The facts are in: In 1971 John Kerry attended a meeting of Vietnam Veterans Against the War at which a plan to assassinate U.S. Senators was debated.
This was the company line last week (March 13, 2004):
Kansas City Star - On at least one point the recollections align: A 1971 Kansas City meeting of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War was marred by talk - shouted down by a disgusted majority - of assassinating pro-war politicians.Funny how the existence of FBI surveillance records and informants has adjusted the truth (March 19, 2004):Members of the group that John Kerry propelled to the center of the anti-war movement and that helped launch his political career do not agree, however, whether the man now on course to the Democratic presidential nomination was around for the debate. [...]
John Hurley, who runs the Kerry campaign's veterans operation, said he spoke to Kerry on Friday night. “There was no way” he attended the Kansas City meeting, Hurley said. “He was not there.”
MILL VALLEY, Calif. - Senator Kerry of Massachusetts yesterday retreated from his earlier steadfast denials that he attended a meeting of Vietnam Veterans Against the War at which a plan to assassinate U.S. Senators was debated.Update: The Los Angeles Times has more on the FBI monitoring of Kerry and explain how he is placed in Kansas City, without ever mentioning it's significance. Hardly surprising that they conveniently neglect that minor detail.The reversal came as new evidence, including reports from FBI informants, emerged that contradicted Mr. Kerry’s previous statements about the gathering, which was held in Kansas City, Mo. in November 1971.
“John Kerry had no personal recollection of this meeting 33 years ago,” a Kerry campaign spokesman, David Wade, said in a statement e-mailed last night from Idaho, where Mr. Kerry is on vacation.
Mr. Wade said Mr. Kerry does remember “disagreements with elements of VVAW leadership” that led to his resignation, but the statement did not specify what the disagreements were.
“If there are valid FBI surveillance reports from credible sources that place some of those disagreements in Kansas City, we accept that historical footnote in the account of his work to end the difficult and divisive war,” the statement said.
It did not address the murder plot, though as recently as Wednesday a top aide to Mr. Kerry said that the Massachusetts senator and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee was “absolutely certain” he was not present when the assassination plan, known as the “Phoenix Project,” was discussed.
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Comments (8)
While it was stupid to deny... (Below threshold)1. Posted by mac | March 20, 2004 8:39 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
While it was stupid to deny it, it was 33 years ago. I don't remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday.
1. Posted by mac | March 20, 2004 8:39 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 20, 2004 08:39
2. Posted by Paul | March 20, 2004 10:22 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Oh Mac COME ON!
We ain't talking about breakfast.
We are talking about the political assignation of U.S. Senators!
Get Real. You can be a Kerry apologists all you want but don't embarrass yourself.
I don't care how bad your memory, if you were at a meeting where the topic was assignation of U.S. Senators, you'd remember it!
Nice try.
2. Posted by Paul | March 20, 2004 10:22 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 20, 2004 10:22
3. Posted by Boyd | March 20, 2004 10:43 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Puh-leeze, mac, you're present for a meeting where you discuss the possibility of murdering Senators, and you don't remember it? Even if it was 33 years ago!
3. Posted by Boyd | March 20, 2004 10:43 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 20, 2004 10:43
4. Posted by mac | March 20, 2004 10:32 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Alright girls, relax. No need to give yourselves coronaries over this. I was trying to make a point about memory, not trying apologize for the guy.
Step away from the caffeine.
4. Posted by mac | March 20, 2004 10:32 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 20, 2004 22:32
5. Posted by Boyd | March 20, 2004 11:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Sorry, mac, that won't wash. You made a fatuous statement, and we called you on it. Caffeine's got nothing to do with it, especially since I only drink coffee at work. Go sell that red herring somewhere else.
5. Posted by Boyd | March 20, 2004 11:05 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 20, 2004 23:05
6. Posted by mike | March 21, 2004 8:54 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
is this really the guy we want running the country? Why is this not getting more media attention? Why can't we assault the character of someone, and I don't care if it was 33 years ago, who wouldn't stand up and say that killing a US Senator would be horribly wrong.
And there is no way anyone would not remember this going on no matter how long ago it was. That is simply a weak attempt to sidestep the accusation.
6. Posted by mike | March 21, 2004 8:54 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 21, 2004 20:54
7. Posted by HotPie | March 24, 2004 6:50 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
C'mon I've been in a coffee shop and heard people talk about killing the political leaders, or thier wife or the noisy child disturbing our conversation. The point is that Kerry did not plan to kill US Senators. This conversation took place in the Vietnam era among men who actually served in the war. Furthermore the group itself (VVAW) never planned or seriously considered killing US Senators. Someone mentioned it in the course of a meeting- how can he be held accountable for that? It is absurd to hold John Kerry accountable for everything that might have been said by every person who has ever crossed his path. At least John Kerry knows first hand the horrors of war and yes he seems to have conveniently "misremembered" the meeting but at least an entire year is not missing from his memory.
7. Posted by HotPie | March 24, 2004 6:50 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 24, 2004 18:50
8. Posted by SpenceJ | June 10, 2004 10:36 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You can have a look at a few of the pages for yourself of the John Kerry - VVAW files at
http://www.paperlessarchives.com/john_kerry.html
and
http://www.paperlessarchives.com/vvaw.html
8. Posted by SpenceJ | June 10, 2004 10:36 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 10, 2004 22:36