VOICE
02.05
In Richmond, Virginia, two Vietnam veterans are waiting for instructions in a hotel. Theyre here to meet their best friend, the most popular Democrat in the USA at the moment.
2.35
John Forbes Kerry, the candidate with the most chance of competing with George Bush in the November elections, according to Democrats. On his way to Richmond, hes already won the primaries in 7 of the 9 states hes had to face so far.
2.56
KERRY, CAMPAIGN SPEECH: And I make you this pledge; I have only just begun to fight.
But who is the new JFK?
Well talk to his sister, explore his past, look at his meetigns with the other JFK, and meet with his comrade in arms from the Vietnam war.
3.18 3.40
It is April 28, 1971. At 4.33 in the afternoon, the telephone rings in the White House. The then President Nixon receives a call from an adviser, Charles Colson. He informs Nixon about a charismatic young man who declared himself an anti-Vietnam war apostle. From the records of the Nixon-tapes we now know that the following was spoken:
3.50
COLSON: This fellow Kerry that they had on last week.
NIXON: Yeah
C: Hes politically ambitious and looking for an issue
N: Yeah
C: He came back a hawk and became a dove when he saw the world of opportunies.
John F.Kerry was a vietnam veteran himself. Serving as an officer, he received the prestious purple heart
KERRYS COMRADE IN ARMS:
John F.Kerry was shot in the arm, he was bleeding from his left arm I think. We had a cargo net over the bow of the boat, and once kerry saw that Rasbin was one of the people still in the water, he directed me TO go over, and I went over to the area that Rasbin was. Rasbin grabbed onto the cargo net, but because of his boots and his uniform he could not pull himself up on the boat. Kerry jumped down on the deck and grabbed him with his good arm and pulled him up into the boat so that we could get him out of the water and go to the rest of the fire fights crossing fire from the Viet Kong. And for that he got a Bronze Star and another Purple Heart.
KERRYS SISTER:
I found it hard that John was going to Vietnam. I was so against the war, as was most of my family, but he really felt that he needed to serve his country, and he wrote letters in great depth about what was going on. There came a point when he found it difficult to be there, where he felt that the Vietnamese didnt really know who was fighting whom.
You had these few firefights where you just shot people indiscriminately without really knowing if they were Viet Kong or if they were just trying to carry out their daily lives. So I think it became a very painful experience. Its really interesting because the Vietnam veteran that my brother rescued, the one that has suddenly come back into Johns life, said that he found it was a painful experience, but he said he came back to America and he just didnt have the courage that John had to stand up to the war.
Kerry came to national attention before the senates foreign relations committee, asking
We are here to ask and were here to ask vehemently. Where are the leaders of our country? Where is the leadership? Where are they now that we, the men whom they sent off to war, have returned?
KERRYS COMRADE IN ARMS:
It took a lot of nerve for him to bump heads with Nixon, to take a stand against the establishment, and our country was divided at the time. A lot of people were hawks and wanted to prolong the war, and Kerry had been instrumental in rasing the voice saying the way of the dove is the better way, its time to end this ridiculous war.
6.54
It was the start of his political career. He addressed Congress to stop the Vietnam War and become the symbol of the peace movement. Kerry met various icons of the day, for example John Lennon, and earlier, John F. Kennedy.
KERRYS SISTER:
When John was a young high school student, he came down to Boston to go to the dentist, and it was the day before the electoin where Kennedy was elected, and there was a huge rally going on in Boston where Kennedy had returned to Massachussetts after arduous months of campaigning. And John heard him speak, and it really made an impression on him. Later, John dated Jackies younger sister - half-sister - and John got to go to Newport, and he went sailing with the President, which was an icnredible event, and really made a great impression on him.
7.57
A true democrat, through and through. Thats his reputation; averse to ruling opinions and not afraid to challenge the ruling parties. Not in the seventies, not now.
As public prosecutor Kerry was one of the team to investigate the Iran Contra scandal.
Back at the hotel the Veterans prepare to meet their friend and candidate.
COMRADE-IN-ARMS:
We are stronger now as a bond than we were then. We are older, wiser, fatter, with grey hair, but were still a band of brothers. A movement has started which we helped participate in in iowa, and went to New Hampshire, and then on to Missouri, and now were here in Virginia. A lot of people are upset with the present administration, a lot of veterans have epxressed it to us, and a lot of voters also. It shows in the polls, and thats why Im here.
SISTER:
Id like to see America be liked in the world again, and Id like to see us do a lot of good in the world. Id like to see us fight aids in Africa, Id like to see us help a lot of countries that I think need a good deal of help to escape form poverty. I think he intends to go to the UN and work with the other 190 countries and really make America strong and important and loved again, which I think is very important.
C-IN-A:
I was an only child; after Vietnam I had five brothers. I count John Kerry as a friend. I can call him John. Next year Ill have to call him Mr President.
