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Kerry Amid Allegations from Vietnam Vet Who Says Kerry's Unfit to be President

Aired April 21, 2004 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM... I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what's all new this half hour.
Soldiers face fierce battles day in and day out in Fallujah. We'll get a close look at some of their opposition.

For years Israel has dogged the nuclear question. Do they have the weapons, how many and why?

But we begin with the deadly force of nature and the lives that have been taken in Illinois after the families are cleaning up from the wreckage. Here is Governor Rod addressing reporters.

(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)

PHILLIPS: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich live from Utica, Illinois. Side-by-side with Sheriff Tom Templeton. The sheriff talking about rescue crews using listening devices looking to see if there's any sign of life within the rubble there after the tornado devastated that area in Illinois.

The governor saying he's extremely humbled by this experience, but inspired by those that are helping people that have lost their homes and are helping to search for possible survivors.

Declaring it a disaster area now. More rescue crews in to try to find possibly a couple more people that may still be buried beneath the rubble. We'll continue to follow this story.

Take a quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Anger in the ranks. Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry is in a harsh spotlight today amid allegations from a Vietnam vet who says Kerry's unfit to be president. It comes as Kerry's camp is battling GOP attacks that he's trying to hide something by releasing his military records. Kelly Wallace explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The move comes as John Kerry's former commanding officer says during Vietnam he questioned whether the senator earned the first of his three Purple Hearts.

Lieutenant Commander Grant Hibbard told "The Boston Globe" last week, quote, "People in the office were saying I don't think we got any fire. And there is this guy holding a little piece of shrapnel in his palm."

On NBC'S "Meet the Press," Kerry was asked if to answer that charge, he would follow President Bush's lead and release all his military records.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They're available to you to come and look at. I think that's a very unfair characterization by that person. Politics is politics. The medical records show that I had shrapnel removed from my arm.

WALLACE: A handful of documents on the Web site Tuesday evening include previously released information, such as the three certificates noting Kerry was awarded Purple Hearts for wounds received in action.

John Dalton is a former Navy secretary and now a Kerry supporter.

JOHN DALTON, FRM. NAVY SECRETARY: When you're in a military combat zone and you get hit by enemy fire, you deserve a Purple Heart, period. Paragraph. I mean, that's the way it is.

WALLACE: The Bush/Cheney campaign waded into the controversy accusing the senator of waffling about releasing his records.

KEN MEHLMAN, BUSH/CHENEY CAMPAIGN MNG.: I think what we're pointing out is that on this issue like on many others what John Kerry says and what John Kerry does are two very different things.

WALLACE: A Kerry campaign spokesman fired back saying if the Republicans want to compare Kerry's military service with President Bush's non-combat service during Vietnam, quote, "we welcome that."

(on camera): Kerry's advisers believe the senator's decorated Vietnam service is one of his major strengths. But now that service is facing more questions than ever before, questions Kerry's critics say he and his campaign have been slow to answer.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Is a the release of Kerry's service records likely to help or hurt his campaign. That's a question for our senior political analyst Bill Schneider. He's in Washington.

Bill, you and I both looking over the criteria of what it means or how you get a Purple Heart. It talks about in the statement a wound is defended as an injury to any part of the body from outside force or agents the same under one or more or more combat situations.

So if indeed there was shrapnel that was in his arm, he deserves that Purple Heart.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: That's right. It is an award given to those wounded by instrument of war in the hands of the enemy. That's from the Web site of the group Military Order of the Purple Heart.

It is also important to note that you don't have to be recommended for a Purple Heart for this declaration. You simply have to meet specific criteria. And one of those criteria is treatment by a medical officer and records of that medical treatment a matter of official record.

And that's where the dispute is because there was this Vietnam officer who claims that they were not under enemy fire and they were pressuring the Kerry campaign to release the records, the official records of his medical treatment.

PHILLIPS: All right, so if those records are released -- first of all, Bill, do you think all these records will be released?

SCHNEIDER: The campaign says they released all the records that they have. That includes detailed records of his medical treatment for his second and third Purple Heart. The treatment for the first Purple Heart, the campaign says they don't have any official record defining the injuries for that first award.

But today they did allow reporters to look at Kerry's personal medical records including a document called a "sick call treatment record," which documents a shrapnel wound to his left arm above the elbow and signed by a person who was apparently the treating physician in Vietnam.

