Veteran John Kerry speaks from his heart to the Heartland Veterans:
Veteran Kerry touts his war experience
By LYNN OKAMOTO, Des Moines Register
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry touted his experience as a Vietnam veteran and brought a war buddy, Gene Thorson of Ames, with him Wednesday to the Iowa State Fair to reach out to fairgoers.
"When I was a commander of a gunboat in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, I was thrown together with a group of guys from all over America," said Kerry, standing on a bale of hay at The Des Moines Register's political soapbox.
"The guy who stood on the back of my boat with a .50-caliber machine gun and an 81-millimeter mortar - exposed to the enemy in tiny little rivers, who stood by there and helped to bring us all home alive - hails from Ames, Iowa."
Thorson, 57, a cement mason, said he's been appearing at some events to help Kerry's campaign. He hopes Kerry's military experience will help him win the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.
"He's the only veteran running," Thorson said. "He knows how veterans feel and what problems they've got."
Kerry said he and Thorson learned some harsh lessons from Vietnam. Many soldiers lost their lives. Those who returned did not receive thanks. Instead they had to fight for a national memorial and medical help. He said 400,000 veterans have been denied access to benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"I believe that the first definition of patriotism is keeping faith with those who wore the uniform of their country, and we need a president who does that," said Kerry, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts.
Kerry was surrounded during his 20-minute speech by a circle of supporters who wore Kerry T-shirts and cheered at his remarks. Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack said she thought it was important that Kerry talked about patriotism and his experience as a veteran.
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Veteran Kerry touts his war experience
By LYNN OKAMOTO, Des Moines Register
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry touted his experience as a Vietnam veteran and brought a war buddy, Gene Thorson of Ames, with him Wednesday to the Iowa State Fair to reach out to fairgoers.
"When I was a commander of a gunboat in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, I was thrown together with a group of guys from all over America," said Kerry, standing on a bale of hay at The Des Moines Register's political soapbox.
"The guy who stood on the back of my boat with a .50-caliber machine gun and an 81-millimeter mortar - exposed to the enemy in tiny little rivers, who stood by there and helped to bring us all home alive - hails from Ames, Iowa."
Thorson, 57, a cement mason, said he's been appearing at some events to help Kerry's campaign. He hopes Kerry's military experience will help him win the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.
"He's the only veteran running," Thorson said. "He knows how veterans feel and what problems they've got."
Kerry said he and Thorson learned some harsh lessons from Vietnam. Many soldiers lost their lives. Those who returned did not receive thanks. Instead they had to fight for a national memorial and medical help. He said 400,000 veterans have been denied access to benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"I believe that the first definition of patriotism is keeping faith with those who wore the uniform of their country, and we need a president who does that," said Kerry, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts.
Kerry was surrounded during his 20-minute speech by a circle of supporters who wore Kerry T-shirts and cheered at his remarks. Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack said she thought it was important that Kerry talked about patriotism and his experience as a veteran.
Read more...
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