August 24, 2004
THE WOUNDS DON'T GET OLD IF THEY'RE LEFT TO FESTER:
Swift Boats And Old Wounds (David S. Broder, August 24, 2004, Washington Post)
I remember precisely when this premonition of perpetual division first struck me. On Aug. 19, 1992, the third night of the Republican National Convention in Houston, Barbara Bush and Marilyn Quayle were the featured speakers. The first lady praised her husband's fine qualities and Mrs. Quayle turned her fire on the Bill Clinton Democrats, who had just finished their convention in New York.Through almost gritted teeth, Marilyn Quayle declared that those people in Madison Square Garden, who were claiming the mantle of leadership for a new generation, were usurpers. "Dan and I are members of the baby boom generation, too," she said. "We are all shaped by the times in which we live. I came of age in a time of turbulent social change. Some of it was good, such as civil rights; much of it was questionable."
And then she drew the line that has not been erased: "Remember, not everyone joined in the counterculture. Not everyone demonstrated, dropped out, took drugs, joined in the sexual revolution or dodged the draft. Not everyone concluded that American society was so bad that it had to be radically remade by social revolution. . . . The majority of my generation lived by the credo our parents taught us: We believed in God, in hard work and personal discipline, in our nation's essential goodness, and in the opportunity it promised those willing to work for it. . . . Though we knew some changes needed to be made, we did not believe in destroying America to save it."
When she finished, I turned to my Post colleague Dan Balz, a contemporary of the Clintons and the Quayles, and said, "I suddenly have this vision -- that when you guys reach the nursing homes, you're going to be leaning on your walkers and beating each other with your canes, because you still will not have settled the arguments from the Sixties."
Of course John Kerry and his ilk should be forgiven, just as soon as they apologize for trying to destroy the village and ask forgiveness. That the Senator realizes he should not be proud of his anti-war past is amply demonstrated by the fact that he's trying to hide it and run on his war service instead. Posted by Orrin Judd at August 24, 2004 3:59 PM
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX TUE AUG 24, 2004 11:09:31 ET XXXXX
KERRY PHONES SWIFT BOAT FOES
**World Exclusive**
Dem presidential hopeful John Kerry personally phoned anti-Kerry swift boat vets, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
Kerry reached out to Robert "Friar Tuck" Brant Cdr., USN (RET) Sunday night, just hours after former Sen. Bob Dole publicly challenged Kerry to apologize to veterans.
Brant was skipper of the #96 and # 36 boat and spent time with Kerry in An Thoi. Kerry and Brant slept in the same quarters, and Brant used to put Kerry back to bed at night when Kerry was sleepwalking.
Brant received a call from Kerry at his home in Virginia while he was watching the Olympics on TV.
The call lasted 10 minutes, sources tell DRUDGE.
KERRY: "Why are all these swift boat guys opposed to me?"
BRANT: "You should know what you said when you came back, the impact it had on the young sailors and how it was disrespectful of our guys that were killed over there."
[Brant had two men killed in battle.]
KERRY: "When we dedicated swift boat one in '92, I said to all the swift guys that I wasn't talking about the swifties, I was talking about all the rest of the veterans."
Kerry then asked if he could meet Brant ["You were one of the best"] -- man to man -- face to face.
Brant declined the invite, explaining that Kerry was obviously not prepared to correct the record on exactly what happened during Vietnam and what happened when Kerry came back.
Developing...
Problem here is that Kerry just doesn't understand the depth of his sin or the required penetence.
Job 42 1:6
Then Job replied to the LORD:
"I know that You can do anything;
and that You know every thought.
You asked, 'Who is this that darkens
my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you will answer Me.'
My ears had heard of You
but now my eyes have seen You.
Wherefore I abhor myself,
and repent in dust and ashes."
But he is not there yet, and I do not think he will make it by 11/2/2004.
"It's not dark yet, but it's getting there"
--Bob Dylan
If I ever find myself in a nursing home with the likes of Dan Balz or the Clintons, I will direct my family to step on my oxygen line, pull the plug, sabotage my wheelchair, or leave my guard rails down. Anything but having to listen to them.
Posted by: Melissa at August 24, 2004 5:56 PMMelissa: Silly lady. They should pull the oxygen line and toss a match in on the way out -- after getting you out.
Posted by: Chris at August 24, 2004 9:48 PMEndless Alzheimer's babbling about How Groovy It Was To Screw In The Mud At Woodstock, The Most Important Event Of All Time!
And VIETNAM! VIETNAM! VIETNAM! VIETNAM! VIETNAM! VIETNAM! VIETNAM! VIETNAM! VIETNAM! ...
Posted by: Ken at August 25, 2004 12:28 PM