Shame on you, you pathetic vulture.

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

I wrote Senator Kerry a nice letter telling him to sod off. My brother did a year in country. Was it hard on his wife and kids. Hell yes. But he is a hero and served his country with honor. Duty. Honor. Country.

On my desk are two pictures of my bro, both in uniform, on patrol, in Iraq. Kick ass, bro, the whole family is proud of you.

Oh, and one small thing that warmed my heart. When he came home from Iraq, we took him out to dinner that very night. He was still in uniform. Our waiter announced to all around that my bro just came back from Iraq. Here in the red state of Ohio, that caused the entire place to stand up, clap and cheer. Yea, he got a nice tip. And my brother got a true hero's welcome back from those whose freedom he fought for.

I wonder if the MSM will pick up on this like the Schaivo memo? Don't hold your breath.

I left this message;

My sister has been deployed in Iraq for over a year. We are very proud of her service, and I think you asking for stories of hardship to parade out on the floor of the senate is not very fair when you won't sign the SF180 form releasing your records from your service.

She has a family and misses them very much, but realizes there is work to be done. I respect her more now than ever before, and before she went I thought she was the best damn nurse in the world. I now see that I was right, but far short of how great she really is!

You sir are a shameless oppurtunist.

I left this message

Dear John,

As a father of a soldier deployed to Iraq, I've had to endure endless stories of how my child is some sort of baby killing war criminal, or how she is shooting and killing innocents.

I've had to endure people with Vote Kerry stickers giving me the finger because I have a "Support our troops magnet".

I've had to watch the casualty numbers spike every time your buddy Ted Kennedy starts screaming quagmire so loud that every terrorist in the world thinks they are on the verge of winning with "one more battle" and a few more dead Americans.

Sincerely

A Soldiers Dad

As soon as he signs the form so we can all see that he was originally *DISHONORABLY* discharged which was years later changed by the Nobel winning Jimmy to honorable; I will send him the troubles current freedom fighters deal with.

That pathetic POS.

Semper Fi, VP.

Excellent post...

Well done and well stated. Kerry is pathetic and shameless as he dishonors both this country and those who are serving far more honorably than he ever did.

Rat.

On the substance of his "Bill of Rights" proposal, I notice this:

"We can extend military health insurance eligibility to all members of the National Guard and Reserve, whether mobilized or not. As many as one in five of them don’t have health insurance right now."

Okay, this probably isn't going to be a popular idea here, but I know what military health insurance is like. It's not Cadillac coverage; it's gold-plated Rolls-Royce. Free. For life if they retire from the military. I'm not sure I mind extending coverage to guardsmen and reservists, but I would not support that being a lifetime benefit. More importantly, I would propose more modest coverage across the board (maybe Honda Accord coverage with leather seats and satellite radio).

Oh, and if "as many as" 1 in 5 resevists lacks coverage, that means at least 80% do have coverage. How many of those will keep that coverage when they can get this deal from the government?

John Kerry is one of the hardships our men in uniform have to deal with.

It still amazes me that over 55 million Americans voted for this moron! Thank God 58 million of us saw this crazy "pathetic vulture" for who he really is. His behavior is truly shameful on so many levels. How can this American hating, blame the US first bozo call himself patriotic and a loyal citizen is beyond comprehension. His shameful exploitation of active duty personnel hardships for his own political gain just shows his true character (or lack of it in this case).

Denise,

You're wrong. I'm a disabled military retiree. I have no idea where you get the idea that health care is free or gold-plated. I get to see the same doctors that everyone else in southern Arizona gets to see. I pay for medical insurance through my employer at the same rates and with the same co-payments as non-military employees.

I agree that the coverage is better than provided by the Canadian government, but it is by no means gold-plated or free. Perhaps you are confusing the military coverage with that of a Congressman. I would rate it more in the range of a Chevy Cavelier with vinyl seats.

I left a message, too, telling him it's things like this that remind me why I'm no longer a Democrat.

