The Swift Boating of John Kerry continues ("ignored vet recommendations")

[Human Torch]

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/An_account_of_veterans_meeting_with_0928.html

Veteran, advisor claims Kerry campaign often ignored recommendations of veterans

Paul Rieckhoff
Published: Thursday September 28, 2006

In Chasing Ghosts: A Soldier's Fight for America from Baghdad to Washington, veteran, author and activist Paul Rieckhoff describes a small, closed-door meeting between Iraq vets and John Kerry in Minneapolis in the summer of 2004 -- and the disconnect that followed.

At one point Kerry asked us all who we thought he should choose as his running mate. A few in the room mentioned John McCain. Rumors had circulated in the press for weeks about secret meetings between Kerry and McCain. Getting McCain to abandon Bush to run as Kerry's VP would change history. Together they could beat Bush. But Kerry made it clear the McCain option was not on the table.

One vet suggested Senator Cleland. Max is a hero and role model to every veteran. After losing three limbs in Vietnam from a grenade explosion, he ran for and won a seat in the Georgia state senate, and then became the youngest head of Veterans Affairs (VA) in history. An incredibly effective advocate for veterans, Max introduced America's first Vet Centers, revolutionizing VA care by providing vets with peer-to-peer counseling led by older combat vets. Max went on to be elected to the U.S. Senate. He was a guy with the most mojo I had ever been around.

But Max wouldn’t be Kerry’s choice either. Instead, Kerry asked us about Dick Gephardt. Everyone reacted tepidly. Then I proposed Wes Clark, arguing that in times of war, Americans trust a General. Generals project strength, which Democrats seriously needed. And Clark would bring in the most Independents and Republicans.

I came back from Minneapolis sorely disillusioned and angry. John Kerry was not the passionate activist he had been thirty years ago. He seemed like a good man, but over the decades in Washington had morphed into a calculating and coached politician.

[Mass]

1. No swiftboating - Just the fact that Rieckoff is outraged that Kerry did

not listen to his advice when it came to choosing a VP.

This has been reported again and again and has really little interest. I am sure there are plenty of people Kerry did not listen and many that he did listen before he made his decision.

So, I tend to discount these types of claim: "Kerry did not listen to me!"

[Mass]

3. I am happy to see that he said clearly that Kerry did not support McCain

as VP. The media have been spinning that so much.

[Human Torch]

5. I hear what you're saying...

...I'm using the term "Swift Boating" in a somewhat generic way to refer to the accusation. As you have pointed out, Rieckoff is saying "Kerry didn't listen to me," but the message I feel he's really trying to put out there is "Kerry doesn't take the advice of veterans."

And you make another very important point as well. Kerry probably took advice from (and did not take advice from) many veterans and non-veterans as well.

:patriot:

[karynnj]

16. I agree with Mass, Reichoff is complaining about Kerry

but is not lying about him. Although I think that Reichoff has had his fame go to his head, he seemed to be a very decent person. His op-ed in the NYT that Kerry has mentioned in at least one interview and from which he has long, attributed quotes in his speech against terror is excellent.

If you look at what Kerry did for Reichoff, it is very clear Reichoff's complaints are pretty misplaced. To say "Kerry didn't listen to him" is senseless. Kerry gave him the chance to do the Democratic address, an honor usually reserved for top politicians. In a way, this was equivilent to the visibility and status that Senator Fulbright gave a young John Kerry. Kerry also met with him and heard him out several times.

It appears that by not listening to him - Reichoff doesn't mean he blew him off or that he refused to meet with him, he means that Kerry DID NOT DO WHAT PAUL WANTED him to do. What remarkable chutzpah. He told Kerry to pick McCain as VP. While Kerry and McCain were friends and found some areas where they could work together - on issues like the war they were compeletly opposite. So, Paul told him he didn't like Edwards, it was Kerry's decision and I assume 100s of people also spoke to him on who to pick - resulting in every candidate being on both the "pick him" and the "not him" list.

What I don't know is why is this recirculating today - when Kerry honored Reichoff by quoting him on the floor of the Senate.

[Schema Thing]

2. Oh please

Everyone who criticizes John Kerry, is not in the "swiftboat" camp.


Distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate criticism.

[blm]

8. Rieckhoff is being pretty obtuse about McCain - he BELIEVED MCCAIN wanted

a unity ticket with Kerry, when McCain only FLOATED that rumor about a Kerry/McCain ticket to use as leverage with Rove and Bush , to get them to COMMIT to supporting HIS candidacy in 2008.

Rieckhoff isn't swiftboating, but he's WAY off base with his read of what went down then.

[Old and In the Way]

4. Wow, that's incredible.

Sure glad Kerry didn't heed their advice on McCain. Otherwise, so what?

[blm]

6. Kerry personally leaned towards both Clark and Gephardt from what I know.

The McCain rumor was from McCain's camp. Only to use as leverage to coopt Bush's people in the future.

Rieckhoff is way too naive if he really believed that McCain was earnest about a unity ticket.

I hope he's learned a bit more about McCain's duplicitous nature since he wrote this.

[wisteria]

7. Isn't this the guy who wanted more than 15 minutes of fame?

Another attack book by a wanna make money guy. No integrety and sour grapes are on diplay here. This is one book I won't waste my money on. I only like to read the truth about Senator Kerry.

[NYCGirl]

9. He's the guy who started this organization:

http://www.iava.org/index.php

And appears regularly on Randi Rhodes' show and Rachel Maddow's show.

[wisteria]

13. Thanks, I must of had him confused with someone else. n/t

[blm]

15. And wanted McCain for VP. Believed McCain camps rumor mongering

and was mad at Kerry for dismissing that absurdity. He may get some things, now at this point of his activism, but is completely wrong about what McCain was up to with that rumor back then.

