Swift Boat Vets Accuse Kerry of Vietnam Photo Fraud

[darrels joy]

Swift Boat Vets Accuse Kerry of Vietnam Photo Fraud

Eleven out of a group of 19 Vietnam Swift Boat veterans pictured in Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign literature demanded on Monday that he stop misrepresenting them as supporters.

"Many of us don't want to be included in that picture because we have a rather unsavory feeling about this fellow," Kerry boatmate Bob Elder told nationally syndicated radio host Linda Chavez.

Citing the top Democrat's anti-war activities after he returned from Vietnam, Elder told Chavez, "We regard the fact that he rallied the American public against his fellow comrades in arms as basically a betrayal of all of us."

Swift Boat veteran Bill Shumadine, who's also pictured in the campaign literature, told the Liberty Broadcasting host that he didn't want to be associated with Kerry in any way, calling his conduct after the war "very offensive."

"Having my picture there it appears that I somehow support his cause," Shumadine explained, adding, "It's not something that I'm proud to be associated with."

Elder, Shumadine and nine others have banded together in a group they call "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," which includes more than 220 Vietnam veterans who served in Kerry's unit.

Of the remaining six veterans pictured in the photograph, "one is deceased and three do not wish to be involved in any manner; only two of the 19 are believed to support Kerry," the group said in a Monday press release.

"His use of a photograph with his 18 comrades with knowledge that 12 of them condemn him ... is a complete misrepresentation to the public and a total fraud," Shumadine added.

Elder told Chavez that the group of 12 included not only Kerry's boat mates but also two of his superior officers, who joined in condemning the Democratic presidential candidate.

He noted also that at a press conference Friday in Washington, the group was joined by Jim Zumwalt, son of the late Adm. Elmo Zumwalt, former chief of naval operations during the Vietnam War.

"Even Jim Zumwalt, on his father's behalf, joined us in condemning the activities of John, saying they do not make this man a fit candidate for commander in chief," Elder told Chavez.

In an open letter to Kerry included with the press release, the group said: "We did not give permission for you to use a photo including our image, nor do we support you. ... We join our fellow Swiftees who believe that someone who heaped scorn and lies on his own unit for his personal political gain is not fit to be Commander in Chief."
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2...7/135458.shtml

For those who object to the message because of where it was posted...
I was unable to find any reference to the protests of these men on any of the mainstream sites.

Great post DJ!

[MORTARDUDE]

wow..how many ways can we say that Kerry is a lying, thieving, no good moron......lol lol

Larry

P.S. God, I will be glad when this election is over.

[darrels joy]

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Call on John Kerry to Stop Unauthorized Use of Photo

SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH STOP UNAUTHORIZED USE OF IMAGE
Members of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth are calling on John Kerry to stop unauthorized use of their images in national campaign advertising. The photo in use contains 20 officers, including Kerry, 11 of whom signed a letter condemning Kerry yet their image is being widely used in his campaign. Of the remaining eight officers pictured: two are deceased, four do not wish to be involved in any manner and only two of the 20 are believed to support Kerry. (PRNewsFoto)[RV]
ALEXANDRIA, VA USA 05/17/2004



Kerry Fraudulently Using Picture of Swift Boat Vets Who Condemn Him in
National Advertising

