Kerry Finally Releases His Records

Although the Swift Boat Vets demanded to see them during the campaign, John Kerry stood firm in keeping his private military and medical records private. This led, of course, to the charges that the records included something worth hiding. The Swift Boat Vets jumped on Kerry’s refusal as proof that their libel actually had some foundation.

Now that the contents of those records can no longer affect national decision making, Kerry finally allowed their release. And what was he hiding all this time? Not a hell of a lot, apparently. Michael Kranish of the Boston Globe the newspaper that made the actual request for the records, reports that the new releases "are mostly a duplication of what Kerry released during his 2004 campaign for president, including numerous commendations from commanding officers who later criticized Kerry's Vietnam service." Well, that was certainly worth keeping under wraps.

What could have possessed Kerry and his campaign to keep this material secret? The senator released this written response:

The call for me to sign a 180 form [allowing for the release of the records] came from the same partisan operatives who were lying about my record on a daily basis on the Web and in the right-wing media. Even though the media was discrediting them, they continued to lie. I felt strongly that we shouldn't kowtow to them and their attempts to drag their lies out.

He wasn't going to let those guys push him around. But by stubbornly refusing to give in to the Swift Boat Vets’ demands for his records, Kerry allowed them to control the agenda. Is he so easy to manipulate that he walked right into the reverse psychology ploy? Can you can get him to do whatever you want by demanding he do the opposite? Decision making like this makes me wonder if he’s not cut out to be President.

Another possible reason he hesitated to release the records is that they included his college transcripts, and they’re not that stellar (read "substantially equal to W.'s"). Unsurprisingly, this is the angle that the liberal media has swarmed after, and they likely would have had the same response during the campaign. It’s unpleasant for Kerry, I’m sure, but if this was another reason he refused to release the records, he let his own vanity get in the way of the national good. More strikes against the campaign, and more reason to find Kerry undeserving of the office.