Kerry gives Vietnam vet the bird

[Sharon]

John F. Kerry gave the middle finger to a Vietnam veteran at the Vietnam Memorial Wall on Memorial Day morning.

Ted Sampley, a former Green Beret walked up to Kerry, extended his hand and said, "Senator, I am Ted Sampley, the head of Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry, and I am here to escort you away from the Wall because you do not belong here."

Just then Kerry - in front of the school children, other visitors and Secret Service agents - brazenly 'flashed the bird' at Sampley and then yelled out to everyone, "Sampley is a felon!"

Da bird is a word

 

[Sharon]

Originally posted by cariblue
Sampley was out of line.

Maybe so, but he's not running for Prez. Kerry is!

Here's a follow-up story from today.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/6/2/160537.shtml

 

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by cariblue
Sampley was out of line.

 

[SmallTown]

Happens to the best of the them.

When dubya was running the first time...


"In Illinois on Monday, unaware he was speaking in front of a live microphone, Mr Bush whispered to his running mate Dick Cheney: "There's Adam Clymer, major league a$$hole from the New York Times."

 

[SmallTown]

Looks like we found a new guard for the iraqi prisons

 

[Sharon]

Originally posted by cariblue
I don't think this kind of behavior will make any brownie points for Republicans or bikers. Bad move.

I don't think this kind of behavior will make any brownie points for Democrats. Bad move.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by Sharon
Ted Sampley, a former Green Beret walked up to Kerry, extended his hand and said, "Senator, I am Ted Sampley, the head of Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry, and I am here to escort you away from the Wall because you do not belong here."

In all fairness to Kerry, that was a pretty rotten thing to say. This guy was way out of line. I don't care if Kerry BFed Jane Fonda on the jet home from Saigan - this is America and Kerry has a right to visit a wall, upon which some of Kerry's friends, no doubt, are honored. There is no cause for that sort of behavior.

Originally posted by Sharon
Just then Kerry - in front of the school children, other visitors and Secret Service agents - brazenly 'flashed the bird' at Sampley and then yelled out to everyone, "Sampley is a felon!"

On the other hand, Kerry's overreaction, and subsequent hijinks are unbecoming of a presidential nominee. I don't care of Sampley pulled out his wing-wong and jiggled it at Kerry. For a potential leader of the free world, he should not give the finger to any citizen, much less one who has served his country as a green beret - and yelling that he's a felon is just a childish prank unbecoming of a presidential nominee. There is no cause for that sort of behavior.

 

[vraiblonde]

Big difference - a member of the press vs. a Green Beret .

First of all, whichever campaign brain that sent Kerry there in the first place should be fired. He HAD to have known it would bring up controversy.

Second, Kerry should have thought to himself, "WWBD?", taken a deep breath and thanked the man for coming out today to support our brave veterans. Should have completely ignored what the guy said and acted like like they were comrades-in-arms until he could move away to the next admirer.

Giving him the finger and shouting at him was the wrong move. Childish, immature and proving, once again, that Kerry isn't fit to be Prez. What's he going to do when some foreign leader confronts him? Give him the finger and call him a war criminal?

 

[Larry Gude]

You know what...

...politicians, rightly or wrongly, put up with this kind of crap ALL the time in public.

Clinton had the Secret Service remove hecklers a few times.

Gore's campaign had someone dressed up as a chicken and heckle the heck out of Bill Bradley.

ST mentions the 'azzhole reporter' thing but that was not meant to be heard and actually earned public acclaim.

Bush has had areas roped off limits to demonstrators.

Clinton went to the wall his first Memorial day and thousands of vets on hand turned their backs on him en masse.

I have no doubt that Republicans have people go to Democrat rallies and cause tension. Certainly there was shennanigans during 2000 Bush v. McCain.

So, knowing damn well that these people face this crap all the time the reason why this is an issue is Kerry losing his temper, which is becoming a theme with him.

The rule is, they call you a lillipop sucker, you smile, wave and ask for their support in November or at least let everyone hear you say you respect all opinions.

You don't flip somebody off in front of the kiddies.

edut: I was instructed to use a different word...or else.

 

[Sharon]

Re: You know what...

Originally posted by Larry Gude

The rule is, they call you a lillipop sucker, you smile, wave and ask for their support in November or at least let everyone hear you say you respect all opinions.

I totally agree.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Second, Kerry should have thought to himself, "WWBD?"