As the wife of a navy retiree (21.5 years active duty), I can tell you that "Tricare for Life" is better than no insurance, but not by that much. Most of the doctors in this area (near a navy base) will tell you that they'd rather deal with a charity case, than with Tricare. The reimbursment rates are laughable, and it costs more than the reimbursement is worth in staff time to get the final check. The majority of OB/Gyn and orthopedic practices here won't accept them, and I might add that our local base doesn't do OB, so even the active duty families are out on the town. 50% of my visits to Portsmouth Naval Hospital came damn close to malpractice and they wondered why I was ecstatic to move at 8.5 months pregnant. Several nurses who worked there at the time told us that unless we knew about complications in advance, we were better off getting an OB textbook and doing it ourselves at home. So right now, I'm damn glad to have "real" health insurance through my current employer. Tricare is a backup, but nothing else at the moment, and I hope I never have to rely on it alone.

Only one gripe with your assessment. No Democrats, Mr. Kerry included, aspire to be Commander in Chief. No, they hate the military and do not relish this part of the job. They seek only to use the military for political gain, witness Mr. Clinton.

God Bless the United States Military.

God Bless President Bush.

God Bless America!

JunkHead

"Shame on you, you pathetic vulture. Release your Form 180."

I just posted this one line to JK's website. Maybe if we could get a couple 1000 more he'd get the message.

Dear John,

My story? You wouldn't want it since it describes seven harrowing months, away from my family, at the frontlines making a POSITIVE DIFFERENCE for the citizens of Iraq.

You first, Senator. Sign the damn form. And stop fishing for emotional sob stories from American military families in order to further your political goals, you heartless vampire.

(Not my best prose, lots of mixed metaphors but I was awfully angry when I wrote it.)

Nope, this is just another Blogosphere tempest in a teacup. Yes, Kerry is an insufferable dork, but not because of this. He is soliciting anecdotal material bearing on a matter currently before Congress (has he started even showing up in Congress again?). It seems odd to criticize him for failure to solicit material which has no obvious bearing on the matter. His failure to sign the 180 is also irrelevant to his support for yet another expensive government program. It is not, of course, irrelevant to the fact that he's an insufferable dork.

Denise,
My dad is retired Navy and he and my mom are not getting anything close to "gold plated" health care. They chose to go to Bethesda when my mom broke her foot falling from someone's porch. The Bethesda docs missed a broken arm that went along with the foot even though the radiologist had clearly marked it on the x-ray. They put her through a lot of pain, but hey, it was "free." Years later she broke her ankle very badly and they spent the extra money going out of network to an actual orthopedist. You wouldn't catch them at Bethesda again. Not alive anyway.

Also, Kerry is a putz. He definitely deserves criticism for this request because he is soliciting only bad news that he can use to bolster his current belief (if he believes anything). If he were really a human being and interested in making an informed decision about things relating to the military and Iraq he would ask for all stories so he could have a balanced view and serve his constituents and the US with honor.

Well, I must say that it's clear to me that Mr. Kerry is just looking for information. After all, he doesn't have any experience of what spending a full year in a war zone is like. (Being as his own chance at first-hand knowledge was so tragically cut short by those three band-aids, that is.)

My letter to John Kerry:

Dear John,

During and after my service in Viet Nam I found my contribution to my country criminalized by liars and traitors. Like you, John.

I was gravely affected by the thoughts that rich, white scumbags like you and Jane Fonda were telling lies about me and my fellow soldiers and consorting with the enemy.

I just couldn't understand how my country wouldn't line you and people like you up against a wall and shoot you for treason.

This was very distressing to me.

And it still sounds to me like a good idea to me.

bill ryan
Cam Rahn Bay 65-66

NKR, asking Kerry to be fair and balanced is asking him to betray his very soul. I mean, what Democrat would want to be equated with FOX News?

Hmm I have to agree that its another stunt but Denise I have to 100% disagree with you refering to military health care as " It's not Cadillac coverage; it's gold-plated Rolls-Royce. Free. " It USED to be. When I first disability retired out in mid 1980's it was great and free. But 20 years later its an HMO nightmire. Retires now pay a yearly premium that is comarativley low but I was told care for life when I disabled out, and the level of care in alot of places reflect the adage "you get what you pay for". And if you are out of a military area it slips to an 80/20 type plan. Oh and the dental is a regular insurance plan and optical (my area of disability) is non existent. But I conster myself lucky that I dont need to use it.

Kerry wants to say he supports the troops - as long as he doesnt have to. If he wants to ensure free care for life for the disabled combat vets - he has my backing on that, they deserve it.

I personally think our combat vets should get the gold plated version. If it means cutting back cushy mid-life retirement packages for those who don't serve hazardous duty, so be it.

