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Saturday, September 04, 2004

Kerry's USS Gridley Shipmates Speak

The XO and a couple of enlisted men from USS Gridley have some things to say about John Kerry. It's a mixed bag, but overall pretty damning.

The first thing I noticed about the two long pieces is that they are reasonably complimentary towards his skills as an officer. As Captain J.F. Kelly notes,
John Kerry and I were shipmates in the guided missile cruiser USS Gridley (CG-21) in 1967 and 1968. He served as First Lieutenant, the officer in charge of the deck division, and I was Executive Officer, or second in command. I remember him as a serious and intelligent young ensign, seemingly mature beyond his years. The skipper and I were mightily impressed with him in spite of his inexperience. . . . Drafting his fitness reports was an exercise in the use of superlatives. In fact, of the thirty or so officers, I counted him in the top half dozen, no mean feat for an ensign.

Phil Carter, one of the radarmen on USS Gridley (and later a Kerry campaign donor) makes a similar statement.
Ensign Kerry was a fine young officer. He came aboard as a boot Ensign on June 8, 1967 and quickly impressed the senior officers in his chain of command. His fitness reports were outstanding. His privileged upbringing with experience in yachting and flying a private plane gave him a leg up on the other Ensigns.

It is plain to see that these were men impressed with an intelligent, competent young officer -- something I have always assumed would be the case.

But each of these men has something more to say about Kerry, things that go to the heart of who that fine young officer became. Carter gives a long list of inaccurate assertions and stories that appear in his official biography, Brinkley's Tour of Duty.
When I read “Tour of Duty”, I became concerned because the material on Kerry’s time on GRIDLEY appeared in many instances to be exaggerations and in some cases figments of an overactive imagination. . . .

[T]hey (Kerry's false stories) seem to show a deliberate effort in his writings of the time to build a mystique for a future political career showing him as a great leader, father confessor to the ship and astute analyst of political and military happenings.

That is not to say that Kerry was not a good officer. He was and to my recollection was well liked. Did he stalk the passageways showing his future presidential timber? Absolutely not. A reporter from the Chicago Tribune actually asked me that. When I told him that he was just another goofy Ensign, he was horrified and did not use that quote.


Kelly assesses the impact of Kerry's anti-war statements very harshly, building to a damning conclusion.
While he was protesting against the war, many of us were still fighting in it. Many of us felt betrayed that one of our own, a decorated hero, would give comfort to the enemy by such actions. Think what you want about the wisdom in getting involved in that war, two presidents, both Democrats, committed the armed forces they commanded to fight it. Make no mistake; actions by the likes of Fonda and Kerry were damaging to our morale, gave aid and comfort to the forces we were fighting and altered the eventual outcome in a manner less favorable to the United States (italics mine) than if they had kept their mouths shut. The time for anti-war protests is before the war starts.

There is no question that John Kerry earned his decorations and that he put his life at risk in the service of his country. There is no doubt in my mind, moreover, that he has the intelligence to serve as president. But there is also no doubt in my mind that his anti-war activities while our troops were still fighting, dying and being tortured in filthy Vietnam prisons were despicable.

For that reason, even aside from his anti-defense voting record in the Senate, he is one ex-shipmate that I could never support as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.


These are not the Swift Boat Heroes -- these are men who served with Kerry and praise his service. Their words are not contained in a book or an attack ad, but are rather found on the site maintained by the ship's association so that old crewmates can reminisce and keep in contact. Their statements do, however, raise serious issues as to the truthfulness of Senator Kerry's public accounts of his service and his fitness for office. This should be food for thought.

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A Historical Reminder

While appearing with Don Imus, has-been interview host Dick Cavett said “Zell Miller looks like a Klansman.” Setting aside the fact that Miller has always been noted as a progressive on race relations, I'd like to remind Cavett that all he needs to do is look at mainstream Democrat Senator Robert Byrd to see what a Klansman really looks like.

Funny, though, that the accusation should be made against a Republican ally, since it was Republicans who were the key target of the Klan, as documented in this 1870 grand jury testimony.
"There has existed since 1868, in many counties of the state, an organization known as the Ku Klux Klan, or Invisible Empire of the South, which embraces in its membership a large proportion of the white population of every profession and class. The Klan has a constitution and bylaws, which provides, among other things, that each member shall furnish himself with a pistol, a Ku Klux gown and a signal instrument. The operations of the Klan are executed in the night and are invariably directed against members of the Republican Party.”