They claim that that's not part of the official medical record. They don't have that. But they have released or allowed reporters to see this sick call treatment record which does appear to document an injury.

PHILLIPS: OK. So if -- let's look at the other side of the coin here. If an injury is not documented, then how is this going to affect the campaign? Because this is something he's really been pushing, this sort of war hero-type image.

SCHNEIDER: Well, there is record of medical treatment. The official record the campaign simply says it does not have. I think it would not be a good idea to start challenging the award of this based on one person's recollection when there is documentary evidence of medical treatment and the other official record may not just be in the position of the campaign or anyone else right now.

But the award was given, which suggests that somebody had that evidence at the time. So I'm not sure this dispute is going to go very far at this point.

PHILLIPS: Interesting. Then of course you had the military records of President Bush, all that talk about, did he fly, did he not fly? We haven't heard much about that. Do you think this will be swept under the rug as well?

SCHNEIDER: Well, the issue with respect to President Bush's military record is still there. A lot of people find that as cause for complaint about whether or not he served honorably.

And I think now some questions being raised by Kerry's military record. The issue is more important, I think, for Kerry because people don't know him. It is one of the most important points in his biography. Essentially his claim to expertise on national security is based on part on his record in the service. The fact that he's a decorated combat Veteran.

He has a Silver Star as well as three Purple Hearts. That's one of his principal claims to understanding of national security issues as well as his foreign policy record after 19 years in the Senate.

Bush doesn't depend on his military record to make that claim. He depends really on his record four years from president.

PHILLIPS: Bill Schneider, thank you so much.

Pack your bags, the newest place to catch rock stars in concert?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking entertainment headlines. Hip-hop help. Rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight wants to help the financially strapped families of U.S. soldiers. He wants to produce a hip-hop album as soon as he gets out of prison. Shouldn't be long. His 10-month sentence for parole violation is over at the end of the month.

"21 Jump Street" jumping to the big screen. A movie version of the TV series about undercover police officers at a tough high school is in the works. No word yet on the original actors. Johnny Depp, Richard Greco and Peter DeLuise will be in on the remake.

Want a religious epic made? Mel Gibson's the man, or at least that's what the Franciscans hope. After the success of Gibson's "Passion of the Christ," they're petitioning him to make a sequel about their founder St. Francis.

Take a quick break, we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired April 21, 2004 - 14:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM... I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what's all new this half hour.
Soldiers face fierce battles day in and day out in Fallujah. We'll get a close look at some of their opposition.

For years Israel has dogged the nuclear question. Do they have the weapons, how many and why?

But we begin with the deadly force of nature and the lives that have been taken in Illinois after the families are cleaning up from the wreckage. Here is Governor Rod addressing reporters.

(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)

PHILLIPS: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich live from Utica, Illinois. Side-by-side with Sheriff Tom Templeton. The sheriff talking about rescue crews using listening devices looking to see if there's any sign of life within the rubble there after the tornado devastated that area in Illinois.

The governor saying he's extremely humbled by this experience, but inspired by those that are helping people that have lost their homes and are helping to search for possible survivors.

Declaring it a disaster area now. More rescue crews in to try to find possibly a couple more people that may still be buried beneath the rubble. We'll continue to follow this story.

Take a quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Anger in the ranks. Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry is in a harsh spotlight today amid allegations from a Vietnam vet who says Kerry's unfit to be president. It comes as Kerry's camp is battling GOP attacks that he's trying to hide something by releasing his military records. Kelly Wallace explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The move comes as John Kerry's former commanding officer says during Vietnam he questioned whether the senator earned the first of his three Purple Hearts.

Lieutenant Commander Grant Hibbard told "The Boston Globe" last week, quote, "People in the office were saying I don't think we got any fire. And there is this guy holding a little piece of shrapnel in his palm."

On NBC'S "Meet the Press," Kerry was asked if to answer that charge, he would follow President Bush's lead and release all his military records.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They're available to you to come and look at. I think that's a very unfair characterization by that person. Politics is politics. The medical records show that I had shrapnel removed from my arm.

WALLACE: A handful of documents on the Web site Tuesday evening include previously released information, such as the three certificates noting Kerry was awarded Purple Hearts for wounds received in action.

John Dalton is a former Navy secretary and now a Kerry supporter.

JOHN DALTON, FRM. NAVY SECRETARY: When you're in a military combat zone and you get hit by enemy fire, you deserve a Purple Heart, period. Paragraph. I mean, that's the way it is.