I've been working with ex- and current Air Force folks for about 10 years now, roughly since TriCare was first instated, and I've yet to hear one good thing about it. One friend of mine had a baby delivered (well, his wife did the actual delivery) right before he got out, and spent the next six months chasing TriCare queep. By the time he got it all settled, the stack of paperwork was bigger than the baby...

Sent to the Honorable Kerry:

Our story is that we had to endure the hardship of watching you prance around the country with the fawning media in tow making us sick to our stomachs with each of your ridiculous photo ops.

You and your buddies were a disgrace during the Vietnam war when you exploited grieving families by recording their anguish and replaying in front of a congressional hearing. Must you shame yourself further with the infamy of this request for anecdotes of grief to be used against our troops and to give aid and comfort to another enemy of peace.

Release your Form 180 you lying cretin.

Sent to the Honorable Kerry:

Our story is that we had to endure the hardship of watching you prance around the country with the fawning media in tow making us sick to our stomachs with each of your ridiculous photo ops.

You and your buddies were a disgrace during the Vietnam war when you exploited grieving families by recording their anguish and replaying in front of a congressional hearing. Must you shame yourself further with the infamy of this request for anecdotes of grief to be used against our troops and to give aid and comfort to another enemy of peace.

Release your Form 180 you lying cretin.

Bill,

First of all, thank you for your service in Viet Nam.

Second, your comment "I just couldn't understand how my country wouldn't line you and people like you up against a wall and shoot you for treason." is right on the money. TREASON is exactly what he and others like hime were guilty of and should have been handled accordingly at the time.

Maybe I should submit my online letter to Kerry: Sign the 180!

Kerry told God his dreams....

and God laughed.

I think Denise is only thinking about care of the servicemember. Before sounding off about the Goldplated health insurance for the servicemember (and it is, but that doesn't take into account retiree, disabled, dependent coverage) keep in mind it's based on the principle of "Readiness" because that servicemember is government property that the government wants running in a reasonably good manner (I'm not complaining, that's what the servicemember signs up for so fair is fair.

Now, we can talk about medical insurance that was promised for life to retiree's and disabled folks, that has since morphed into the Tricare monster, and we can talk about dependent medical insurance that has gotten progressively worse (anybody else remember the cost of dependent medical insurance and the coverage when I first joined in 1976? Here's a clue, it was 0$, a benefit which was one of the things we signed up for).

I wonder if someone sent farcical 'front line' stories from say... the Onion, Kerry would swallow it hook, line and sinker.

What is the matter with anyone asking for information of family members in military duty in Iraq? Maybe it is for political gain or maybe not, but the Bush administration has used the military families as his political as well as the Republican Party.

Just another reminder of why I didn't vote for the miserable puke.
He's a pathetic and sick vulture, without shame or conscience.
And another reminder, Republican antics notwithstanding, of what's wrong with much of the democrat party today.
There's corruption on both sides of the aisle and more than enough hypocracy and posturing to go around, but at the end of the day, it's the democrats who hate America.

Just saw this website and this topic on CNN.

CNN heavily slamming Kerry, what is the world comming to...

My Letter to the Senate Vulture:

Dear John:
My Son-in-Law was recently discharged from a six year hitch in the U. S. Marine Corp. He has indicated that he has nothing but good things to say about the service and all the changes that have been made since the Clinton Family left office. I am a resident of Massachusetts and am thoroughly ashamed and humiliated that my Senator would stoop so low as to solicit this kind of story for cheap political gain. Please sign form 180. It's about time I heard your story. Oh, by the way, I was discharged from the Naval Security Group after six years service in 1970 and am well aware of how you dishonered your own service.

Yours,
James E. Rose
Plainville, MA

All of us in Massachusetts know what (unfortunately) the rest of the country is still learning -- John Kerry is a mendacious prevaricator who is pathologically incapable of intellectual honesty. Nothing he has said or done in his public career has ever been done without the most cynical contrivance of political effect or opportunism.

Even the Democrats here think he is a scumbag -- it's one thing we all agree on.

Thanks for straightening me out everyone. I confess my information was based on people who were in the service a number years ago. I didn't know about the changes. Also, what I hear most about these days is prescription drug coverage, which (and I'm sure you'll let me know if I'm misinformed here) is still much better than nearly any employer-provided plan. That's based on talking to military retirees who use it now.

