WASHINGTON – The group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which opposes John Kerry's bid for the presidency, has released three television ads challenging some of Kerry's statements and actions surrounding the Vietnam War. Following are transcripts and descriptions of the ads.
Ad Name: "Any Questions?"
Sen. John Edwards: "If you have any question about what John Kerry is made of, just spend 3 minutes with the men who served with him."
Al French: "I served with John Kerry."
Bob Elder: "I served with John Kerry."
George Elliott: "John Kerry has not been honest about what happened in Vietnam."
Al French: "He is lying about his record."
Louis Letson: "I know John Kerry is lying about his first Purple Heart because I treated him for that injury."
Van O'Dell: "John Kerry lied to get his bronze star ... I know, I was there, I saw what happened."
Jack Chenoweth: "His account of what happened and what actually happened are the difference between night and day."
Admiral Hoffman: "John Kerry has not been honest."
Adrian Lonsdale: "And he lacks the capacity to lead."
Larry Thurlow: "When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry."
Bob Elder: "John Kerry is no war hero."
Grant Hibbard: "He betrayed all his shipmates ... he lied before the Senate."
Shelton White: "John Kerry betrayed the men and women he served with in Vietnam."
Joe Ponder: "He dishonored his country ... he most certainly did."
Bob Hildreth: "I served with John Kerry ...
Bob Hildreth (off-camera): John Kerry cannot be trusted."
Male Announcer: "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is responsible for the content of this advertisement."
On the Screen: 1. Old B&W group photo of Kerry and other swift boat commanders in Vietnam. 2. Short video clip of Edwards. 3. Return to B&W photo. 4. Text screen "Here's what those men think about John Kerry" 5. A succession of veterans speaking to the camera; various B&W photos from Vietnam serve as a backdrop. 6. B&W photo Kerry testifying. 7. Disclaimer
To view the ad "Any Questions?", click here.
Ad Name: "Sellout"
John Kerry: "They had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads ... "
Joe Ponder: "The accusations that John Kerry made against the veterans who served in Vietnam was just devastating."
John Kerry: " ... randomly shot at civilians ... "
Joe Ponder: "It hurt me more than any physical wounds I had."
John Kerry: " ... cut off limbs, blown up bodies ... "
Ken Cordier: "That was part of the torture, was, uh, to sign a statement that you had committed war crimes."
John Kerry: " ... razed villages in a fashion reminiscent of Ghengis Khan ... "
Paul Gallanti: "John Kerry gave the enemy for free what I, and many of my, uh, comrades in North Vietnam, in the prison camps, uh, took torture to avoid saying. It demoralized us."
John Kerry: " ... crimes committed on a day to day basis ... "
Ken Cordier: "He betrayed us in the past, how could we be loyal to him now?"
John Kerry: " ... ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam."
Paul Gallanti: "He dishonored his country, and, uh, more, more importantly the people he served with. He just sold them out."
Announcer : "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is responsible for the content of this advertisement."
To view the ad "Sellout", click here.
Ad Name: "Never in Cambodia"
Steve Gardner: “I spent more time on John Kerry’s boat than any other crew member.
John Kerry hasn’t been honest, he’s been deceitful.
John Kerry claims that he spent Christmas in 1968 in Cambodia and that is categorically a lie.
Not in December, not in January.
We were never in Cambodia on a secret mission, ever.”
Announcer: “Swift Boat Veterans for truth is responsible for the content of this advertisement.”
To view the ad "Never in Cambodia", click here.
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