A number of people have written to me overnight stating that a Kerry campaign spokesman has acknowledged on Brit Hume's Fox news show that John Kerry's wound on 2 December 1968 came from an unintentionally self-inflicted wound -- an accident, in other words. So far, I find nothing on this on the Fox web site, but they are notoriously poor at posting transcripts, or even summaries of their own programs. Can someone post the link in the comments section of this post if any confirmation can be made?

UPDATE: Here's the link to the Fox News report from Major Garrett. It mostly covers the Chris Wallace interview with John Hurley and CNN's interview of Bob Dole. Towards the end, Garrett talks about the first Purple Heart:

GARRETT: And questions keep coming. For example, Kerry received a Purple Heart for wounds suffered on December 2nd, 1968. But an entry in Kerry's own journal written nine days later, he writes that, quote, he and his crew hadn't been shot at yet, unquote. Kerry's campaign has said it is possible his first Purple Heart was awarded for an unintentionally self-inflicted wound.

Score another one for the Swiftvets, and another retreat for Kerry, this time on a key contention for both a medal (which some, including me, felt were too difficult to argue effectively) and for his truncated tour of duty. Without that first Purple Heart, Kerry would have had to stay on the Swiftboat assignment past March 17th and remain in combat. Now that the Kerry campaign seems to have retreated from Kerry's citation, the fact that Kerry pushed this award weeks later up a different chain of command takes on a great deal more significance. Instead of bravely taking on combat, he now looks desperate to get out ahead of everyone else and willing to falsify records to do it -- which is exactly the impression that his later assertions have given us.

CQ mentioned the 2 December/11 December conflict back on August 18th in this post, based on a tip from CQ reader Amelia and an article in World Net Daily by Art Moore. Today's links to the Fox News report come from CQ readers Jay Howard and Jim Leonard. Thanks to the entire CQ community for keeping the media on its toes.

UPDATE: Matt Drudge reports that Kerry has tried reaching out to the Swiftboat vets, although not John O'Neill, and according to the former commander he called, he sounded pretty pathetic about it:

The call lasted 10 minutes, sources tell DRUDGE.

KERRY: "Why are all these swift boat guys opposed to me?"

BRANT: "You should know what you said when you came back, the impact it had on the young sailors and how it was disrespectful of our guys that were killed over there."

[Brant had two men killed in battle.]

KERRY: "When we dedicated swift boat one in '92, I said to all the swift guys that I wasn't talking about the swifties, I was talking about all the rest of the veterans."

Kerry then asked if he could meet Brant ["You were one of the best"] -- man to man -- face to face.

Brant declined the invite, explaining that Kerry was obviously not prepared to correct the record on exactly what happened during Vietnam and what happened when Kerry came back.

What kind of defense is that -- "When I called American servicemen murderers, rapists, and war criminals, I didn't mean you guys"?? If Kerry truly thought that half-assed explanation (not even an apology) would fly after all these years, then his diplomatic talents have been blown far out of proportion. The obvious cluelessness of John Kerry may even outweigh his serial prevarications as the most vital impediment to his candidacy. (via Power Line)

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry is

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Has Kerry Backed Off Of First Purple Heart Claim?:

» Wow from Mark the Pundit
Captain Ed reports that John Kerry possibly did not earn his first Purple Heart after all, with this line from a news piece: Kerry's campaign has said it is possible his first Purple Heart was awarded for an unintentionally self-inflicted... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 7:53 AM

» Captain's Quarters from Qur'an Project
Captian Ed has caught a "Kerry Spokesperson" admitting that the Swifties were right about the first purple heart. [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 8:10 AM

» http://cicada.typepad.com/cicada/2004/08/can_it_get_any_.html from Cicada
Can it get any worse for John Kerry. With his campaign already hemmoraging support after the attacks by fellow Swiftboaters, [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 9:04 AM

» Kerry Backs Off First Purple Heart from Say Anything
From Fox News (via Captain's Quarters): GARRETT: And questions keep coming. For example, Kerry received a Purple Heart for wounds suffered on December 2nd, 1968. But an entry in Kerry's own journal written nine days later, he writes that, quote,... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 9:51 AM

» Kerry's evolving story from QandO
Despite the fact that John Kerry has called them "lies", the Swift Boat Veterans seem to be forcing the Kerry camp into quite a lot of retreats, rowbacks and other concessions. Captain Ed has been positively invaluable in documenting the... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 10:30 AM

» This cannot possibly be true, can it? from murdoc online
Has Kerry Backed Off Of First Purple Heart Claim? Captain's Quarters notes that the Kerry campaign may be admitting that Kerry's first Purple Heart may have been received for a self-inflicted wound. (Reminder: Self-inflicted wounds are worthy of decora... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 11:52 AM

» Kerry Works On Damage Control from Josh Ferguson
This goes to show just how damaging the Swiftboat Vets have been to the Kerry campaign. Kerry is doing everything within his power short of a public setting of the record straight to get these guys to stand down. Fortunately the vets are standing the... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 12:35 PM

