Kerry's Senate Testimony
CSPAN has Kerry's full transcript of his testimony before the Senate in 1971 on Vietnam. As it's become relevant to all those puzzling over SBVT's 2nd commercial, if you haven't read it, read it. Furthermore, if you've read a bowdlerized version, with ellipsis chopping out relevant bits, go read it again and see who's been messing with your head and how.
The Kerry campaign is claiming that he was not making these accusations of horrible atrocities himself. It's a big stretch to say so at best. Here is the kicker:
I am here as one member of the group of veterans in this country, and were it possible for all of them to sit at this table they would be here and have the same kind of testimony.
SBVT has a great deal to be angry for. Kerry wasn't making accusations on the part of a group of vets but in the name of all vets. Usually, witnesses are given the transcript before its made official and Kerry had an opportunity (when he had more sleep and time to reflect) to change the to a and not claim the mantle of all veterans. Nobody would have said a word in protest.
Here's more:
I would like to talk, representing all those veterans, and say that several months ago in Detroit, we had an investigation at which over 150 honorably discharged and many very highly decorated veterans testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia, not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command.
Kerry's not representing the WSI veterans or even VVAW the group he associated with but "all those veterans", "the group of veterans in this country" and that's what makes Kerry's subsequent testimony stink so bad. I won't pull the rest, go read the sickening transcript for yourself. WSI was long ago exposed as a pathetic tissue of lies. VVAW lost Kerry when members started seriously discussing assassinating pro-war US Senators. This is ancient history except for the truth telling and lies being told about it today. Those acts of faith and betrayal open a window on a prospective Kerry presidency and on the current state of the soul of one John F. Kerry.
Posted by TMLutas at August 23, 2004 06:35 AM