Volunteer Who Appeared In Swift Boat Ad Leaves Bush Campaign
As the Kerry camp accuses the President's reelection campaign of working in collusion with the anti-Kerry veterans group, NBC Nightly News reported that "the White House did backtrack on one issue involving Ken Cordier, who appears in the Swift boat ad and was until Friday a volunteer for Bush's veteran steering committee. The campaign says because of the ad, Cordier will no longer participate as a volunteer."
Democrats Have Released Four Ads Responding To Controversy Since Thursday. USA Today says the new Kerry ad is "the fourth released by Democrats since Thursday in response to the charges."
Swift Veterans Group To Release A New Ad Tomorrow.
According to the Christian Science Monitor Swift Veterans for Truth "will launch a new TV ad that takes on Kerry's antiwar activism in the early 1970s and its devastating impact on some veterans."
Kerry Camp States Senator Stands By 1971 Testimony; Says Kerry Was "Near" Cambodia In 1968.
John Hurley, director of Veterans for Kerry, was asked on Fox News Sunday if Kerry stands by everything he said about the atrocities committed by soldiers in Vietnam in 1971, Hurley said, "John Kerry says that he regrets the use of the language that may have offended some people. He stands behind the facts of his testimony. He stands behind the facts that atrocities were being committed in Vietnam." Hurley was also asked what proof exists that Kerry was in Cambodia on Christmas Eve 1968 as he has claimed. He answered, "I think. . .that what is seen in John Kerry's mind is that he was under fire in Cambodia. On Christmas Eve 1968, John Kerry, PCF 44, his first command over there, was on patrol up near the Cambodian border. They did come under fire that night. An old man was killed that night. They came under fire three times that night. It's a watery area. There's no sign that says 'Welcome to Cambodia.' They were in that vicinity. I don't think anyone knows for sure whether or not they were in Cambodia that night, but they were near Cambodia on Christmas Eve."
Dole Questions Kerry's Record, Suggests He Should Apologize For 1971 Testimony.
Former Sen. Bob Dole, a war veteran, yesterday questioned Kerry's record in his appearance on CNN's Late Edition. The former GOP presidential candidate also suggested Kerry apologize for his 1971 testimony about US atrocities in Vietnam. Politically, Dole said, Kerry's 1971 testimony before Congress after returning form Vietnam "can hurt Kerry more than all the medal controversy. I mean, one day he's saying that we were shooting civilians, cutting off their ears, cutting off their heads, throwing away his medals or his ribbons. The next day he's standing there, 'I want to be president because I'm a Vietnam veteran.' . . . And I think he's got himself into this wicket now where he can't extricate himself because not every one of these people can be Republican liars. There's got to be some truth to the charges. But this is on tape. This is on television. This is before the Senate committee." According to the AP, Dole also "called on Kerry to release all the records of his service in Vietnam." Responding to Dole, Kerry campaign spokesman Chad Clanton said yesterday, "It's unfortunate that Senator Dole is making statements that official US Navy records prove false. This is partisan politics, not the truth."