WALLACE: The Bush/Cheney campaign waded into the controversy accusing the senator of waffling about releasing his records.

KEN MEHLMAN, BUSH/CHENEY CAMPAIGN MNG.: I think what we're pointing out is that on this issue like on many others what John Kerry says and what John Kerry does are two very different things.

WALLACE: A Kerry campaign spokesman fired back saying if the Republicans want to compare Kerry's military service with President Bush's non-combat service during Vietnam, quote, "we welcome that."

(on camera): Kerry's advisers believe the senator's decorated Vietnam service is one of his major strengths. But now that service is facing more questions than ever before, questions Kerry's critics say he and his campaign have been slow to answer.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Is a the release of Kerry's service records likely to help or hurt his campaign. That's a question for our senior political analyst Bill Schneider. He's in Washington.

Bill, you and I both looking over the criteria of what it means or how you get a Purple Heart. It talks about in the statement a wound is defended as an injury to any part of the body from outside force or agents the same under one or more or more combat situations.

So if indeed there was shrapnel that was in his arm, he deserves that Purple Heart.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: That's right. It is an award given to those wounded by instrument of war in the hands of the enemy. That's from the Web site of the group Military Order of the Purple Heart.

It is also important to note that you don't have to be recommended for a Purple Heart for this declaration. You simply have to meet specific criteria. And one of those criteria is treatment by a medical officer and records of that medical treatment a matter of official record.

And that's where the dispute is because there was this Vietnam officer who claims that they were not under enemy fire and they were pressuring the Kerry campaign to release the records, the official records of his medical treatment.

PHILLIPS: All right, so if those records are released -- first of all, Bill, do you think all these records will be released?

SCHNEIDER: The campaign says they released all the records that they have. That includes detailed records of his medical treatment for his second and third Purple Heart. The treatment for the first Purple Heart, the campaign says they don't have any official record defining the injuries for that first award.

But today they did allow reporters to look at Kerry's personal medical records including a document called a "sick call treatment record," which documents a shrapnel wound to his left arm above the elbow and signed by a person who was apparently the treating physician in Vietnam.

They claim that that's not part of the official medical record. They don't have that. But they have released or allowed reporters to see this sick call treatment record which does appear to document an injury.

PHILLIPS: OK. So if -- let's look at the other side of the coin here. If an injury is not documented, then how is this going to affect the campaign? Because this is something he's really been pushing, this sort of war hero-type image.

SCHNEIDER: Well, there is record of medical treatment. The official record the campaign simply says it does not have. I think it would not be a good idea to start challenging the award of this based on one person's recollection when there is documentary evidence of medical treatment and the other official record may not just be in the position of the campaign or anyone else right now.

But the award was given, which suggests that somebody had that evidence at the time. So I'm not sure this dispute is going to go very far at this point.

PHILLIPS: Interesting. Then of course you had the military records of President Bush, all that talk about, did he fly, did he not fly? We haven't heard much about that. Do you think this will be swept under the rug as well?

SCHNEIDER: Well, the issue with respect to President Bush's military record is still there. A lot of people find that as cause for complaint about whether or not he served honorably.

And I think now some questions being raised by Kerry's military record. The issue is more important, I think, for Kerry because people don't know him. It is one of the most important points in his biography. Essentially his claim to expertise on national security is based on part on his record in the service. The fact that he's a decorated combat Veteran.

He has a Silver Star as well as three Purple Hearts. That's one of his principal claims to understanding of national security issues as well as his foreign policy record after 19 years in the Senate.

Bush doesn't depend on his military record to make that claim. He depends really on his record four years from president.

PHILLIPS: Bill Schneider, thank you so much.

Pack your bags, the newest place to catch rock stars in concert?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking entertainment headlines. Hip-hop help. Rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight wants to help the financially strapped families of U.S. soldiers. He wants to produce a hip-hop album as soon as he gets out of prison. Shouldn't be long. His 10-month sentence for parole violation is over at the end of the month.

"21 Jump Street" jumping to the big screen. A movie version of the TV series about undercover police officers at a tough high school is in the works. No word yet on the original actors. Johnny Depp, Richard Greco and Peter DeLuise will be in on the remake.

Want a religious epic made? Mel Gibson's the man, or at least that's what the Franciscans hope. After the success of Gibson's "Passion of the Christ," they're petitioning him to make a sequel about their founder St. Francis.

Take a quick break, we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com