You see it wasn't just blacks that these partisan Democrats were after, it was the ones who dared align themselves with the Republicans. And it wasn't just black Republicans, but also white Republicans. So, as this article in the American Thinker points out, there is a more accurate term for Zell Miller than Klansman.
the term Mr. Cavett and the Democrats were looking for to apply to Zell Miller, the historically accurate term, is “scalawag.” Scalawags is what the Klansmen called those Southerners who dared to side with the Republican Party in freeing the slaves and trying to secure them their newly won equal rights. In this usage scalawag is surely now a term of honor.

And yes, Zell Miller is a modern day scalawag. He seems to be damn proud to be one. He should be.

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Another 527 For Bush

Want to help engage in a little bit more free speech to help the President and show John Kerry's unfitness for office? If yes, might I direct your attention to MoveOnForAmerica.Org

They have a couple of hard-hitting ads ready to go. Drop by for a look.

The first ad CLICK HERE TO VIEW (or "right click, then "save target as") will feature John Kerry’s role as a private attorney in 1982, when he secured freedom and parole for his client George Reissfelder who pled guilty to attempted murder of a police officer, bur never served his 15-year sentence because Kerry successfully secured his parole. The parole was in Florida because Mr. Kerry’s client had escaped during a furlough, just like Willie Horton. Once a free man, thanks to John Kerry, Kerry’s would-be cop killer client brazenly continued his life of crime as part of a Mafia-controlled drug ring.

The second ad, which will be aired at a later date CLICK HERE TO VIEW (or "right click, then "save target as") will feature the political alliance John Kerry has forged with Al Sharpton, focusing on Mr. Sharpton’s history, which was rarely mentioned during his 2004 run for president. Instead of the charismatic and witty Sharpton seen during his presidential bid, Americans will be educated about the real Al Sharpton, who recently blamed America for the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Sharpton who called Adolph Hitler “a great man”; the Sharpton who urged college students to kill police officers; and the Sharpton leading the picketing of a white-owned store in Harlem [calling the Jewish owner a ‘white interloper”], resulting in the store being burned down by one of Sharpton’s followers, killing seven people. The ad will include footage of Sharpton in his own words, and Mr. Kerry’s hinting of Shartpon becoming part of a Kerry administration.

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Voluntary Pledge -- Patriotism Cannot Be Coerced

A resounding "Hurrah!" to the judges of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. They got a big one right this week when they struck down Pennsylvania's coercive Pledge of allegiance law. By mandating the Pledge by every child in every classroom, every day, in every school -- public or private -- the Pennsylvania legislature went too far. I think this makes it pretty clear that government can mandate that time be taken for the Pledge, but it cannot require any individual to say it. That was my argument in the Newdow case, and it was my argument here. It is my argument when students object to me leading the Pledge daily in my classroom.

The Supreme Court got it right in 1943. It is the hallmark of the American system that no official, high or petty, shall prescribe what is orthodox in matters of politics. Would that our legislators would remember that.

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Just A Reminder

This is why we fight the terrorists.



Three hundred fifty dead in Russia. Three hundred dead in Spain. Three thousand dead in the United States. And uncounted more dead worldwide.

Clasped in the hand of one of the victims of terrorists in Russia is the reason that such folks hate us. Never forget that -- they hate us because our faith is not theirs.

This is not an indictment of Islam. Most Muslims I know condemn such evil, and I believe them to represent the bulk of the Muslims around the world. In that belief I stand with George W. Bush. But let us never forget that those who would kill us are motivated by a warped version of that faith.

Now ask yourself -- which candidate for president do you trust to keep you safe from those who perpetrate such acts of barbarism?

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Slavery In California

"Slavery still exists, and I want to tell victims they should not tolerate it and should not be afraid to seek help."

A Filipino woman who won $825,000 in a lawsuit claiming a Hollywood executive and his wife enslaved her said the case should be a warning to others.

Nena Ruiz, 60, is a former schoolteacher from the Philippines who worked as a domestic servant for James Jackson and his wife, Elizabeth.

Jackson is vice president of legal affairs for Sony Pictures entertainment.


Of course the guy is in the entertainment industry. That segment of the Left Coast thinks itself superior to the rest of us. Why wouldn't this couple go abroad and pick up a slave for around the house?