I just wanted to pipe in that I'm a military dependant, and I suffer from depression, and Tricare has covered two years of weekly psychiatry sessions plus all of my medications (which are bat-crazy expensive.) I'm still surprised. On the other hand, I got crappy follow-up care for my broken ankle, which 8 months later is still giving me grief. Oh well, I'll just complain to my psychiatrist! haha.

I am going to speak up for Tricare. My husband retired after 30 years in the Army. I have been pleased with Tricare Prime and my prescriptions (which are many) cost 3$ each. I am quite far from a military installation and use all civilian physicians.

Kerry is pond scum.

My post:

Dear Senator PondScum,

You should be ashamed of yourself. You are a disgrace and a traitorous liar to your contry--the greatest country in the history of the world that supports values you and your ingnorant ilk find repugnant. You should have been brought up on charges after Vietnam and you should be brought up on charges now for giving aid and comfort to the enemy in time of combat. You are a maggot feasting on the flesh of those who serve their country HONORABLY! If you find this country's actions so distasteful, I suggest not that you try to change it (the voters, in their wisdom, rejected out of hand your cowardice, appeasement, and outright lies so another bid for election would likely see you go down to an even more resounding defeat) but that you leave it. There are plenty of other countries who value mulilateralism more than security, universal health care more than the intelligence of the market, income redistribution over property rights, and endless, pointless, dangerous debate over resoluteness in the face of a gathering storm of evil. I suggest Cuba, Sweden, or Vietnam. I'm sure the Communist leadership would welcome you back with open arms. Go to hell.

The worm remains a worm. This is all consistent with his behavior in the early '70's. Thank God he didn't fool the Swifties, and they had the courage to show him for what he was. By the skin of our teeth, he is not the President.

well Denise, if you don't want brand name or recently developed drugs, it's fine. I will no longer use military health care providers for myself or my children. The only reason we don't pay out of pocket for my husband is that he'd lose his job if we did--no kidding.

Dear Senator Kerry,

Thank you so much for caring. I know you feel my pain.

Ever since you abandoned me on that dark and stormy night after our incursion into Cambodia, and left me all alone, I have felt your pain, too. Trust me.

Fish heads for breakfast, fish heads for lunch, fish heads for dinner. Yeeech!

By the way, I recently recovered from the depths of that muddy canal your signed SF-180 form. Where should I stuff it?

Sincerely,

Jane Fonda.

Hi,

Just thought I'd share what I wrote the vulture:

(warning, kinda long)

My response:

Our youngest brother served in the Army during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, in the 82nd Airborne. He was involved in the west/north flank that was the "hammer" rushing in to western Iraq during the Hail Mary, forming the defensive line from Turkey and Baghdad.

The ground war started on his 21st birthday, Feb. 23, 1991, and instead of properly knocking back beers with his buddies on his big day, he rode hard and fast all night through the desert into war the next day. He never talked about it, but it was obvious he had killed and maimed, and as a combat veteran yourself I'm sure you can know how that can change a young man. He came home much older than when he left.

He then survived 18 months serving on the Korean DMZ, and upon returning had started training in the Armored Cavalry unit at Fort Hood, Texas.

He had attained rank, much respect from his peers (superiors and juniors), and was deciding whether to be a career soldier or not. He was, and we are, so proud of his service to his country. Support of the military is very strong in my family.

His recent birthday (1998), along with the birthdays of others, as well as a recent round of promotions, was cause for a celebration off base, which by all account was a good time for everyone. He was walking a young lady home when a drunk driver hit and killed him, then left the scene. The driver's family convinced him to turn himself in the next day.

Was my brother a casualty of war? No and Yes. No, he did not die in conventional combat. But he did die as a casualty of the culture and immigration wars. You see, the man that killed my baby brother was an illegal immigrant who had been arrested for drunk driving previously. This man who should have been at the least deported, if not jailed for his prior offenses killed a veteran and member of our armed forces, a wonderful young man with the world stretched out in front of him.

I know that you were probably looking for stories more like how a new widow has to bring up the baby since daddy was killed, etc, but I wanted to share with you the story of how my own war hero was taken in service to his country. The lack of of enforcement in immigration, combined with generally lax enforcement of drunk drivers, became the shell that got my brother.

But there is something worse, sir.

