Army Times: Kerry tells Guard members what he would do as president

[Iceburg]

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-359212.php
September 16, 2004
Kerry tells Guard members what he would do as president

...
Among those choices are whether benefits for members of the National Guard and reserves should be on par with those provided for active-duty troops. Kerry said his plan includes Tricare health benefits for reservists every day they serve, “before, during and after mobilization, end of story.”

The crowd gave the Massachusetts senator a standing ovation for that remark, and applauded him for several others. Bush, in his speech to the Guard Association, likewise said he would improve Tricare, but wants to limit it to 90 days before troops report to active duty and 180 days after they are de-activated.

...
“I think he said the right stuff, the things people want to hear,” said Lt. Col. Tim Marlar, a battalion commander in the Kansas Army National Guard. “I think it could happen … it’s just a question of how soon.”

whole article... http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-359212.php

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The Army Times has given a much more favorable report of Kerry's speech than the main stream media. They also made it their lead story.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. Because there's more than one kind of military man

There's the kind the joined the army to kill things, namely dark skinned people. Those are you Bush supporters because he allows them to do that.

And then there's the kind that joined to TRULY protect our country. There's the military man that truly takes pride in being a peacekeeper and takes pride in the good name of our country. They know that killing and war are horrible things. They don't like what Bush's doing. I think there are far more of these men than we realize.

[TahitiNut]

5. Suggestion: "19 out of 19 terrorists agree"

Clearly, the attack was on Bush/Cheney's "watch" (while they were playing cards and partying rather than doing their duty).

[Fovea]

2. A point Kerry needs to make and make it daily...

If we are fighting a war on terror, we need the national guard at home as a guard. Not in Iraq, machinegunning reporters and getting blown up for no damn good reason at all.

Bush's argument about taking the war to the terrorists in Iraq will ring pretty damned hollow if the terrorists start attacking here.
And with the Natl Guard in Iraq, it is more likely that they will mount a successful campaign on our soil.

We have a national guard, not just to guard America, but to help civilians in time of crisis. You know, like the highly unlikely possibility that the US would get hit by 3 major hurricanes in one year.

Remember the pentagon's assesment of climate change and social instability... the future is now, baby.


<BuSSSh, Stupid, Stubborn, and Superstitious>

[Kolesar]

3. That was a very positive article! eom

[Paradise]

4. Yes, Kerry did say the right stuff! :) n/t

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. 9/12 Bush: There's nothing complicated about supporting our troops

Apparently there is:

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040913/nym196_1.html

[quo]

7. A standing ovation?

I was wondering about that.
On Thursday, on the PBS newshour they showed
the National Guard speeches by Kerry and
Bush* side by side and included all the
rounds of applause between Bush* soundbites,
but not a single clap from the room between
the Kerry soundbites.

In fact, they showed the most sullen shots of the audience.
One cutaway to the crowd showed two men leaving,
another showed stern-faced people shifting uncomfortably
in their seats.
It seemed odd and it left a distinct impression.
It almost seemed like I was watching a right wing
attempt at humour. I expected them to edit in
the sounds of crickets over the shots of the silent
and stoic audience.

That's the lowest of the low and something
I would expect from the likes of Limbaugh.

[legally blonde]

8. I'm not surprised

by the TV editing (although I would have expected better from PBS). The press does this constantly. For Americans whose only source of news is from TV, this creates a lasting impression--they don't know the whole story, but they think they do. So much for the liberal media.

[SoCalDem]

9. THAT is what the "SwiftBoatLiars" stuff was about..

The Bushies knew that with his military background,Kerry's "target audience" would be military people.. August was all about making him "unappealing" to them.. It was about "neutering" him, so that he would not receive the warm welcome he would have ordinarily gotten..

It was to make HIM feel uncomfortable visiting and speaking before military crowds..