For years, Kerry has said he was in Cambodia on Christmas Eve 1968. He gave a detailed view of that experience in an article he wrote for the Boston Herald in 1979. "I remember spending Christmas Eve five miles across the Cambodian border being shot at by our South Vietnamese allies who were drunk and celebrating Christmas," Kerry wrote. "The absurdity of almost being killed by our own allies in a country in which President Nixon claimed there were no American troops was very real." A similar recollection by Kerry was mentioned in a Globe biography of the Massachusetts senator published earlier this year.
The anti-Kerry veterans have said Kerry's recollection does not make sense because Nixon was not inaugurated until January 1969. But Kerry campaign spokesman Meehan said Kerry was referring to a range of time that included when Nixon was president-elect and president. During the 1968 presidential campaign, Nixon opposed a change in US policy that would allow "hot pursuit" of enemy forces into Cambodia; in March 1969 he authorized the secret bombing of Cambodia, which was followed by the 1970 invasion of Cambodia.
This is reminiscent of the tactics used by John O'Neill (then acting on behalf of Charles Colson!) in his debate with John Kerry on the Dick Cavett show 30 years ago: taking a minor point (speaking elliptically re: 1968 & Nixon now, saying Kerry spoke for "all" vets when he was using a "we" to mean Viet Vets against the War) and personal attacks were the Swift Boat Liars stock in trade then.
It's clear that Kerry was on missions near Cambodia, with secret aspects- sometimes very near-and if anyone doubts that, they should've joined the military 30 years ago rather than embarassing themselves. (EVERY combat mission has classified elements to it.)
If "Hugh Hewitt" (what'd he do in the war?), "Instapundit" (what'd he do?), "Sean Hannity" (chickenhawk) can't wrap their heads around it, too bad.
But the Kerry campaign's responded, and big time, as has venerable moveon.org.
You can't win on this issue righties- we won it 30 years ago, and we're winning it now.
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