Run, John, Run!
By Charles Cole (03/07/04)
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” -- George Santayana
Watching the upcoming presidential campaign unfold, one wonders perforce how many more times the American people are going to allow the lessons of history to be swept under the rug of political expediency. When was it exactly that our political process became so numbingly dismissive of the factual record of historical events?
As Senator John Kerry, the presumptive Democrat nominee, prepares his campaign, he might be well advised to re-think his motto. It has been, to date, “John Kerry: The Real Deal”. Perhaps his advisors should consider a new motto, something like: “Run, John, Run!” with a lapel pin showing a pair of running shoes. After all, he may need to “get ahead” of what may become a central issue of this campaign – a man with a long, documented voting record trying to run away from same at breakneck speed! It will be interesting to examine the history of his ambiguous stances, conflicting statements and outright “flip flops” on important matters ranging from national defense, to the funding of and support of intelligence agencies, to social issues such as “gay marriages”.
One hopes that the American people will focus on the factual track record of the two major candidates for president. Unfortunately, there is cause for doubt on this issue since the “mainstream media” will doubtless once again display not a scintilla of objectivity. Early coverage of the 2004 campaign provide a glimpse into what is likely to be their modus operandi yet again this year.
As an example, consider the duplicity with which the media has dealt with the totally concocted “issue” of the candidates’ prior military service. Numerous “mainstream” news organizations latched onto scandalous rumors about President Bush’s record of service in the Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. As the White House produced pile upon pile of evidence showing that Mr. Bush had, in fact, tendered honorable service (in exchange for which he was given an honorable discharge), the “mainstream” media continued to press for more, right down to his dental records! Compare that with the whitewash which was served up in 1992 as to allegations about William Jefferson Clinton’s efforts at evading any type of military service altogether during the 1960-s. Where was the tenacity of the media regarding those claims?
Meanwhile, the liberal press has been glowing in its praise of Mr. Kerry’s service in Vietnam, eschewing the opportunity to carefully and closely examine his 1971 statements before Congress about the conduct of that war by the U.S. Military. Mr. Kerry, during the timeframe in question, stated for the record in public that, in Vietnam, America was “…. more guilty than any other body of violations of (the) Geneva Conventions”. He stated flatly that a number of American units in Vietnam pursued, as a matter of policy, the torture and murder of prisoners…” One wonders – where was your evidence for such statements, Senator? But is that question asked?
And, as Senator Kerry allows his supporters to constantly harp on his record as a “war hero”, no one seems to want to bring back from the dusty archives the statements which he had made during the 1992 campaign, i.e. that any effort on the part of (President George H.W. Bush) to “use his war record to get (re)elected” would amount, in the Senator’s words, to “an act of cowardice”. Any New York or Los Angeles Times reporters bothering to point that out as Mr. Kerry vicariously accepts accolades as a “war hero” this year?
The record of the press coverage of yet another presidential campaign is already coming into focus. A Republican president provides abundant factual evidence in response to scurrilous calumny concerning his record of Vietnam-era military service. The “objective” media repeatedly responds, “Prove it! We need more concrete evidence!” Meanwhile, the man who will be the Democrat nominee makes totally outrageous, undocumented claims about the Vietnam war; and the press’ reaction is: Not to worry, Senator. Typically, as a Democrat, you’re innocent until (and even if) proven guilty!
Some will claim that this is all much ado about nothing – that the Vietnam War was a long time ago, people’s opinions “evolve”, and it’s time (as always) to “move on”. The point here is for the American people to put these two men under the microscope, not for what each did or didn’t do while in uniform over 30 years ago, but for the consistency of their statements over the years and whether their deeds have matched their words during their careers as public servants. And, one hopes, the American electorate will demand that the media frame the public debate in precisely this manner.
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