Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[Chris McConnel]

From the SBV site


6. KERRY'S LEADERSHIP, CHARACTER OR CAPABILITIES

6.1 Good ("honest") man or not?

Kevin Drum, Political Animal

[NOW]

Roy Hoffmann, today: "John Kerry has not been honest."

[THEN]

Roy Hoffmann, 2003: "I am not going to say anything negative about him — he's a good man."

 
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[NOW]

George Elliot, today: "John Kerry has not been honest about what happened in Vietnam."

[THEN]

George Elliot, 1996: "The fact that he chased an armed enemy down is something not to be looked down upon, but it was an act of courage."
...


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[NOW]

Grant Hibbard, today: "He betrayed all his shipmates. He lied before the Senate."

[THEN]

Grant Hibbard's evaluation of Kerry, 1968: "Mr. Hibbard gave Mr. Kerry the highest rating of 'one of the top few' in three categories—initiative, cooperation and personal behavior. He gave Mr. Kerry the second-best rating, 'above the majority,' in military bearing."


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6.2 Lacks the capacity to lead or not?

Other

[NOW]

Adrian Lonsdale, today: "He lacks the capacity to lead."

[THEN]

Adrian Lonsdale, 1996: "He was among the finest of those Swift boat drivers."

Adrian Lonsdale, 1996 : "As far as I was concerned, the war was won over there in that part for that period. And it was mainly won because of the bravado and the courage of the young officers that ran the boats, the SWIFT boats and the Coast Guard cutters and Senator Kerry was no exception."

Adrian Lonsdale, years ago : "I don't like what he said after the war...But he was a good naval officer."


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6.3 "Unfit" to be Commander-in-Chief ? Really? How touching!

[NOW]

Roy Hoffmann, now : "Our thesis is just simply that Kerry is not fit to be the commander in chief of the armed forces of the United States...I was on many combat missions with boats in the same group against the same enemies at the same time, and I know enough about Kerry to feel very confident that he is not qualified."

[THEN]

Roy Hoffmann, years ago : "...Hoffmann said...he supported the actions on the day Kerry won the Silver Star. "It took guts, and I admire that," Hoffman said...."

Roy Hoffmann, years ago : "...Hoffman and Kerry had few direct dealings in Vietnam. A Los Angeles Times examination of Navy archives found that Hoffman praised Kerry's performance in cabled messages after several river skirmishes..."

George Elliott, 1969 : In a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action LTJG Kerry was unsurpassed. He constantly reviewed tactics and lessons learned in river operations and applied his experience at every opportunity. On one occasion while in tactical command of a three boat operation his units were taken under fire from ambush. LTJG Kerry rapidly assessed the situation and ordered his units to turn directly into the ambush. This decision resulted in routing the attackers with several enemy KIA.
LTJG Kerry emerges as the acknowledged leader in his peer group. His bearing and appearance are above reproach. He has of his own volition learned the Vietnamese language and is instrumental in the successful Vietnamese training program.
During the period of this report LTJG Kerry has been awarded the Silver Star medal, the Bronze Star medal, the Purple Heart medal (2nd and 3rd awards).
[Evaluation co-signed by Joseph Streuli and George M. Elliott on January 28, 1969, and March 17, 1969, respectively]
... exhibited all of the traits of an officer in a combat environment. He frequently exhibited a high sense of imagination and judgment in planning operations against the enemy in the Mekong Delta.

Larry Thurlow, many years ago : "He was extremely brave, and I wouldn't argue that point."

Grant Hibbard, years ago : "One of the top few in his willingness to seek and accept responsibility."
...[Quoted by Alan Colmes as follows]: Here is what Grant Hubbard [sic], who's now part of your group, here's what he had to say back then about John Kerry. And he signed -- let's put it up on the screen -- a report on Kerry. He said on initiative, one of the top few. Cooperation, one of the top few. Personal behavior, one of the top few...[E]verything he [Hibbard] did observe him [Kerry] on he [Kerry] was superlative.


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6.4 Cowardly or not?

[NOW]

Steve Gardner, today :

"...Whenever a firefight started he always pulled up stakes and got the hell out of Dodge...He’s another Bill Clinton and that’s exactly what he is...I don’t care how much John Kerry’s changed after he moved off my boat, his initial patterns of behavior when I met him and served under him was somebody who ran from the enemy, rather than engaged it."

[NOW/THEN]

Larry Thurlow, many years ago : "He was extremely brave, and I wouldn't argue that point."

Larry Clayton Lee, today : "..."I have no problems with him getting the Silver Star," said Lee...
Rood wrote that Kerry gave the order to turn into the fire and charge the Viet Cong, who were dug in along the river.
"That was the first time it had been done that I know of, and I don't think it was ever done after that," Lee said of the tactic. "I think it was great."..."

Roy Hoffmann, years ago : "...Hoffmann said...he supported the actions on the day Kerry won the Silver Star. "It took guts, and I admire that," Hoffman said...."

Roy Hoffmann, years ago : "...Hoffman and Kerry had few direct dealings in Vietnam. A Los Angeles Times examination of Navy archives found that Hoffman praised Kerry's performance in cabled messages after several river skirmishes..."

George Elliott, 1969 : In a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action LTJG Kerry was unsurpassed. He constantly reviewed tactics and lessons learned in river operations and applied his experience at every opportunity. On one occasion while in tactical command of a three boat operation his units were taken under fire from ambush. LTJG Kerry rapidly assessed the situation and ordered his units to turn directly into the ambush. This decision resulted in routing the attackers with several enemy KIA.
LTJG Kerry emerges as the acknowledged leader in his peer group. His bearing and appearance are above reproach. He has of his own volition learned the Vietnamese language and is instrumental in the successful Vietnamese training program.
During the period of this report LTJG Kerry has been awarded the Silver Star medal, the Bronze Star medal, the Purple Heart medal (2nd and 3rd awards).
[Evaluation co-signed by Joseph Streuli and George M. Elliott on January 28, 1969, and March 17, 1969, respectively]
... exhibited all of the traits of an officer in a combat environment. He frequently exhibited a high sense of imagination and judgment in planning operations against the enemy in the Mekong Delta.

Roy Hoffmann, today :

"...He was aggressive...He was a 'loose cannon.'..."


http://swiftvets.eriposte.com/sbv_v_sbv.htm