[Mass]

10. This is marketing. If he had been critical of Bush, it would have not

been news. Apparently, rawstory thinks this is news, even if this has been reported many times and is after all positive of Kerry. He spent time talking with them about the choice of a VP. What more could they expect. This is good.

[wisteria]

14. Oh, I must of misjudged him. n/t

[karynnj]

18. True,

This is like what people would have thought if Kerry rather than being grateful that Fulbright gave him a platform, didn't take him on as a consultant.

[karynnj]

17. He's actually a pretty good guy

The editorial he wrote for the NYT against torture was excellent. I'm sure that Reickoff should be proud that someone of Kerry's stature has quoted it and attributed it properly on the floor of the Senate and in at least one interview.

I don't see any lies - just a certain chutzpah that he should be directing how a Presidential nominee should run his campaign, I'm impressed that Kerry gave him as much time as he did.

[Sensitivity]

20. Kerry WAS out-of-touch in his choice of Edwards - - lot of supporters

I know saw it that way. It was the Mary Beth crowd that packaged the ticket. Kerry was
really surrounded by a bunch of soft-headed operators.

[ProSense]

11. This isn't swift boating. Reickhoff never

supported Kerry's call for withdrawal. He wanted a better policy and equipment for the troop.

Snip...

"Mission Accomplished" Democratic Radio Address, May 1, 2004

Snip...

"Rieckhoff said he is not working for the Kerry campaign or for the Democratic Party. He contacted Kerry staffers who deal with veterans issues when he returned from Iraq three months ago, and they 'provided me with the forum. I wrote every word.'" (16) (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001917901_radio02.html )

On May 1, 2004, Stephanie Cutter of John Kerry for President issued a press release about Rieckhoff's address. Press Release (http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=29723).

In the May 7, 2004, New York Times, the paper printed a correction to a previous article about Rieckhoff, in which it "misstated his political affiliation. He says that although he indeed once registered as a Democrat, he is now unaffiliated." (17) (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00B14FA39590C718CDDAC0894DC404482)

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Paul_Rieckhoff

Sunday, May 02, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.

War vet criticizes Bush during radio address

By Pete Yost
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — An Iraq war veteran expressed disappointment with President Bush yesterday, saying the nation's leaders refuse to acknowledge the seriousness of continuing violence in Iraq.

"I don't expect our leaders to be free of mistakes. I expect our leaders to own up to them," said Army National Guard 1st Lt. Paul Rieckhoff, 29, who was a platoon leader.

Rieckhoff's comments, distributed by Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign, represented the Democratic response to the president's weekly radio address. A public official usually gives the response.

"Our troops are still waiting for more body armor. They are still waiting for better equipment. They are still waiting for a policy that brings in the rest of the world and relieves their burden," Rieckhoff said.

more...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001917901_radio02.html

Iraq Veteran Delivers Democratic Radio Address Reflecting on the President's 'Mission Accomplished' in Iraq

5/1/2004 12:11:00 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: National Desk, Politics Reporter

Contact: Stephanie Cutter of John Kerry for President, 202-712-3000, Web: http://www.johnkerry.com

WASHINGTON, May 1 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Saturday, May 1, 2004, one year following George Bush's declaration of "mission accomplished" -- major combat operations over in Iraq, Paul Reickhoff, a veteran of the Iraq war, shared his reflections on the war during the Democratic Radio address to the nation.

Reickhoff, who served in the rescue operations after 9/11 and in the Reserves in Baghdad, opened his address stating, "I want my fellow soldiers to come home safely, and I want a better future for the people of Iraq. I also want people to know the truth."

Rieckhoff described the lack of supplies he found when he landed in Baghdad with his 39-membered platoon, part the first wave of soldiers in Iraq in April 2003.

"But when we got to Baghdad, we soon found out that the people who planned this war were not ready for us. There were not enough vehicles, not enough ammunition, not enough medical supplies, not enough water. Many days, we patrolled the streets of Baghdad in 120 degree heat with only one bottle of water per soldier. There was not enough body armor, leaving my men to dodge bullets with Vietnam-era flak vests. We had to write home and ask for batteries to be included in our care packages. Our soldiers deserved better."

Following the fall of Baghdad, there was no plan to move forward. Reickhoff spoke about the difficulties his men had securing the country.

"With too little support and too little planning, Iraq had become our problem to fix. We had nineteen-year-old kids from the heartland interpreting foreign policy, in Arabic. This is not what we were designed to do. Infantrymen are designed to close with and kill the enemy."

"Mr. President," Reickhoff went on to say, "Our mission is not accomplished."

Reflecting on the strength of America's military families, Reickhoff closed the address by saying the commitment of American soldiers gives him hope for Iraq, but it is time for a leadership change.

"Our troops can accomplish it. We can build a stable Iraq, but we need some help. The soldiers I served with are men and women of extraordinary courage and incredible capability. But it's time we had leadership in Washington to match that courage and match that capability."

Since May 1, when President Bush declared that major combat operations in Iraq had ended, 594 U.S. soldiers have died - 421 as a result of hostile action and 173 of non-hostile causes, according to the military's numbers.

Reickhoff's remarks, as delivered, are below.

more...

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=29723

[TayTay]

12. Personally, I wish Sen. Kery had chosen Sen. Durbin.

That would have been my choice.

Paul Rieckhoff is a good man and I admire his work. He has been a good spokeman for returning IRaqi vets and a good moral voice in this fight against the Bush Admin.

He is more than entitled to his opinion.

[Sensitivity]

19. Edwards was the choice of the Political Organization. Kerry leaned to

Clark and was unwise to follow the "peoples choice." Edwards did not add to the
ticket the strength Kerry needed when the Swifties came at him.