 

[Larry Gude]

Cari...

...I agree. The guy was being an ass. On purpose.

But, with a political candidate, all things are political, including a trip to the wall or a trip to the mall. What's Kerry gonna do when Bush challenges him on his Iraq War funding vote, flip him off?

The guy has this hellaciously arrogant 'how dare you' thing about him that keeps coming up.

I would like to think a potential President has the people skill to defuse drunks, bimbos, angry vets and any opponent.

Anything, turn it around and call the guy a disgrace. DON'T FLIP HIM OFF!!!

 

[Toxick]

You know...


I could almost hope that Kerry wins in November. This is the second time - that I can think of off the top of my head - where Kerry made some sort of outburst or said or did something insanely stupid and insulting.

Give him four years of that, and we're bound to get some soundbytes that will carry on well into the 22nd century.


On the other hand, having a hot-headed, absent-minded, knee-jerking flip-flopper as president also makes for major tension.

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by cariblue
However, Sampley was out of line.

Sure, but Sampley isn't running for President - John Kerry is. So I can't get worked up over some nobody acting like a butt in public but I'll damn sure get worked up if that butt happens to hold the highest public office in the world.

 

[vraiblonde]

What would have been great is if Kerry would have gotten all enthusiastic and "presented" Sampley to the crowd, "Folks, let's give a big round of applause to this fine man who was a brave Green Beret and fought for our great land!" *applause* "Yes sir, this man here is what's RIGHT with America! And free speech is a beautiful thing, yes it is!"



Kerry doesn't do the politician thing very well.

 

[SmallTown]

I don't think anyone is saying what Kerry did wasn't stupid. I also think it is irrelevant to stress the point he is a green beret. If nothing else, he of all people should understand the type of freedoms he fought for. I feel turning their backs on clinton was much more of a statement then what this idiot did. And I'm sure he'll milk it for all its worth, with no regard to what he did to prompt it. What a loser (both)

 

[SmallTown]

off topic (like that is new around here!) I remember this happening and thought it was great. Odd way to build foreign relations

"Using our hands to express us is a great communicator, but using the wrong hand gesture can also be embarrassing. After telling the press he was an expert in hand gestures, President George Bush senior, gave the "V-for Victory" sign as he drove in his limousine past demonstrators in Canberra, Australia's capital in January 1992. In Australia, holding up two fingers to form a "v" has the same vulgar meaning as the middle-finger gesture in the United States. The Aussie demonstrators were enraged, and they signaled in the same manner back at the U.S. President. President bush later had to apologize for his faux pas. "

 

[Club'nBabySeals]

I'm not a Kerry fan, but I've got to give the tard credit where it's due. At least he didn't punch the jerk...:shrug:

Have a look.


Here's what McCain says about that same guy:

"I strongly caution reporters who may be contacted by or are interested in Mr. Ted Sampley and the various organizations he claims to represent, and his opinions on the subject of Senator Kerry, or any subject for that matter, to investigate thoroughly Mr. Sampley's background and history of spreading outrageous slander and other disreputable behavior before inadvertently lending him or his allegations any credibility."

"I am well familiar with Mr. Sampley, and I know him to be one of the most despicable people I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. I consider him a fraud who preys on the hopes of family members of missing servicemen for his own profit. He is dishonorable, an enemy of the truth, and despite his claims, he does not speak for or represent the views of all but a few veterans. The many veterans I know would think it a disgrace to be considered a comrade or supporter of Ted Sampley."

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by Club'nBabySeals
Here's what McCain says about that same guy:

Neither here nor there - Sampley isn't the first person to put out the "Manchurian Candidate" story on McCain. That's way old news. If this guy says bad things about McCain, certainly McCain is going to say bad things back. What's he going to say? "This is a fine and sterling individual - except for when he accuses me of being a traitorous spy."

Anyway, who cares? This biker vet means nothing to me - could have a point, could be just another nut. I'm more interested in how John Kerry conducts himself when under pressure.

 

[Cletus_Vandam]

what, no pics?

It's too bad that someone quick on the draw with their digital cam didn't catch that "Kodak Moment". Everyone from Bush to the vets could use that photo.

Maybe Kerry could do a little cutting and pasting and move the digit over one finger and give it a headline of "Kerry tells the vets they're number one in his book"... Then on second thought, why waste the effort to cut and paste... leave the finger and the 'blurb and he'll get just as many votes this fall.