Kerry's military records

[SHRED]

I confess...I hear a lot of righties screaming that Kerry "won't release all of his military records"...and I don't know what they are referring to.

Can you help me out so i can rebutt these loons?
What is their beef?

[RUSTY SHACKLEFORD]

1. They're just looking for fodder.

They think inevitably they can come up with some "gotchas" by going through Kerry's record in excruciating detail.

[rocktivity]

2. Just scream back that Bush won't release all of his!

Nor will he release his father's presidential records, Cheney's energy meeting records...

:headbang:
rocknation

[wicket]

3. And Reagan's records

Wouldn't want anything incriminating about his Poppy to get out...

[Booster]

17. My fingers are tired from emailing the media

saying you won't accept military records and eyewitnesses regarding Kerry, but you totally accept that Bush's military and Texas driving records both seem to have been conveniently "destroyed". We should all start yelling about Bush's records.

[wishlist]

4. They have all been released except some medical that reporters saw

My understanding is that everything has been released and is posted on the internet, with the exception of some medical records that he did make available for reporters and journalists to look at, but no copies were released of those. (Bush has done the same thing with some of his medical records- just let reporters look but not take photocopies.)

Unfortunately it took Kerry a few weeks after he was the presumed candidate to release his military records which caused the talking heads and RWingers to be able to spread the story that he had not released them. However, he did release everything several months ago, except some medical that journalists have been allowed to see.

Also I heard that Kerry turned over some of his personal records about his war experience to Doug Brinkley who wrote the book 'Tour of Duty' and Kerry no longer has those records in his possession since he consigned them to Brinkley to be included in the book.

[vicman]

6. Just heard Doug Brinkley

on NPR this morning. Kerry has released of all his records, especially the all-important DD214 discharge document that summarizes his military career. As I understand it, Bush has never released his own DD214 (shall we say, "for obvious reasons?"). The info repubs are now using to say Kerry hasn't released everything is the material Brinkley used to flesh out his book, which is entries from the personal journal Kerry kept and his letters to home. Note that these are not official government documents and Kerry is in no way required or compelled to let ANYONE see them. So when you hear that Kerry hasn't released everything, it's just another repuke lie.

Brinkley stated he doesn't have any of the originals and those remain with Kerry.

[tandot]

5. I agree with Rocknation. Ask them why Cheney hasn't released the records

on his Energy Task Force meetings. Is it because his buddies from those big corporations attending these meetings formulated America's energy policies to make more profits at our and the environment's expense?

And Bush has NOT released all of his records or at least come forward with his "band of boozers" to proof that he at least showed up in Alabama...and not just for a dental exam.

Kerry volunteered to fight, kill, and die for his country. Bush and Cheney are cowards who dodged the draft...and who are now spilling our kids blood in a war that was completely unnecessary

[TryingToWarnYou]

7. Kerry wont sign the 180 which releases **ALL** records.

I have to take issue with that as I believe it would be in his best interest to release everything. If Bush has done it, then Kerry needs to as well.

[TheRovingGourmet]

8. I have a feeling the rest of the records will soon be released

and it will contain a lot of boring and unimportant stuff. It will be one of those "joke's on you!" moments. :)

[RUSTY SHACKLEFORD]

9. Are you serious?

It took Bush YEARS to cave to pressure to release his records, and most people still don't think he has completely come clean.

The fact still remains that da Shrub was AWOL from the guard, which joining the guard got him outta serving in the Mekong. And daddy got him outta the sh*ts for being AWOL.

Kerry shouldn't give Bush a damned thing. Kerry has medals. Bush has his daddy. Screw Bush.

[TryingToWarnYou]

10. Well, not to defend Bush, but he signed his 180

[RUSTY SHACKLEFORD]

11. After how many YEARS of repeated pressure...

did Bush finally cave?

Fair is fair. I think we should give Kerry an equivalent amount of time.

[bobbieinok]

12. but ALL BUSH MIL RECORDS HAVE NOT-NOT BEEN RELEASED

AP and USA Today are still trying to get them

all requests now have to go thru the pentagon

[TryingToWarnYou]

13. Agreed..Im not arguing with you, just making a point.

Why they havent gotten them yet is a mystery to me too.

[DoYouEverWonder]

18. It's easy to sign a 180

when you already know you daddy's friends have destroyed most of the records.

[HFishbine]

14. Just send them this link and ask

Where was Bush between April 1972 and November 1972.

http://www.awolbush.com/kerry-vs-bush.asp

[imax2268]

15. what about the documents

that were supposedly "purged" from BushCo's service record...

[HFishbine]

16. Well, if they were purged

We won't know about them will we. The available record is at the link (follow the USA Today link for the complete Bush files). You can scour them for hours and still not refute that Bush:

a) Failed to take his flight physical
b) Had his flying status revoked
c) Took 6 months off without permission.

[TryingToWarnYou]

19. I have to confess something.. I was wrong about Bush signing a 180

Turns out he has not.