After spending over a year annointing a candidate with the bifurcated platform that Kerry is a war hero and not Bush, interviews like this have the Democrats shaking in their boots Birkenstocks:
WOODRUFF: Disingenuous. He says you are being disingenuous in not recalling what happened.
THURLOW: Let me ask Mr. Rassmann this question: I also ended up in the water that day during the rescue efforts on the 3-boat (ph). And my boat, the 51-boat (ph), came up, picked me up, business as usual. I got back on board, went about the business at hand.
I received no fire. But the thing I would like to ask is, we have five boats now, John’s returning, and four boats basically dead in the water, working on the 3-boat (ph). If we were receiving fire off the bank, how come not one single boat received one bullet hole, nobody was hit, no sign of any rounds hitting the water while I was in it?
Good question, actually.
JC
John, you can’t seriously believe that b.s. can you? My god, do you really want to pimp this??
From the American History magazine, when describing this incident:
“Kerry and the other wounded men received medical attention aboard a Coast Guard cutter, which was the closest ship capable of treating them. Along with a third Purple Heart for the injury to his right arm, Kerry was also awarded a Bronze Star for his bravery, as was Larry Thurlow.”
“Kerry and the other wounded men”. Treated”.
How do you think they GOT their wounds?
And please. This ended up being Kerry’s Third Purple Heart. His SECOND tour of duty.
Do you really want to go there? How about we compare the Kerry and Bush service?
My god, how desperate can you be?
When even McCain calls this B.S, why the hell are you pimping it?
This is sleaze of the most damaging kind – not for Kerry, but for the nation. What it means is that there is no line that will not be crossed, to smear people who gave to the flag.
You are too good a man to peddle this garbage. Really, you are.
This honorable service should be above politics. I remember when this was first raised, somewhere around 4-5 months ago, you let it pass, and said even though you disagree with Kerry, he served honorably. Why would you go back on that now?
paul
I think the transcript makes everyone involved look like badasses — and it’s one of the more intelligible debates I’ve seen from television lately too, the veterans actually responding to each other and rebutting each other’s claims. But I think it will be a net plus for Kerry if there are many more conversations like this one, because, while the events of that day remain in dispute, the overall impression (at least that I recieved) is one of “Wow. He was really doing it, he was actually there.”
Rick
‘…the overall impression (at least that I recieved) is one of “Wow. He was really doing it, he was actually there.”‘
Paul,
Good gracious, where have you been? It’s been a staple of Kerry’s campaign.
This would be an opportune time for Kerry to authorize release of his military records, rather than just the medal count, though.
Cordially…
paul
Well, my remark doesn’t bear repeating, Rick, but what I’d meant to say was that, for me, the transcript brought Kerry’s service more into relief than it called it into question. Because the veteran in the transcript disputed Kerry’s heroism, it brought to light in a way the democratic convention didn’t the simple fact of his being there, heroic or not, right in the thick of it, which seems impressive in its own right.
Another thing that interested me about the interview was that both of the vets had a completely different memory of the events of that day, but at the same time seemed wholly sincere in their disagreement. They both really seemed to think it was how they said it was: the one guy saying there were no shots fired, the other saying that every time he came up for air he was dodging bullets. But I think people can disagree like this without having any sort of political motivations — that people’s memories are just selective and the events themselves confusing.
jonc
“Kerry was also awarded a Bronze Star for his bravery, as was Larry Thurlow.”
The only way for Thurlow to come out of this without looking like a closet partisan is for him to denounce his OWN bronze star.
It’s amazing that in his quest to denounce Kerry, he is forced to sidestep acknowledgement of his own decorations. Mentioning the fact that he got the same award on the same day would be devastating to his case.
Am I missing something here?
Dean
Nope. It’s a perfectly reasonable question.
But let’s play this out:
IF Thurlow is lying, then he’s put himself in the cross-hairs, exactly as you say.
IF Thurlow is not lying, then if/when he gets asked about this, he should have some kind of answer.
Hopefully, our ever-vigilant media will, indeed, ask Thurlow your very question.
Slartibartfast
I’m a little confused by JC’s statement to the effect that Kerry served two tours of duty. Really? Four months in Vietnam is two tours?
If so, I’ve got a buddy who’s done at least 24 consecutive tours.
JC
Slartibartfast, from what I understand, Kerry had already completed a full two-year tour – in the Navy, but outside of Vietnam. This was his second tour, first in Vietnam, and in this second tour, he left after 4 months. In that four months, he, along with many others, was always at the front lines – hence the 3 purple hearts, silver star, etc.
Slartibartfast
Hmmm…first time I’ve heard an enlistment period referred to as a “tour”, but then I know squat-all about military matters not related to weapons.
Andy
Why not look at the Kerry-Camera? Where was his camera during this action?
Surely he would have filmed his own heroics to support his own recommendation. Filming the re-enactments and doing his own interviews with himself must not have been very satisfying
Terry Ott
The thing I’m most interested in isn’t getting much comment; maybe it has been dismissed as erroneous or something and I missed it. “It” is the allegation that Kerry went back to the scene of action at times and recreated combat actions in order to have himself filmed.
If that is accurate, it suggests a personality characteristic that I dislike wholeheartedly, that of self promotion, or infatuation with one’s image, narcissism.
Did he or didn’t he?
Gahrie
Kerry’s first tour of duty was on a Navy ship ( the Belknap I believe) off the coast of Vietnam. He was no where near combat at the time. This was not uncommon. My Dad served two tours in the theater…one in country Da Nang flying on recovery helocopters and one on an airbase in Thailand. Of course my Dad served all 24 months.