift Vets study used 1,275 participants, including 371 independents, who watched ads and registered their reaction at every second using technology normally used to rate product ads. Half viewed the Swift Vets ad and the other half saw a pro-Kerry ad based on his convention speech, which was rated less persuasive.
HCD is also completing a study of a counter-ad by the liberal group MoveOn.org that questions President Bush's military record — it appears far less effective in raising doubts among pro-Bush swing voters.”
I wonder how widely the Swift Boat Vet ad will have to run in order to make an impact on the national polling numbers... and again, why the Kerry team didn't have a quick response ready when this ad appeared. I mean, the Swift Boat Vets held their first press conference in May.
More interesting items at The Kerry Spot on National Review Online
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