A jury last week awarded [Ruiz] back wages and punitive damages, finding the Jacksons liable for involuntary servitude, false imprisonment, invasion of privacy, negligence and fraud. Jurors also found Elizabeth Jackson liable for assault and battery.

The Jacksons threatened to call the police and immigration authorities if Ruiz left and told her that she would be locked up and would never see her family again, said Dan Stormer, one of Ruiz's attorneys.


The Jacksons, in an attempt to insulate themselves from any damage award, filed for bankruptcy protection before the trial began. Even if that transparent abuse of the statute works, here's hoping that state and federal authorities will take legal action to put these folks in jail.

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Friday, September 03, 2004

Left Calls For Bush Assassination, But GOP Are Haters -- Right!

The Leftist protester carried a sign outside Madison Square Garden as President Bush prepared to speak last night.

"Where is John Hinckley when we really need him?"


The sign also depicted a bullet hole, ringed with symbolic red blood.

Asked about the sign, the man carrying it responded, "I told the Secret Service it is for everyone to interpret exactly how they want."

When asked how he interpreted the sign, the man who refused to be identified, said, "Gosh, I don't know."

"A guy with a badge wanted to know what the sign meant. I said I really did not understand -- it's just something that popped into my head."


That this man was left free to roam the streets by the authorities is shocking. But such sentiments are standard in the Leftist toolbox.

Could you imagine if a Republican expressed such a sentiment about John Kerry? How long would we hear about it in the media, and how quickly would the president be expected to denounce the sign. How fast would the protester have been hustled off to a cell and charged with a crime?

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Prayers For Clinton (Bet You Never Expected That!)

Bill Clinton is facing heart surgery. Current articles indicate that it will be next week, But I saw a news ticker a few minutes ago indicating that they will be operating tomorrow (Saturday, September 4) and that they will be doing an open-heart procedure. That tells me it is serious.

I don't like Bill Clinton politically. I believe he irreparably damaged and diminished the presidency. But I do not want him dead, and for the sake of his wife, daughter, and otehr loved ones I wish him a swift, complete recovery and a long, healthy, active, and productive life that continues on for another couple of decades. Common decency requires no less.

Mr. President, you are in my prayers tonight.

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An Interesting Election Scenario

How about a tie in November? The folks at USA Today offer us just such a scenario, all that has to happen is a New Hampshire and West Virginia loss for Bush in November, with no other changes from 2000. Depending upon Senate and House votes, we could even see a Bush/Edwards administration if the Senate swings to the Democrats. Other changes could give us a minority-popular vote president, as in 2000.

Let's hope we don't get any of these convoluted scenarios. Just make sure you work to get George W. Bush elected in November.

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Kerry Medal Fraud Under Navy Investigation

Well, now it isn't just the Swift Boat Heroes raising questions of John Kerry's fraudulent medals. Now it is the US Navy. And since we've been told by Kerry apologists that we must accept the Navy's decision on the question of awards, this makes it clear that we "mean-spirited partisan Republicans" are absolutely right to question Kerry about the awards he won and the circumstances under which he got them.

This relates to potential fraudulent claims about the medals listed on his DD214. A Navy spokesman confirms that Kerry's Silver star should not have the combat V decoration listed in the (three different) citations he has for it. According to the Navy,
The Navy has never issued a Combat V at any time for the Silver Star.
Whose responsibility was it to make sure the the form was correct? John Kerry's, before he signed it to attest that it was accurate at the time of his discharge. That he did not raises a question of either carelessness or deliberate fraud. Similarly, the Vietnam Service Medal listed on his DADDY should include only one campaign star, because he was not in Vietnam long enough to serve in five of the seventeen campaigns eligible for the medal and the stars listed on the form. Again, it was Kerry's responsibility to have checked the document and seek correction.

What he has done instead is posted multiple citations for the incorrect Silver Star and for his Bronze Star with Combat V (apparently accurate), and documentation claiming the inaccurate Silver Star and the inaccurate Vietnam Service Medal with four stars. Either he as negligent in doing so, or he is committing fraud. What's more, his decision to keep the documents posted in the face of questions indicates a continued pattern if deception.