02.05
In Richmond, Virginia, two Vietnam veterans are waiting for instructions in a hotel. Theyre here to meet their best friend, the most popular Democrat in the USA at the moment.
2.35
John Forbes Kerry, the candidate with the most chance of competing with George Bush in the November elections, according to Democrats. On his way to Richmond, hes already won the primaries in 7 of the 9 states hes had to face so far.
2.56
KERRY, CAMPAIGN SPEECH: And I make you this pledge; I have only just begun to fight.
But who is the new JFK?
Well talk to his sister, explore his past, look at his meetigns with the other JFK, and meet with his comrade in arms from the Vietnam war.
3.18 3.40
It is April 28, 1971. At 4.33 in the afternoon, the telephone rings in the White House. The then President Nixon receives a call from an adviser, Charles Colson. He informs Nixon about a charismatic young man who declared himself an anti-Vietnam war apostle. From the records of the Nixon-tapes we now know that the following was spoken:
3.50
COLSON: This fellow Kerry that they had on last week.
NIXON: Yeah
C: Hes politically ambitious and looking for an issue
N: Yeah
C: He came back a hawk and became a dove when he saw the world of opportunies.
John F.Kerry was a vietnam veteran himself. Serving as an officer, he received the prestious purple heart
KERRYS COMRADE IN ARMS:
John F.Kerry was shot in the arm, he was bleeding from his left arm I think. We had a cargo net over the bow of the boat, and once kerry saw that Rasbin was one of the people still in the water, he directed me TO go over, and I went over to the area that Rasbin was. Rasbin grabbed onto the cargo net, but because of his boots and his uniform he could not pull himself up on the boat. Kerry jumped down on the deck and grabbed him with his good arm and pulled him up into the boat so that we could get him out of the water and go to the rest of the fire fights crossing fire from the Viet Kong. And for that he got a Bronze Star and another Purple Heart.
KERRYS SISTER:
I found it hard that John was going to Vietnam. I was so against the war, as was most of my family, but he really felt that he needed to serve his country, and he wrote letters in great depth about what was going on. There came a point when he found it difficult to be there, where he felt that the Vietnamese didnt really know who was fighting whom.
You had these few firefights where you just shot people indiscriminately without really knowing if they were Viet Kong or if they were just trying to carry out their daily lives. So I think it became a very painful experience. Its really interesting because the Vietnam veteran that my brother rescued, the one that has suddenly come back into Johns life, said that he found it was a painful experience, but he said he came back to America and he just didnt have the courage that John had to stand up to the war.
Kerry came to national attention before the senates foreign relations committee, asking
We are here to ask and were here to ask vehemently. Where are the leaders of our country? Where is the leadership? Where are they now that we, the men whom they sent off to war, have returned?
KERRYS COMRADE IN ARMS:
It took a lot of nerve for him to bump heads with Nixon, to take a stand against the establishment, and our country was divided at the time. A lot of people were hawks and wanted to prolong the war, and Kerry had been instrumental in rasing the voice saying the way of the dove is the better way, its time to end this ridiculous war.
6.54
It was the start of his political career. He addressed Congress to stop the Vietnam War and become the symbol of the peace movement. Kerry met various icons of the day, for example John Lennon, and earlier, John F. Kennedy.
KERRYS SISTER:
When John was a young high school student, he came down to Boston to go to the dentist, and it was the day before the electoin where Kennedy was elected, and there was a huge rally going on in Boston where Kennedy had returned to Massachussetts after arduous months of campaigning. And John heard him speak, and it really made an impression on him. Later, John dated Jackies younger sister - half-sister - and John got to go to Newport, and he went sailing with the President, which was an icnredible event, and really made a great impression on him.
7.57
A true democrat, through and through. Thats his reputation; averse to ruling opinions and not afraid to challenge the ruling parties. Not in the seventies, not now.
As public prosecutor Kerry was one of the team to investigate the Iran Contra scandal.
Back at the hotel the Veterans prepare to meet their friend and candidate.
COMRADE-IN-ARMS:
We are stronger now as a bond than we were then. We are older, wiser, fatter, with grey hair, but were still a band of brothers. A movement has started which we helped participate in in iowa, and went to New Hampshire, and then on to Missouri, and now were here in Virginia. A lot of people are upset with the present administration, a lot of veterans have epxressed it to us, and a lot of voters also. It shows in the polls, and thats why Im here.
SISTER:
Id like to see America be liked in the world again, and Id like to see us do a lot of good in the world. Id like to see us fight aids in Africa, Id like to see us help a lot of countries that I think need a good deal of help to escape form poverty. I think he intends to go to the UN and work with the other 190 countries and really make America strong and important and loved again, which I think is very important.
C-IN-A:
I was an only child; after Vietnam I had five brothers. I count John Kerry as a friend. I can call him John. Next year Ill have to call him Mr President.