The Emperor has no uniform...and no shame...
CNN: Vietnam veteran and former Sen. Max Cleland said Wednesday that attack ads questioning Sen. John Kerry's combat record in Vietnam were "scurrilous" and "dishonest and dishonorable" and called on President Bush to come out against them.
Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in the war, told reporters gathered at a school near Bush's Texas ranch that the commercials run by the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth were false and that "George Bush is behind it." "The question is, where is George Bush's honor? The question is where is his shame?" Cleland asked. "To attack a fellow veteran who has distinguished himself ... in combat, regardless of the political combat involved, is disgraceful."
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http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/082604W.shtml
CNN
Wednesday 25 August 2004
(CNN) -- Vietnam veteran and former Sen. Max Cleland said Wednesday that attack ads questioning Sen. John Kerry's combat record in Vietnam were "scurrilous" and "dishonest and dishonorable" and called on President Bush to come out against them.
Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in the war, told reporters gathered at a school near Bush's Texas ranch that the commercials run by the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth were false and that "George Bush is behind it."
"The question is, where is George Bush's honor? The question is where is his shame?" Cleland asked. "To attack a fellow veteran who has distinguished himself ... in combat, regardless of the political combat involved, is disgraceful."
He said he was unsuccessful in trying to deliver a letter to President Bush urging him to condemn the ads. (Text of letter)
Cleland was joined by Lt. Jim Rassmann, a former Green Beret who recommended Kerry for the Bronze Star for risking his life to save Rassmann.
The letter, which Cleland said was signed by nine members of the Senate -- all veterans -- urged the president to specifically condemn the ads, saying they "represent the worst kind of politics."
After Cleland's statement, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, also a Vietnam veteran, said he was instructed by a Bush campaign aide to take Cleland's letter, but the former senator refused to give it to him.
Patterson also tried to give Cleland a letter addressed to Kerry and signed by a number of pro-Bush Vietnam veterans, including several GOP congressmen. (Text of letter)
The letter accuses Kerry of basing his campaign on his Vietnam service but then criticizing Vietnam veterans who support Bush, Patterson said. "You can't have it both ways," the letter says.
The letter signed by pro-Bush veterans said they were angry that he had never apologized for saying that U.S. troops had committed atrocities in Vietnam. Kerry has said those comments were taken out of context and that he had been quoting what veterans had told him.
"We're proud of our service in Vietnam. We served honorably in Vietnam and we were deeply hurt and offended by your comments when you came home," it said. Kerry became an anti-war activist upon his return from duty.
Cleland's active support for Kerry was evident when the veteran introduced the candidate's speech in acceptance of the Democratic Party's nomination in Boston last month. (Special Report: America Votes 2004, the Democratic convention)
President Bush has praised Kerry's military record, saying he "served admirably," but has not directly condemned commercials by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that have attacked Kerry's war record.
He has called for such tax-exempt organizations, such as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and the liberal group MoveOn.org and others, to stop airing political ads.
The groups are known as 527s after the federal provision that makes them tax-exempt and allows them to accept unlimited donations. (Bush urges Kerry to condemn 527s)
The letter Cleland tried to deliver calls the ads attacks on John Kerry's honor, the honor of American veterans and the U.S. Navy. (Kerry alleges 'fear and smear' tactics)
"Our outrage over these advertisements and tactics has nothing to do with the tax code or campaign finance reform efforts of this nation," the letter said.
"Our pain from seeing these slanderous attacks stems from something much more fundamental, that if one veteran's record is called into question, the service of all American veterans is questioned."
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/25/cleland.letter/index.html
Text of letter to President Bush
(CNN) -- Former Sen. Max Cleland on Wednesday attempted to deliver a letter to President Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, asking him to publicly condemn recent attack ads on Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. The ads question Kerry's combat record in Vietnam.
Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam, will deliver the letter asking Bush to condemn commercials attacking Kerry by the group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Though Bush has said Kerry "served admirably" in Vietnam, the commander in chief has not condemned the commercials.
Here is a copy of the letter:
Dear President Bush,
We, the undersigned members of the United States Senate call on you to specifically condemn the recent attack ads and accompanying campaign which dishonor Senator John Kerry's combat record in the Vietnam War. These false charges represent the worst kind of politics, and we agree with both Senator John McCain and Senator Kerry that a firmly established service record in the United States Military is fully above reproach. As veterans of the armed services, we ask that you recognize this blatant attempt at character assassination, and publicly condemn it.
Our outrage over these advertisements and tactics has nothing to do with the tax code or campaign finance reform efforts of this nation. Our pain from seeing these slanderous attacks stems from something much more fundamental, that if one veteran's record is called into question, the service of all American veterans is questioned. This administration must not tacitly comply with unfounded accusations which have suddenly appeared 35 years after the fact, and serve to denigrate the service of a true American patriot. The veterans serving today should never have to expect this kind of treatment, when the wars of their generation have passed into history. We brothers and sisters in arms expect our Commander in Chief to stand up and reject this assault upon John Kerry's honor, the honor of American veterans and that of the United States Navy.
As you yourself have said, there is nothing complicated about supporting our troops, and the leaders of this nation should make it clear that the members of our military will not only be supported when they wear the uniform, but also when they return home to the land they fought to defend. Their valor and their wounds, both physical and psychological, make them heroes for as long as they live, a status which should not and must not change simply because they seek to enter public service. We Senators and Congressmen who wore the uniform served in different branches of the military and belong to different political parties, but we join together today to defend a fellow veteran from attacks we know to be false, and politically-motivated slander that has no place in our democratic process.
Mr. President, as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, we believe you owe a special duty to America's combat veterans when they are under false and scurrilous attacks. We hope you will recognize this duty, and speak out against this group and their efforts to smear the reputation of a man who has served this country nobly.
Call on this group to cease and desist. We can return this campaign season to a discussion of the issues on either side, and restore faith in the political system. As Americans, we should expect nothing less.
Sincerely,
[unsigned]
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"As you yourself have said, there is nothing complicated about supporting our troops, and the leaders of this nation should make it clear that the members of our military will not only be supported when they wear the uniform, but also when they return home to the land they fought to defend," it said.
"Their valor and their wounds, both physical and psychological, make them heroes for as long as they live, a status which should not and must not change simply because they seek to enter public service."
Posted by richard at August 25, 2004 05:28 PM