What is the Kerry response to the Xmas in Cambodia story?

[Karmadillo]

The story, so far, is appearing in only the usual not to be believed sources (Washington Times, New York Daily Post, Drudge etc). Does anyone know anything more about the facts? It's hardly the most pressing issue in the world, but if it's true, it's easy to imagine the mainstream media picking it up as yet another way to distract us from genuine issues (environment, health care, economy etc).

http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20040809-090612-9480r.htm

On the floor of the Senate on March 27, 1986, Sen. John Kerry issued this statement: "I remember Christmas of 1968 sitting on a gunboat in Cambodia. I remember what it was like to be shot at by Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge and Cambodians, and have the President of the United States telling the American people that I was not there; the troops were not in Cambodia. I have that memory which is seared — seared — in me."

Mr. Kerry's statement at the time was similar to other statements he had made after returning from duty in Vietnam, and throughout much of the 1970s. Writing for the Boston Herald in October 1979, Mr. Kerry said this: "I remember spending Christmas Eve of 1968 five miles across the Cambodian border being shot at by our South Vietnamese allies who were drunk and celebrating Christmas. The absurdity of almost being killed by our own allies in a country in which President Nixon claimed there were no American troops was very real."

more...

[MrBenchley]

1. Really, who cares?

This doesn't show anything but how desperate the GOP is...

[BOHICA06]

5. Remember the brush they painted Al with ...

about his "alleged" inability to tell the truth? They've open the can of Latex with this story and it needs to be squashed quickly.

[sangh0]

7. You said the samet hing about the Swift Boat liars

Your powers of prediction are less than you imagine

[Democat]

9. You have no idea how effective those liars are until we see new polls

Don't count your chickens.

We don't know whether the Swift Boat liars are going to hurt us, help us, or do nothing. Polls will tell in the coming weeks.

[union_maid]

12. He's not Al Gore

Life is not fair sometimes. If Reagan was teflon, Al Gore was velcro. Kerry is neither, but so far nothing's stuck. I think he's more like high quality stainless steel. Lots of substance and it's hard to put a serious dent in him.

[annxburns]

2. It's pretty simple

He was off the coast of Cambodia in Dec - check the records.

Nixon did deny we were in Cambodia after he took office.

His statement is accurate.

The freepers say - oh he wasn't in cambodia. But he was right off the coast - close enough to get shot at. and they say "Nixon wasn't President in 1968. So what? Nixon still lied when he took office.

[Sparkly]

3. Johnson lied as well n/t

[michigandem2]

4. i do think its just stupid to even talk about it...

I just don't get why its an important story except to paint Kerry as a liar...I just hope all these attacks don't stick...as long as the majority of the poeple see this as a silly argument-it won't go anywhere...

[Karmadillo]

10. I agree it's not something we'd choose to talk about here, but

it's possible, remembering the endless attacks on Al Gore, the media might end up deciding otherwise. I posted the question simply to find out if there was an existing response to the story.

[Yupster]

11. Was he on an ocean-going ship?

I thought he was on a small river craft.

[greensforpeace]

6. It is all lies!

Kerry was in Cambodia! He remembered it so well and he even gave CIA agents rides up the river so they could disrupt the enemy.

Why would we EVER listen to those scumbuckets' propaganda.

[Bush was AWOL]

8. This isn't a big story

but it must be debunked. If it gets legs and is unchallenged it will give them more credibility, and some might take their other claims (which are false) more serious.