When Admiral Mike Boorda committed suicide over the wearing of an improper award, Kerry is quoted as follows:
“Is it wrong? Yes, it is very wrong. Sufficient to question his leadership position? The answer is yes, which he clearly understood,” said Sen. John Kerry, a Navy combat veteran who served in Vietnam.
It is therefore reasonable now for Americans to question Kerry's fitness for leadership, in light of this medal fraud. He also made a statement especially relevant to the election choice we now face, given his heavy reliance upon his Vietnam service and claims of heroism.
“The military is a rigorous culture that places a high premium on battlefield accomplishment,” said Sen. John F. Kerry, who received numerous decorations, including a Bronze Star with a "V" pin, as a Navy lieutenant in Vietnam.

“In a sense, there's nothing that says more about your career than when you fought, where you fought and how you fought,” Kerry said.

“If you wind up being less than what you’re pretending to be, there is a major confrontation with value and self-esteem and your sense of how others view you.”

Of Boorda and his apparent violation, Kerry said: “When you are the chief of them all, it has to weigh even more heavily.”
John Kerry is seeking to be the true "chief of them all," the Commander in Chief of the US Armed Forces. How much more heavily should these demonstrably false awards weigh in selecting our nation's leader?

I have no doubt that Kerry will continue to shame himself and the heroes of Vietnam (and all who served in the military) by laying claims to fraudulent and unearned decorations. They are no more than props to him, and have never been anything else. His actions in 1971, when he claimed to have "given back" his medals by throwing them over a fence is the first example. His display of these same medals in his Senatorial office and frequent reference to them in Senate speeches is a second use of them as props. Today they are props for a Presidential campaign, designed to shield all post-Vietnam actions from question or attack.

We now know that the claimed medals are, in part, a fraud. Admiral Boorda's erroneous wearing of a medal led to suicide as a method of redeeming himself from the dishonor he had brought upon himself and the Navy. But we all know that Kerry will not take such a course of action, for he has proved time and again that he is a man without honor. The American people must tell him that we recognize this character flaw in November.

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Blogger Is Now Working!

I tried to post something no less than three times yesterday, only to have it eaten. I'l try again now.

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Wednesday, September 01, 2004

Whining Pseudo-Minister Objects to Convention "Crosses"



Are those crosses on the podium and the small table next to it at the Republican National Convention? According to "Rev." James Forbes Jr. they are -- and he wants it stopped RIGHT NOW!

"I believe it is an image of two crosses," Forbes said. "This is an unusual and inappropriate use of religious symbols in a political campaign."
< SNIP >
Forbes said the images of crosses on the wooden platform make him wonder if the Republicans are trying to cater to a specific bloc of religious voters.


As I look at the two pieces of furniture, I see some things which could be crosses. But it is really just the normal outcome when you alternate different types and tones of wood in a geometric design. And since the pieces probably belong to Madison Square Garden, I suspect this was out of the control of the GOP.

And by the way, Forbes is senior minister at the Riverside Church, a feel-good New-Agey place popular among liberals. If the name rings a bell, that is because Bill Clinton preached there during the worship service the day before the Republican Convention began, urging the liberal faithful on as they counter the GOP with an allegedly non-partisan liberal campaign. I guess that Forbes thinks Jesus is a registered Democrat.

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African-American, Republican, And Proud

I keep hearing from folks on the left side of the aisle that we Republicans are a bunch of intolerant racists who don't welcome minorities in our party. My buddy northstar over at The People's Republic of Seabrook has hammered on this theme repeatedly, especially how the delegates to the convention are not a diverse group.

Well guess what -- he doesn't have far to go to find out that he is wrong. After all, LaMarque, Texas is only about a 20 minute drive from our shared hometown. That's where he'll be able to meet Geraldine Sam.
"I think that the Democrats want us to come to the table to eat the crumbs, but Republicans want us to come and eat at the banquet," said Geraldine Sam of Lamarque, Texas, who is one of 20 black Republicans in the Texas delegation this year.


We've had a 70% increase in minority delegates this year, up to 17% of the delegates at the convention. Not a bad percentage, given the Democratic lock on the black vote. And while we lag behind the Democrats in the percentage of minority delegates, that might just be because we don't have affirmative action delegations with fixed percentges from each state that must be a racial minority, elderly, homosexual, or disabled.

