How should Kerry's campaign handle his anti-war activism?

[0rganism]

Poll question: How should Kerry's campaign handle his anti-war activism?

Most of us know by now that when Sen. Kerry returned from Vietnam, he was heavily involved with Vietnam Veterans Against the War, an anti-war activism group. He also gave testimony to congress in the "Winter Soldier" Investigation of 1971, posing this question to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

The next series of attack ads from SBVfT/Rove is likely to center around this anti-war record. Many veterans resent Sen. Kerry's actions, and regard some of the things he did as nearly treasonous, if not actual treason. Touting a record of anti-war activism could further alienate these highly-visible voters. On the other hand, we are currently engaged in what many people regard as a similar military quagmire in Iraq, and Sen. Kerry's record of honorable experience in and opposition to the Vietnam War could attract some of the pacificist and Nader voters who are outraged by his vote to authorize a military option in Iraq.

How should the Kerry/Edwards campaign approach this subject?

[DaveSZ]

1. C span replayed his testimony in 1971 the other day

They had a veteran’s line, and most of the Vietnam veterans who called in responded positively to his testimony.

They said that after seeing it, they knew John O'Neal was taking what Kerry said out of context, and that his testimony should be shown in prime time.

I agree with them, as it's one of the best, most moving speeches I've ever seen in my entire life - second only to a few by FDR, JFK, and MLK.

[LeinesRed]

3. HE SHOULD READ HIS WHOLE SPEECH

HE HAS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF

[LeinesRed]

4. I absolutely agree

his speech is one of the best .

[LeinesRed]

5. remember a few months ago...

when the Repukes were trying to neutralize his speech by insinuating that he did not write it?

[0rganism]

8. Interesting. Do you recall what the non-Vietnam vets were saying?

I might just have to hunt that down in the C-Span archives. Yummy.

[Spiffarino]

2. Embrace his activism and point out all he did for the vets

He served honorably, then came home and served honorably again in a different capacity. Whatever he did - for or against the war - was for his band of brothers.

Running away from it would be insane. It's too well known and he needs to acknowledge it and be proud. There were and are Viet vets who don't like him for it and never will. This has always been so. If he backpedals he'll be seen as weak...hell, it would be true.

Come out swinging John, and proudly proclaim ALL you did for your country.

[yardwork]

6. His testimony in 1971 is one of the reasons I think Kerry could be great

That was a remarkable thing for a young man to have done at that time.

Kerry has enormous balls. He could be a great president.

[DaveSZ]

7. Indeed

I wish he'd show the same balls now that he did then.

He does have balls.

[mitchtv]

9. what child voted to distance- it was wrong then etc...?

they were obviously notaround then.

[0rganism]

10. It is a fairly common opinion I've seen expressed in various places

especially by hawkish moderates, who may feel that Sen. Kerry's actions dishonored the military of which he was still a part. That's why I included it as a choice.

[fearnobush]

11. He really needs to focus on what he has done over the past two decades

to improve benefits for vets while embracing his past as a solder for truth. In doing so, he needs to tie his 1971 stuff in with Abu Ghraib and point out to the fact the Mr. Bu$h over the past three months has done nothing but blame less than a dozen of our good lower level inlisted men for the entire abuse scandal of Abu Ghraib. These solders were put in a situation were they were ordered to engage in acts that violated the Geneva conventions. This situation allowed for such a great stressful envirnment that these solders were pushed to engage in such acts that to place the blame on them and them alone, would be a criminal act against them.

Don't be surprised to see the swift boat liars creat ads that portray Kerry as a neglecter of POW MIA by ending the search for Rambo - which was co-chaired by John McCain. That could post an other problem for the Swifties as McCain too played a central role. This is sensitve issue that shrouds the normalization with Veit Nam embraced by Kerry and McCain.

[ngGale]

14. He needs to embrace the issue...

and run with it. The soldiers in Iraq seem to want this election out of the past. Iraq is current and the problems many. Dubya messed Iraq up and Kerry needs to bait and switch. Head into the attack and use Iraq and all the bad issues. At the same time take up for his new band of brothers, Dubya won't understand what hit him. McCain was a good move on his part, but McCain and Kerry together worked for the Vets, POW's, MIA's and went back to Vietnam together. If Kerry plays this right, like the true leader he is, Dubya won't be able to handle him. Dubya won't be able to take the real truth, a private bunch of corporate scum running the military. That's the big problem from what I read from Iraqi soldiers.

[rhite5]

16. I totally agree.

Kerry MUST proudly own these actions in his past. For many progressives, Kerry's brave opposition to the VN war along with that incredible Senate testimony are the things that define him.

When he chose to ignore all that at the convention I got worried.

Kerry could lose the support of anti-war Progressives if he decides to play down or ignore his own anti-war heroism. He must not do that.

And if he can clearly tie what he said then to what is going on in Iraq right now, he can get this conversation back where it belongs.

Karl Rove is trying to keep America distracted from Iraq by keeping the focus on a 35-year old war in Viet Nam. We cannot let Rove set the agenda.

[DustMolecule]

12. What gtrump (post #2), yardwork (#6), and Dave SZ (#7) just said

I totally agree! eom

[Leilani]

13. I think he should make a speech

& tell the truth about his testimony to Congress, & how it has been distorted.

But he should make a bigger point: That he would be the 1st Vietnam Vet President of the U.S.

And that he would work to heal all the wounds of that time. How as a Vet, who served honorably, & as he protested to end the useless war, he will reach out to all people. And he should talk about veterans getting the benefits they deserve.

But he could tie it into a much LARGER issue; how our country is so divided, & talk about how after 9/11, we were all together. And the world was with us. But Bush squandered that wonderful opportunity to unite us.

He could talk about the challenges now facing us in the world & at home. And how he would lead us in a NEW direction.

Edited to add: Heshould include in this speech a MAJOR rebuttal to the Swift Boat Liars. There has been no organized refutation of these charges, & he could include them in a speech.

[Festivito]

15. First yes, Second separated yes, third and fourth no and no.

POW/MIA reclamation seems a separate issue. Together with anti-war activity it sounds like an excuse or worse, diminishing the noble and heroic anti-war stance he took.

The MORE-SHOULD-HAVE-DIED-IN-VIETNAM people are foolhardy and politically unreachable anyway.

[GOPAgainstGW]

17. Even President Nixon later said that John Kerry Did the Right Thing!!!

in helping to stop that HORRIBLE 20 year war (the longest in U.S. history) and so did Nixon's top advisors.

The Southeast Asia-Vietnam War killed and injured over 8 MILLION PEOPLE AND RIPPED THIS COUNTRY APART. I served in that damn war and so did others in our REPUBLICAN group that could care less about politics and all this Presidential election BS.

John Kerry almost single handedly stopped that atrocity filled Vietnam War and saved people like John O'Neill's and his SBVT fraud LIVES!!!

END OF STORY

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. Say

I opposed the war not the soldiers who fought it and move on...

[0rganism]

19. Democracy Now has an interesting show online re. Kerry and VVAW

I set out (unsuccessfully) looking for the C-Span link to the CFR hearing, but came across DN's coverage instead:

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/02/20/1535232

It briefly skims some of the Winter Soldier testimony, then jumps into Kerry's speech to Congress, complete in two parts. Then we get some of the questions from the Committee to Kerry, and diverge to a review and critique of some of his current positions on the Iraq War Resolution. Worth a viddy, if you haven't heard the 27-yo John Kerry talk about Vietnam.