You: A pandering phony who is trolling for ready-made stories of tragedy, so you can parade pain for your political benefit. A man who dares to question the integrity of others' past actions while refusing to divulge your own (Sign Form 180 - is it really that hard?). Wringing poll points and public opinion bounces from the videos of tears and pain of real people is cynical, ghoulish, insulting, and disgusting. We the People are, believe it or not, generally smarter than you give us credit for being.

You will never be president, and it is a damned shame you are a Senator. Our country will be safer and better the day you and your kind decide to stop "serving" our country.

I've got a very good neighbor that lives a bit to the east of me; a Commander in our military, and what I believe most would think to be a good, and decent man.

He had a tough year in 2003 with the fight in Iraq, also in 2002 in Afghanistan and more in 2004 in Iraq! In fact, he's still working to protect you and me, no matter where evil in the world calls for his service.

Plus, his wife had to endure many a sleepless night while he worked to serve our nation. While I am extremely proud of him... the enemy, of course, worked to do everything they could to send him home in the worst way possible - in defeat.

Too bad for them though, as this proud American is still serving, for me, and maybe even You, Senator.

God bless W, and take THAT, Hippies. 4 more years!

Name
Lovettsville, VA

Did any of you people (Stephen included) actually read Kerry's e-mail that started this kerfuffle? http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=7164
Kerry is asking for sob stories to use as SUPPORT FOR A BILL THAT INCLUDES INCREASING FINANCIAL AID TO MILITARY FAMILIES! Kerry may be a jackass whose motives are always suspect, but he's not trying to delegitimize the war this time around (he did that enough last year, I guess). He's trying to help our soldiers. And you all who are seething against him are in fact seething against military families--not to mention adding lots credence to the "mob mentality" criticisms of the blogosphere. Come on, folks. Kerry's an easy enough target. Find something legitimate to b*tch about.

Whatever Kerry is doing, you can bet it's strategy--trying to position himself as a great humanitarian by spending government money so he can run for president again. Why doesn't he talk to Theresa about setting up a charitable organization to help ex-servicemen or widows? She's got the money. It's easier to spend your money and mine.

Breaking news from Bruce Chang!!

"...asking Kerry to be fair and balanced is asking him to betray his very soul."

You heard it here, first: Jean Fraud sKerry actually has a soul!

Amazing! Will wonders never cease...

Here's my letter to John Kerry:

Dear John,

I know this probably won't make it to any of your opportunistic, attention-grubbing speeches 1) because it wouldn't fit the kind of "the war is unjust" type of story you want and 2) because I live in Alabama, so I'm pretty used to being ignored/insulted/pandered to by you and your "friends."

Let me make something perfectly clear: those soldiers, in their great humility, don't need or want us to make grand speeches or to make us feel sorry for them. They know what they're doing and 99.9% would NEVER even think of doing things like filming reenactments of their "heroic" acts or using their service as a tool to get elected. Not like some people.

I have a brother who is a proud veteran of Desert Storm and is currently serving in our current campaign. I'm not even going to stoop to your level and give you one more bit of information about the "hardship" we have endured until you do one thing:

Sign and release your form 180. Now.

Then, maybe, just maybe I might trust you enough to speak to you in a civil way.

Have a good day and good luck in your politicizing of the sacrifices of all of our great men and women.

JZ:

I know why he said he was asking for those stories. I don't know how he will really use them. In view of past history, I don't trust him. Do you?

This was from a good friend of mine:

I am a former Marine. Like many other families, mine had it tough making ends meet while I was doing what I volunteered to do. I was protecting my family and the worthless hides of you and yours from terrorists killing them. You and your friends would surrender in a heartbeat and watch my family die for a little political gain. You are despicable beyond words and dishonor this country with each word you utter. Keep your slimy claws off honest folk who serve their country. -- More sincerely than I can say, Dave Williams

As a former House staffer, I find it odd that Kerry is soliciting this information through his campaign website and not his official Senate website if the info is really going to be used for work on a bill. Seems strange.

If this information is being collected by Kerry's campaign staff rather than his legislative staff, it's far more likely the hardship stories will be used to slam the Bush Administration as well as Rumsfeld.

John Kerry's record of providing funding to the military is horrendous, so I find it ludicrous that he's trying to help now - unless he sees it as a way to make himself look better.

Let me see if i got this right. John Kerry is looking for stories of sacrifice from the military families, in order to convince the American chickenshit asshats (read: Conservatives) that some benefits should be improved, and the "Support-The-Troops" crowd is vehemently against that?

Got it.

You people are beautiful.