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Thursday, August 19, 2004

 

What Media Bias?

How far into this article do you have to read before you see evidence that does not support Kerry's position? There are 22 paragraphs, take a guess.

Here's the article title and subtitle:

Military records counter a Kerry critic

Fellow skipper's citation refers to enemy fire
Here's how the story opens:

WASHINGTON - Newly obtained military records of one of Sen. John F. Kerry's most vocal critics [Larry Thurlow], who has accused the Democratic presidential candidate of lying about his wartime record to win medals, contradict his own version of events.
What a jerk! You mean to tell me that "one of Sen. John F. Kerry's most vocal critics" has a given statements that directly contradict his own war records. I'm appalled!

But wait! Here's what paragraphs 8 and 9 (of 22) contain:

"It's like a Hollywood presentation here, which wasn't the case," Thurlow said last night after being read the full text of his Bronze Star citation. "My personal feeling was always that I got the award for coming to the rescue of the boat that was mined. This casts doubt on anybody's awards. It is sickening and disgusting."

Thurlow said he would consider his award "fraudulent" if coming under enemy fire was the basis for it. "I am here to state that we weren't under fire," he said. He speculated that Kerry could have been the source of at least some of the language used in the citation. (emphasis added)
Paragraph 13:

For much of the episode, Kerry was not in a position to know firsthand what was happening on Thurlow's boat, as Kerry's boat had sped down the river after the mine exploded under another boat. He later returned to provide assistance to the stricken boat.
Paragraph 16:

Two other Swift boat skippers who were direct participants in the March 13, 1969, mine explosion on the Bay Hap, Jack Chenoweth and Richard Pees, have said they do not remember coming under "enemy fire." A fourth commander, Don Droz, who was one of Kerry's closest friends in Vietnam, was killed in action a month later.
So let's recap. We have the written record of Mr. Thurlow's medal citation that states the group was under fire that day. Additionally, Kerry's story is supported by a SF guy he pulled out of the river.

On the other hand, it might have been Kerry who wrote Mr. Thurlow's citation in addition to his own (although the article quotes some Kerry people who claim there is no "documentary evidence to settle the argument." I wonder if Kerry could misremember how this all went down and then fill us in as the story evolves). Also there are multiple personal accounts of multiple Swift Boat crewmembers contradicting Kerry's story.

Decide for yourself.

Update:

More Lies? A SEAL weighs in. (via: Hounds of Gotterdammerung)

Update 2:

Drudge has some info. Funny how the anti-Swift-Boat-Vets-Media has managed to find room on the front page for their attacks...but there was essentially no coverage of the Swifties until it become painfully obvious that the story wasn't going to die (thanks to Rush, Hannity and the Blogosphere).

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