Are you worried that Cambodia tale could stick to Kerry?

[Armstead]

I don't think most of the Swift Boat Liars stuff is going to stick. I don't think they've made enough of a case against Kerry's service to make a serious dent among the unbdecideds.

But Kerry's Cambodia story could be damaging. It is something he has claimed in very specific terms, and is on the record. And it's not the kind of thing that can be chalked up to mistaken memory or different interpretation of events.

If he said he clearly remembers being in Cambodia on Christmas Day, that's his story and he's stuck with it.

If he changes or alters his story now, it really will look like waffling. And unfortunately, iwaffling about something he stated so definitively before is difficult to justify. It sounds like he misled the public for dramatic effect earlier. And that gets into that soggy terrain of "believability" about everything else.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

(Obligatory note: I really, really, really want Kerry to win. I am mentioning this because the potential effect worries me.)

[MallRat]

1. I haven't heard anything about the Cambodia story for days now.

I think it's already dead. No?

-MR

[Armstead]

12. It's out there

Google:
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&tab=nn&newsclusterurl=http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20040812-090512-6687r.htm

http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20040812-090512-6687r.htm

http://instapundit.com/archives/017139.php

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=4771

Mostly the right-wing rags, but they are flogging it, and that's usually a step in how these things become "memes."

[elehhhhna]

2. 58 miles away...who cares? WHERE WAS GW THAT XMAS????

[michigandem2]

3. look...

in the BIG picture I think its silly to discuss where he BELIEVED he was 35 years ago? They are grasping at straws..trying to find lies and if this is what the righties decide to hang their hat on for the next month..they look stupid and desperate...I just think the more they try to pick apart every word he said 35 years ago--they look silly...

and the swiftboat liars..their story backfired and they are now going "but, but but...what about cambodia???"

every day its been something new...kerry woudl of gone to war, kerry will fight a mroe sensitive war, kerry didn't deserve any of those medals, kerry only served for 5 weeks...kerry wasn't in cambodia...there will be a ton more...but every couple of days they try a new one...

[RoundRockD]

4. It's not a big deal. Read the following story ...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/08/13/wus13.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/08/13/ixworld.html

[michigandem2]

6. don't most people say...

I was in such in such if they were BY the area..just to make it easier?? I mean I dont' live in Grand Rapdis Michigan but I tell people on here i do because if I say I live in Caledonia...nobody would have a f-ing clue where it was...its so stupid...LOL!

[Armstead]

13. The problem is the tales he told

I agree that it's stupid to dissect his Vietnam experiences. But the problem here has more to do with perceptions of Kerry's truthfulness.

He told this story several times, using Christmas for dramatic effect. Even if he told the truth, but embellished and changed it to make it more vivid, it will make it look he does that about everything.

It's the same crap they pulled on Gore about things like the Internet. But those were legfitimate twisting of what Gore actually said. Unfortunately, with Kerry, he did make that claim.

I hope it doesn't go anywhere. But it is something to be aware of.

[mikehiggins]

5. They screwed up big time

The Cambodia thing is going to get folded into the whole Swift Boat LIARS Against Kerry, and disappear into the mist. The way the leaders of that group have been savaged over the last week (not only on the Daily Show) they are an embarrassment to everyone except the Freeper Right, aka barking mad loonies.

Things are going much better than I had hoped/expected when my guy Clark was left at the gate. Bush* may yet lose this election, and won't that be fine?

[annxburns]

11. I agree with you totally ...

I supported Clark because I didn't think Kerry's Vietnam era protest would go over well with the American public (I admired it but I didn't know if most people would). I think the rethuglicans REALLY miscalculated here. By going after Kerry is such an over the top way, they have negated more legitimate criticism of his anti-war activities. Now it's all the fruit of a poison, partisan tree. Going after his medals was just stupid and mean and unnecessary. They have gone so over the top, that any criticism leveled can just be thrown in the John O'Neil, Nixon-era, Smear Boats for Bush pile.

What I can't figure out is whether Kerry's campaign purposely set this up. Maybe Kerry thought, ya know what, f**k it - let's go right at em, then they will blow their wad and have nothing left. If he arranged this on purpose - he is a lot smarter than I thought.

[tandot]

7. The media has already picked up that this is a Republican smear campaign

Kerry was willing to fight and die for his country in Vietnam, while Bush was snorting Coke and getting drunk in Texas.

And now those thugs have the arrogance to question Kerry's service. Give me a break.

[Bandit]

8. I think it is very probable he was in Cambodia at that time

The US Government will deny it as they were not authorized to be there at that time. It doesn't mean that we did not have any troops in Cambodia just that they were not allowed by international law to be there. I happened to be in a unit that was sent many times into places we were not authorized to be, so I know first hand that those things occured. It is too bad he had to say something like this that could not be verified by official reports. I believe him though.

[geek tragedy]

9. They have two options:

1) Flatly stand by his past statements--that he was there; or

2) Say absolutley nothing about it.

My concern is that we're seeing Kerry people try to spin it, and that they're doing it badly.

[ProfessorPlum]

10. No

Karl's next Vietnam lie is only hours away. This relatively minor point will be washed away in the next wave of bullshit.

[yellowcanine]

14. No - too long ago - Kerry apparently got some dates/locations mixed up-no

one except Freepers are paying ANY attention to this.

On edit - also it seems to me that in that part of the world borders are/were not exactly marked with checkpoints and welcome signs - no GPS in 1968 - it is quite possible they WERE in Cambodia and Kerry knew it but others with him didn't - or the other way around. It is intended to be sand in the eyes of the voters and is of no consequence.

[redstateblues]

15. All That Matters Is Kerry Fought For His Country- Bush Didn't

[Ducks In A Row]

16. not after reading this on Daily Kos

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/8/12/184326/074

[Sparkly]

17. What a poignant and beautifully-written diary entry, too

I'd never seen that. Thanks :)