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Swift Boat Veterans for
Truth, a group of more than 220 Swift Boat veterans from the unit in which
John Kerry served, call on Kerry to stop the unauthorized use of their images
in national campaign advertising.
For example, the photo in Kerry's national campaign ads contains 20
officers, including Kerry, 11 of whom signed a letter condemning Kerry yet
their image is being widely used in his own campaign. It was taken on the
island of An Thoi on January 22, 1969. These officers together with Swift
Boat Veterans for Truth call upon him to cease the unauthorized use of their
photo by his campaign. They are jointly submitting a letter to John Kerry.
(Photo links, letter to Kerry and link to unauthorized use of the photo
below.)
Of the remaining eight officers in the photo: two are deceased and four
do not wish to be involved in any manner; only two of the 20 are believed to
support Kerry.
William Shumadine, shown in the photo and a member of Swift Boat Veterans
for Truth, stated, "His use of a photograph with his 19 comrades with
knowledge that 11 of them condemn him and six who cannot or do not want to be
involved is a complete misrepresentation to the public and a total fraud."
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's sole purpose is to bring the truth about
John Kerry's service to the American public and is not affiliated with any
political organization. It includes more than 220 Swift vets, virtually the
entire chain of command Kerry reported to and a large majority of peers who
served with him during his short and controversial stay in Vietnam. The
group's purpose has struck a cord with the American public with more than
two million hits on its website Swiftvets.com .
"John Kerry will find that the truth is hard to contain. It's been
evident in the overwhelming support we have received over the last two weeks.
We're grateful to the veterans and Americans who are rallying behind us," said
Admiral Roy Hoffman, Chairman of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is a Special Purpose Political Action Committee.
It is a tax exempt non-partisan public advocacy "527" organization consisting
of, and limited to, former military officers and enlisted men who served in
Vietnam on U.S. Navy Swift Boats or in affiliated commands. Chairman, Rear
Admiral Roy Hoffmann (retired). Treasurer, Weymouth "Wey" Symmes,
PO Box 26184, Alexandria, VA 22313 http://www.swiftvets.com

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040517/DAM038 )

Dear Senator Kerry:

Your campaign advertising includes a picture of the 20 officers
photographed at An Thoi. We did not give permission for you to use a photo including our image, nor do we support you. We have, in fact, signed a letter delivered to you calling on you to authorize the Department of Defense to release all of your medical and military records. We call upon you personally to do this. We join our fellow Swiftees who believe that someone who heaped scorn and lies on his own unit for his personal political gain is not fit to be Commander in Chief.


Kneeling (left to right)
William Imbrie (not involved)
Skip Barker (for Kerry)
Rich Baker (not involved)
William Shumadine *
Ralph Dobson (for Kerry)
Frank Gilbert (deceased)

Standing (left to right)
Robert Elder *
Larry Thurlow *
Robert Crosby (deceased)
Rich MaCann (not involved)
John Kerry
Thomas Heritage *
George Bates *
James Galvin *
Terrance Costello *

Back Row (left to right)
William Houle *
Michael Bernique (not involved)
Robert "Rocky" Hildreth *
George Elliott *
Al French *

* Letter Signer

Link to Unauthorized Use of Photo
http://www.johnkerry.com/videos/
("Lifetime" commercial)


SOURCE Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
Web Site: http://www.swiftvets.com
http://www.johnkerry.com/videos
Photo Notes: NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040517/DAM038 AP
PhotoExpress Network: PRN10 PRN Photo Desk,
photodesk@prnewswire.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...2176071&EDATE=

[darrels joy]

Oops. Wrong format.

[SuperScout]

Most of us veterans, or friends of veterans at least, have been involved in situations where we have had to perform or operate as a team. If we had ever been placed in leadership positions, be it in combat, or as committee chairman of the annual church picnic, we had to make decisions that directly impacted the entire group. If, years later, in an introspective review of our actions, the majority of our group, combat veterans or picnic participants, didn't approve of our leadership back then, the obvious response must be a failure of leadership.

And so it was, and so it is, with Kerry. Leadership is not polling for consensus, groveling for popularity, or self-serving. It must be grounded in firm moral convictions. The decisions resulting from leadership must also be able to stand the test of time and distance. The vast majority of his subordinates have demanded and petitioned to be removed photographically from his presence for good reason. Kerry's apparent and now glaring failure of leadership in the past as exhibited is proof positive of his ineptitude and total unfitness for public office.

[39mto39g]

A long time ago I worked for a guy that owned 2400 houses, I was a supervisor for two construction crews, I hired and fired carpenters and helpers. I hired this guy that saidhe was a carpenter and in fact he was pretty good. one day I showed up at his job site and we talk about the Army and VN. He tells me he was a draft doger and war protestor. I fired him on the spot. He complained to everyone, The guy I worked for told him if I didn't want him there then he didn't want him there and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
War protestors don't help anything, they devide the public and cause the people we are against to have hope and encouragement to stick it out.

Ron