From The Associated Press:
Kerry has said for years that he threw away his ribbons, not his three Purple Hearts, Bronze Star and Silver Star during the April 1971 protest. On Monday, however, a tape of a television interview Kerry gave shortly after the protest suggested he was talking about more than his ribbons when discussing the anti-war demonstration.
In an exchange, aired by ABC and published in The New York Times, an interviewer asks Kerry, "How many did you give back, John?" Kerry responds, "I gave back, I can't remember, six, seven, eight, nine." The host then notes that Kerry had won the Purple Hearts and Bronze and Silver stars. Kerry says, "Well, and above that, I gave back my others."
Nearly 800 veterans "gave back" medals, ribbons, dog tags and other military items by tossing them over a fence near the Capitol. Kerry has said that after the protest he also threw over the fence the medals of two other veterans who had asked him to return them.
Kerry denied Monday that his statements have been inconsistent. He said ribbons were often referred to as medals.
I'd have more respect for Kerry if he had thrown his medals and his ribbons over the fence that day. Even though I disagree with his reasons for throwing any part of his medals over the fence, at least I'd know for sure where he stood on the issue.
By throwing only parts of the medals over the fence I get the feeling that he is, yet again, trying to get on both sides of the issue. I feel like he was trying to look good in front of his fellow protesters without actually having to throw anything away.
I want to vote for a candidate who does what they think is right, not what they think the people around them will think is right.