McCain Fights Old Foe Who Now Fights Kerry

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Senator John McCain came to the defense of a fellow Vietnam War veteran, Senator John Kerry, on Friday by attacking the credibility of a North Carolina veteran who has dedicated himself to defeating Mr. Kerry in his campaign for president. Mr. McCain, an Arizona Republican, called the man, Ted Sampley, "one of the most despicable people I have ever had the misfortune to encounter."

Mr. Sampley, a businessman from Kinston, N.C., has gained some attention in recent days for operating a Web site devoted to attacking Mr. Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, for his opposition to the war in Vietnam after his military service. The Web site, www.vietnamveteransagainstjohn kerry.com, includes pictures from the 1970's showing Mr. Kerry at antiwar protests. One shows Mr. Kerry at a rally, sitting several rows behind Jane Fonda, who was so outspoken against the war that she was labeled a Communist by her political opponents.

<snip>

In 1993, Mr. Sampley was convicted of misdemeanor assault and sentenced to 180 days' probation for attacking a legislative aide to Mr. McCain.

<snip>

In defending Mr. Kerry, Mr. McCain — who has campaigned for President Bush this year — said of Mr. Sampley: "I consider him a fraud who preys on the hopes of family members of missing servicemen for his own profit. He is dishonorable, an enemy of the truth, and despite his claims, he does not speak for or represent the views of all but a few veterans." Mr. Sampley is not the only person actively seeking to discredit Mr. Kerry. In recent days, a picture showing Mr. Kerry at a podium with Ms. Fonda has circulated on the Internet. But the picture is a hoax, according to the photo agency that owns the original, Corbis. In the original photo, Mr. Kerry is standing alone at the podium.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/14/politics/campaign/14VET.html

[Straight Shooter]

1. Sampley's contention with kerry is he thinks he sided with Communists

Also believes kerry struck a deal which essentially eliminated any chance of finding MIAs or POWs in Vietnam, but reaped rewards for a cousin of kerry. Sampley is a fervent supporter of finding MIAs and POWs left behind, and blames kerry and mccain for deserting them.

There is no wrong or right in this one, because no one will ever know.

I don't consider McCain much of a patriot, after that remark that he doesn't believe bush abused intelligence about WMD. I think something is in the wind, and it stinks of a VP offer.

[progressivebydesign]

3. I find it nauseating the McCain would consider a VP slot..

.. got the hipocrisy of politics. If McCain takes a VP slot with Bush, that will tell us everything we need to know about politics. BUSH and ROVE handed McCains ass to him in South Carolina, it would be the height of opportunism to take a VP slot from that man. I hope it's not true.. but McCain DID say that he was campaigning for Bush.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

5. I think the poster meant

a VP spot with Kerry. But that ain't happening, and neither is a VP spot with Bush.

[Straight Shooter]

9. I meant a VP spot with bush. McCain is a republican

This issue comes up more and more frequently, in conservative circles and in their writings.

McCain is very well respected, and how in the world will kerry fight against a ticket with McCain on it? And particularly so if bush can be impeached and McCain installed as president. Don't forget, the Repubs eat their own in order to survive.

I've seen enough the last few years that nothing would surprise me.

[Leilani]

17. The Conservative Base Despises McCain

If Cheney is off the ticket, I can't see McCain as VP candidate.

Besides McCain & Bush hate each other. Bush would never have him on the ticket.

[still_one]

7. What would you say

if Kerry choose McCain as his VP?

[lucidmadman]

12. I'd check to see if it was 32 degrees in hell...

...:crazy:

[MidwestMomma]

14. Yes, but a VP slot for McCain could very well lead to the Presidency

If McCain is VP and, horror of horrors, Bush won, then I predict Bush would end up resigning before his 2nd term ended and McCain would be President. So if the slot was offered to him, I could see why he would take it.

However, I believe that Bush will be defeated so that scenario won't play out.

[Auntie Bush]

8. I also think there is McCain in the wind for VP.

Cheney is going down...they will blame it on his heart condition and McCain will step in. That would be a difficult ticket to beat. IMHO

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Poison from the MIA/POW mission. McCain to the rescue.

Kerry and McCain worked to turn over every possibility of finding and accounting for everyone. What a turn of events, and I knew there would come a time when McCain would be siding with Kerry on some issues.
Glad to see this guy get the smackdown. More to come for sure.

[King of New Orleans]

4. Is Sempley

the same guy that attacked McCain four years ago?

Some far right wing Vietnam Vet claimed that McCain collaborated with the KGB while a prisoner-of-war. Kerry wrote an editorial calling the fellow an "ass"

It sure sounds like Sempley's MO.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. That's him.

[Leilani]

10. Kerry & McCain are close friends

& would always come to each other's defense.

They have a small club: Senators who served in Vietnam, Kerry, McCain, Cleland, Chuck Hagel, Bob Kerrey, & a few others.

In 2000 when Bush smeared McCain, all those senators came to McCain's defense. And they will do the same for Kerry.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

15. I Didn't Know Kerry and McCain Were Close Friends!

Makes me like both men a little bit more. :-)

McCain is a decent human being.

DTH

[JI7]

16. yes, they are

but it wasn't always that way. when mccain and kerry were first in the senate together mccain felt anger at kerry because of his protests of the vietnam war and kind of avoided him. but one day they both had a talk about their experiences in the war, and that one conversation turned things around and both have good very close friends since then.

[Byronic]

18. At a dinner

a couple of years ago, as John Kerry rose from his table to leave McCain shouted out: "Kerry for President!"

They do have a good friendship. Their work on the Vietnam POW/MIA matter was thankless but extremely valuable. McCain (as an ex-pow) and Kerry (as the chairman) were often singled out for some vile abuse. McCain records that whenever he could feel his temper start to rise, John Kerry's hand would rest on his shoulder, and Kerry would convince him to calm down, that it just wasn't worth it. They worked well together as a team.

Kerry is going to need this coolness when the Republican attack-machine cranks itself up this year. I think he is ready for them.

[lucidmadman]

11. I believe Sampley has asserted that McCain became ...

...a KGB agent while a POW. Sorry don't have a link handy. Is this correct. Sounds like a crook, a dim bulb and a nut log all rolled into one.

[oasis]

13. Sampley's just another right wing simpleton.