'Kerry protested Vietnam to springboard into politics for personal gain'

[codegreen]

every time anyone says this, respond with something like:
"yes, he ran for Congress before and after protesting, in order to change the system from the inside; it is not un-American to seek public office, rather it is quite noble and admirable"

i am TIRED of these little smears getting by into the discussion all the time. someone pass this on to the Kerry campaign, please, so all their surrogates will answer that charge instead of letting it slide.

[JohnKleeb]

1. Don't they know that he got threats and stuff thrown at his house for this

You read a little of Tour of Duty and you know that he and Julia and Vanessa and Alexandra had a tough time in the mid 70's.

[blm]

3. He had death threats when he advocated for gays to serve openly in the

military. That wasn't too popular in the 80s and and even in the 90s.

[JohnKleeb]

7. Another thing I didnt know

I knew he advocated for it but I didnt know he got death threats, I know also that he was a cosponsor of an alternative to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and that he voted for the Boxer Amendment which I forget what it was but knowing Barbara Boxer it was very good likely. I know this is kind of off topic but Kerry-Edwards or one of them will be in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Saturday right? because I found out about the Canvassing up there today at young democrats, and I planned on going, I'll still go of course if they're not there because well should be a lot of fun and hope to meet people.

[codegreen]

5. no, most people don't know, and most people don't read

which is just sad.

[Sparkly]

2. How was that supposed to help him? It COST him his first election

He lost that election.

[codegreen]

4. as with most RW memes, it doesn't make much sense. but i hear it alot

in the media and in little 'debates' among surrogates and supporters, and i'm tired of not hearing it confronted.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[mbali]

8. Right - Kerry went to Vietnam, risked his life, came home, stood up to

Nixon, the pre-Swift Boat O'Neill and others, to smooth the way for a run for Congress.

Bush, on the other hand, got drunk, screwed around, didn't show up for duty, lost his daddy's friends money, stayed drunk for a few more years, and then ran for Congress in 1978.

I'll take Kerry's "springboard" to power over Bush's any day.

[jpgray]

9. Yes, because protestors were so popular

:crazy:

[Terran]

10. That one's easy to shoot down

Protesting Vietnam was a dangerous liability in the Sixties, and it's being used as a liability against him now--as he must have known it would be. What he did has never helped him politically to any great extent--it's had just the opposite effect. Therefore he did it as a matter of principle.