During a Meet the Press interview on Sunday, John Kerry told Tim Russert that he will sign a Form 180 releasing all of his military records for public scrutiny.
“RUSSERT: Many people who've been criticizing you have said, Senator, if you would just do one thing and that is sign Form 180, which would allow historians and journalists complete access to all your military records.
Thus far, you have gotten the records, released them through your campaign. They say you should not be the filter. Sign Form 180 and let historians...
KERRY: I'd be happy to put the records out. We put all the records out that I had been sent by the military. Then, at the last moment, they sent some more stuff, which had some things that weren't even relevant to the record.
So when we get -- I'm going to sit down with them and make sure that they are clear and I am clear as to what is in the record and what isn't in the record, and we'll put it out. I have no problem with that.
RUSSERT: Would you sign Form 180?
KERRY: But everything, Tim...
RUSSERT: Would you sign Form 180?
KERRY: Yes, I will. But everything that we put in it, Tim -- everything we put in -- I mean, everything that was out was a full documentation of all of the medical records, all of the fitness reports.
And I'd call on those who have challenged me, let's see their records. I want to see the records of each of those people who have put up a challenge, because some of them have some serious questions in them...”
Better late than never! Not providing unhindered access to all of his military records during the Presidential campaign fueled public doubts about Kerry’s assertions that the campaign against him by fellow swift boat veterans amounted to lies and distortions. If the issues were clear-cut, why not let voters parse the documents for themselves? If Kerry does sign a Form 180, the world may at last learn, among other things, whether he wrote his own action reports, whether the basis for his Purple Hearts accords with the recollections of his contemporaries, and whether his original discharge from the Navy was honorable or dishonorable.
Will someone please confront the Senator with the proper paperwork?
Posted by publius at February 2, 2005 07:28 AM