Sam Johnson (R-TX) smears Kerry's Vietnam record

[jburton]

Kerry: Defining a soldier's story

Anti-war record is ammunition for those taking shots at service

10:36 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 20, 2004

By DAVID JACKSON / The Dallas Morning News

snip

"The veterans are calling him Hanoi John," said Republican congressman Sam Johnson of Plano, a Vietnam prisoner of war. "He's a controversial veteran and has been for the last 30 years."

snip

While none of Mr. Kerry's wounds were that serious – "never spent a day in the hospital," Mr. Johnson, the congressman, pointed out – he became eligible to leave Vietnam under a rule governing those wounded three times.

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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/washington/elections2004/stories/042104dnpolvietnam.560be.html

[Loonman]

1. "rule governing those wounded three times. "

So John Kerry is a bad guy because he followed the existing rules.


Nice try.

[livetohike]

2. "A controversial veteran" !

Oh I hope the Kerry campaign slams him hard. This is ridiculous.

[trumad]

3. As opposed to a Controversial Non-Vet like his Pres?

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. Fight them back Kerry. This scum cannot be allowed to do this.

[Richardo]

5. A snippet from Rep Johnson's bio...

A decorated war hero, Johnson was awarded two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, one Bronze Star with Valor, two Purple Hearts, four Air Medals, and three Outstanding Unit Awards.

You'd think he'd be more offended by Smirky's incomplete tour in the TANG than another combat veteran's record. But that's a Texas Republican for you. :eyes:

[redqueen]

6. Correct that! He's a rethug! NOT a DEM!

:puke:

He has no honor, he serves one master - Mannon - just like most other rethuglicans do.

[Richardo]

7. I did. A big mea culpa from Richardo.

[redqueen]

9. Heh, thanks

Sorry to blow up, but we do have some fine Dems here in TX, as opposed to Sam the Sham, who just sucks major corporate dick for his rich sponsors... oops I meant constituents.

[JohnKleeb]

19. and I read red that hes one of the most conservative all around repugs

didnt support Mac vs Bush in the primaries, opposed trade relations with Vietnam.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. Wow. They found some GOP guy with medals

No doubt he is the official, Rove-appointed rebutter of Kerry.
JK should respond: "Sam, let's let the President speak for himself".

[NewYorkerfromMass]

11. after searching high and low... too bad it's not Bush. eom

[Warpy]

12. Flyboys kept their hands clean

...while they rained fire down on the villagers below. They never saw burn or crush injuries, never heard the screams, never faced any consequences at all for their actions. They dropped their loads, dodged flak, and were usually home in time for an evening at the officer's club.

Most of the Vietnam vets I know who think the war was a good thing that should have been won are flyboys.

This isn't meant to disparage their service, or their necessity in most wars. This is meant to describe a mindset that saw Kerry and his antiwar activities as betrayal.

Always consider the source.

[redqueen]

16. Good point

Thanks for providing that insight!

[tom_paine]

14. These Busheviks are NOT loyal to America

they ARE loyal, almost exclusively, to their Imperial Masters.

Sad to see this Johnson joining the "I hate America, let's have an Imperial Dictatorship instead" club.

Fuck him, for all his meritorious service.

When Free America needed him most, he;s off helping the Grandchildren of Hitler's Angel.

[Bandit]

15. Four Air Medals

We were awarded an air medal for twenty-five combat hours in the air or five combat assaults if you were a grunt. He apparently had only a hundred hours before being shot down and captured. I am curious as to how he received all those other medals. I myself have over twenty awards of the Air Medal

[Richardo]

18. Kudos to you, Bandit, and thanks for your service....

:thumbsup:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

25. absolutely Bandito!

and thanks for the info on "Air Medals".

[KansDem]

21. Right! As the saying goes "You can always tell a Texas Republican,

you just can't tell him much!"

[CityDem]

10. WTF is going on

Kerry's Viet Nam experience was supposed to be a strength and now the media is asking questions as though Kerry did something wrong. Kerry did not help himself on MTP, but Kerry should not be on the defensive on this issue. We are sure living in the Bizzaro World today.

[Blasphemer]

13. I don't get it....

They should have been VERY well prepared for this attack. it's nothing new.

[mmonk]

17. Rebuttal is easy

bush sat comfortably in the U.S. in the Guard that wasn't being used in Vietnam while he was in it. If our president was so much more a real patriot, his ass would have been in Vietnam.

[Richardo]

20. BTW: *Love* the Ollie North mug shot, jburton...

:thumbsup:

[Zorra]

22. Bu$h: AWOL. Cheney: Did not serve. Kerry: Purple Heart

Flash video on Chickenhawks.

http://www.symbolman.com/chickenhawks.html

Kerry went to Vietnam. Bu$h went AWOL.

Why isn't Sam Johnson criticizing Bu$h?

[redqueen]

23. Because he's a bought and paid for whore, just like most reThugs

Thank God for Ron Paul and other principled Republicans, for reminding us that there used to be something worthwhile about that party.

[RichardRay]

24. OK, we'll only give Kerry credit for half

of his decorations. That's still a pretty fair multiple bigger than any evidence the White House occupation forces can show for their fearless leader.

[Sparkly]

26. This is so sickening

It's especially sickening because Kerry *volunteered* for Vietnam, and had very, very dangerous duty there.

They did the same sort of thing to Clark -- claiming he didn't really *earn* his stars!!

[Killarney]

27. This is going to backfire on them. n/t