» I'm Melting...Melting...Melting from Josh Ferguson
I really feel for the people working on the Kerry campaign. It seems they're kept in the dark and then when are pressed hard (ie on the Christmas in Cambodia story and now this) they're forced to guess at his web of lies. It's interesting that they'r... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 12:49 PM

» Is it a Smear if it is True and Kerry Now Admits It? from infidel cowboy
Captain Ed has a great write up on this latest twist, with a link to the interview where a Kerry spokesman backs off of his claims on his first Purple Heart. First the Kerry camp had to admit to lying... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 12:57 PM

» Kerry Phones His Foes - A collection of links from Solomonia
This one from Drudge. (More stuff in the extended entry.) DRUDGE REPORT: KERRY PHONES SWIFT BOAT FOES Dem presidential hopeful John Kerry personally phoned anti-Kerry swift boat vets, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. Kerry reached out to Robert "Friar Tu... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 1:40 PM

» The Bad Month Continues from JoeWorld
John Kerry reaffirms his contention that Vietnam Veternas are war criminals and admits his first purple heart was for an unintentionally self-inflicted wound. Which makes him ineligible for the award. Which makes him ineligible for going home early. Hi... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 2:49 PM

» Crow from protein wisdom
From Drudge (h/t Ace):Kerry's campaign now says is possible first Purple Heart was awarded for unintentional self-inflicted wound... Kerry received Purple Heart for wounds suffered on 12/2/68... In Kerry's own journal written 9 days later, ... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 2:51 PM

» Purple Hearts Abound from Blogs
So Kerry's campaign is admitting that one of Kerry's Purple Hearts may be the result of a self-inflicted wound. So [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 4:00 PM

» KERRY PHONES SWIFT BOAT FOES from The Beacon
I think this report at Drudge pretty telling. It shows even John Kerry knows in trouble and sums up why the Vets are angry and conducting their campaign against him: KERRY PHONES SWIFT BOAT FOES **World Exclusive** Dem presidential hopeful John Kerry... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 4:09 PM

» Chris Matthews Agrees With Michelle Malkin from damnum absque injuria
If Chris Matthews continues to kick off every guest who suggests that Kerry's wounds were self-inflicted, soon Hard Bawl will have even fewer guests than viewers. [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 4:29 PM

» Upon Further Review... from The Commons at Paulie World
Captain's Quarters (via Taranto) A number of people have written to me overnight stating that a Kerry campaign spokesman has acknowledged on Brit Hume's Fox news show that John Kerry's wound on 2 December 1968 came from an unintentionally self-inflicte... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 7:05 PM

» Keeping Hardball Clean II from The American Mind
Courtesy of PrestoPundit, on yesterday's Hardball, Chris Matthews continued his slandering of Michelle Malkin: MATTHEWS: Welcome back to HARDBALL. Before... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 8:02 PM

» Kerry's Yellow Heart from Right Voices
After seeing the developing story on Drudge regarding the possibility that one of Kerry's Purple Hearts were awarded to him after self-inflicted wounds, I posted the developing events. Always understanding that Drudge is can sometimes be a nefarious ... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 8:38 PM

» Submitted for Your Approval from Watcher of Weasels
First off...  any spambots reading this should immediately go here, here, here, and here.  Die spambots, die!  And now...  here are all the links submitted by members of the Watcher's Council for this week's vote. Council links:New ... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 10:11 PM

» Kerry's Campaign Admits Purple Heart May be Tainted from rightpundit.com
While Kerry has not addressed the facts of the SBV allegations in recent days, his campaign staff has. The Kerry campaign admitted that Kerry’s first Purple Heart may have been for an injury that was self-inflicted. (Hat tip: Captain's Quart... [Read More]

Tracked on August 24, 2004 11:52 PM

» First Purple Heart Questioned from The Beacon
Ed Morrisey notes that the Kerry campaign is now admitting the first Purple Heart "for an unintentionally self-inflicted wound": [Fox News' Major] GARRETT: And questions keep coming. For example, Kerry received a Purple Heart for wounds suffered on Dec... [Read More]

Tracked on August 25, 2004 3:58 AM

» The Council Has Spoken! from Watcher of Weasels
First off...  any spambots reading this should immediately go here, here, here, and here.  Die spambots, die!  And now...  the winning entries in the Watcher's Council vote for this week are Letters From La-La Land by Damnum Absque ... [Read More]

Tracked on August 27, 2004 12:21 AM

» The Little Dutch Boy from Ipse Dixit
John "Weeble" Kerry continues to avoid addressing the substance of the Swifties' complaints about him by hurling mud at President... [Read More]

Tracked on August 27, 2004 9:10 AM

» Screwball from Watcher of Weasels
Apparently, Chris Matthews still hasn't bothered to read the transcript of his ill-prepared and ill-mannered "interview" with Michelle Malkin about the Swift Vets book Unfit for Command.  He had a rather feisty exchange with Zell Miller the other ... [Read More]

Tracked on September 3, 2004 10:55 PM

» Kerry says other Vets, not Swifties, are War Criminals from Fear Biters: Revealing the hate speech and fear of the Left, in their own words.
Update: And besides, why does Kerry call Brant or care what Brant thinks, if Brant wasn't even on the boat with him? [Read More]

Tracked on September 4, 2004 12:11 AM