Geraldine Sam is part of the wave of the future, an African-American woman in the GOP who has made it into the leadership of the party on her own merits, not by quotas. Other African-Americans are sure to follow, according to other observers of the trend.
"I do think Democrats have taken blacks for granted," said Cynthia Jenkins, an African-American delegate from Irving, Texas. Jenkins helps run the pro-GOP African-American Leadership Council in Dallas, which has produced eight delegates for the convention.

"There is a significant increase in participation here at the national convention — there are grassroots here," she said, though she did not estimate the number of African-American Republicans today. "In the next four years you will see another increase (of African-Americans)," she said.



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Tuesday, August 31, 2004

Hypocritical Democrats

In all the Democrat bluster over the "Purple Heart" band-aids, this glaring bit of hypocrisy leaped out at me, uttered by Terry McAuliffe.

"It is inexcusable for a delegate to mock anyone who has ever put on a soldier's uniform," said Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe.


Well, Terry, how much more inexcusable is it for a party chairman to mock an individual who wore the uniform of his country and was honorably discharged on time? Especially when that chairman's candidate had his discharge mysteriously delayed six years.

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Say What?

Clearly a member of the "Head-Up-His-But"-American community.

"Just because you are a terrorist, does that mean you are a communist? I guess that is the best thing I can say," explained Zack, the protestor from California.

"I don't think it's much different from McCarthyism really, it's kind of the same thing, you know. It's going on now. It's like anybody you can claim is a terrorist -- they are screwed," Zack said.

"So everyone out here [protesting] is being pointed to as a terrorist and everybody that has got something to say -- is trying to do something about it -- is a terrorist. They are just trying to be people and doing what they do, you know. I just think it's getting all messed up" he added.


Could someone tell me what this guy just said?

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Schrock Quits

Congressman Ed Schrock (R-VA) resigned from Congress yesterday in the face of a accusations that he is a homosexual. The website blogactive.com has conducted a smear campaign against the congressman for the last few weeks, based on his failure to adhere to the gay agenda. It seems that the rights to privacy and freedom of conscience that the militant homosexual community demand are only available to liberals. After all, they felt no need to out a predatory homosexual like Jim McGreevey, merely someone whose politics they despise.

I'm deeply saddened by this development, because I knew Ed Schrock growing up. Ed and his wife, Judy, were neighbors when I was a kid. Judy was a teacher at my school, and I remember holding their son when he was just a few days old. They were, and I presume still are, good people. My prayers are with them at this difficult time.

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Monday, August 30, 2004

Calling Leftists On Their Shameful Actions

Hurrah for Radley Balko!

Some stories just need to be told in the author's original words.

The afternoon's drama came toward the end of the panel, with this skinny kid sitting in the front row, who happened to be donning a bright red t-shirt with the Soviet hammer and sickle. I wanted to call him out from the start. I just felt a little crass about it. But as the panel wore on, it continued to gnaw at me. It dawned on me that I or the lefists on the panel would have had no problem calling the kid out if he'd been wearing a t-shirt with neo-Nazi regalia. And he applauded vigorously when the lefties spoke, and sat on his hands when the rest of us spoke, meaning of course that he wasn't wearing the shirt with any sense of irony.

So when he finally raised his hand during the Q&A, I decided that --what the hell -- I might as well point out how silly he looks advertising a belief system rooted in slavery and murder. He asked an unrelated question, which I think the Green Party guy answered. I then chime din, recommending to the kid that he read Anne Applebaum's Gulag, the Pulitzer winning book which documents the horrors of the Soviet work camps. He didn't seem to get it.

So I added, "I know Soviet chic is hip right now, particularly on college campuses. But you really ought to think about the message you send by wearing that shirt. It has all the charm of a swastika."

With that, Hillsdale poly sci Professor David Bobb added, "you're associating yourself with the deaths of 100 million people..."

The kid then interrupted Bobb, with obvious agitation, "Yes, I know all about the history of the Soviet Union."

To which Bobb replied, "Oh, so you know that you're being insulting."

Boos and jeers flited up from the crowd. By the time we had dinner, the kid had thrown a sweater over the t-shirt.


Maybe we need to do such things more loudly and more often.

(Thanks to SCSU-Scholars.)

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Kerry Supportter Attacks Bush Backer

Disagreeing with a Democrat apparently merits physical assault. The Daily Recycler has this great video of the whole thing from Everett, Washington. And notice, it is unprovoked.

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