Interesting Boston Herald coverage of the Worcester vet event

[karynnj]

Though it starts with reading into a Cleland comment far too much, it ends up saying some really nice things.

"The fellow veterans - some from the Vietnam era, some from Iraq who stumped with Kerry Saturday - are devoted to him. When Bob Bolduc of Auburn was asked to help Kerry in the Iowa caucuses in ’04, Bolduc said, “I sold my house, put everything in storage and went around the country for John for a year.”

Army veteran Walter Gallagher quipped “I got kidnapped” by persuasive Kerry aides to help “put a veteran in the White House.”

Kerry continues to make vets part of his mission. He talked about wives whose husbands were killed in Iraq “being thrown off base housing” in quick order and said he championed a one-year extension for widows. He recalled a wounded vet “who suffocated to death” when the tube in his throat was not properly cleaned due to a shortage of nurses. “We can do better,” Kerry said.

Beatty has run a spunky campaign, especially calling Kerry to account for voting to authorize military action in Iraq - despite Kennedy’s wise warnings against an invasion. The Republican has shown a grasp of the issues and generally campaigned hard but clean. (An exception: charging Kerry with having “blood on your hands” for his Iraq vote.)"

I would give Beatty less credit with his inane attacks, but this is one of the few articles I've read of the incredible devotion these vets have had to Kerry.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/op_ed/view/2008_10_29_John_Kerry_on_the_trail_makes_final_pitch/

[JI7]

1. they talk too much about the vets angry at Kerry for the protests

but at the same time there are many vets who love him for it plus the things he has done since then in helping veterans.

these veterans matter as much as the others. but the media and others tend to dismiss the service of vets if they are critical of war in any way.

[karynnj]

2. Absolutely - which was why I was completely floored that a RW rag

wrote those paragraphs. That they used the word, devoted, then backed it up by mentioning that the vet sold his house and went to Iowa for Kerry that is awe inspiring. I have no idea how many people read the Herald, but this completely counters the Beatty nonsense - hitting Kerry for making the true case that he has helped veterans more than any other single Senator.

Remember in the primaries in Texas and Nevada this year, that Kerry was sent to advocate for Obama with veterans. This shows that he is seen as having far more support than he has people who hate him. The Obama campaign is not stupid and that is how they used him at least in those two states. That ACTION is more significant than words. I also doubt, without those vets, Kerry would have won Iowa himself.