C-Span: John Kerry on Dick Cavett show, June 1971

[mainer]

Everyone, you HAVE to watch it! It's on their Election 2004 show.

It shows you John Kerry, age 27, debating with a young Vietnam Vet named John O'Neill, who represented "Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace." It will show you just how wise and thoughtful Kerry was at such a young age. It certainly made me realize what an impressive man Kerry really is. (And I was an old Howard Dean enthusiast.)

On the '71 show, the two men debate the Vietnam war and the charges of war crimes. It's especially fascinating to watch it from the perspective of history -- Kerry's opponent kept insisting that the Vietnam war, and Vietnamization in particular, was very successful. Kerry kept saying, "no it's not. It's a failure."

Well, we know who turned out to be right.

There was a current-day interview with John O'Neill, now a Texas attorney, and it doesn't appear that he's changed his mind since the 70's. So... does he STILL think Vietnam was such a great success? You have to wonder about whether the man's a total imbecile to still think so.

Echoes of Iraq can't be avoided when listening to this debate.

Also an interesting perspective on how TV hosts used to just sit back and LET the guests talk, without interrupting them. Although I don't know Cavett's political opinions, it seemed to me he was fair about letting both men have their say.

Finally, it's interesting how the audience seemd to be mostly in support of Kerry. It sounds as if the TV audience had already realized that Vietnam was a disaster...

[eleny]

1. What's the time?

Is it 9 p.m. eastern?

[KC21304]

6. 9:30 to 11:00 Eastern. Don't miss it.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. Is there a link available?

Many times, C-SPAN will have clips like this on their website.

[Teddy_Salad]

3. Just watched this show.....

.....and was amazed at the maturity of the 27 year old John Kerry.

Next week at the same time, C-SPAN will be showing a young George Dubya competing in "The 1971 Alabama Beer Funneling Competition".

[Nomad559]

4. Another thread on It

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x484643

[Jim__]

5. I only saw a few minutes - Kerry was right

Kerry's opponent, John O'Neil, somewhat amazingly, was arguing that the Pentagon papers didn't offer any evidence that the American people had been deceived by government.

He was also arguing that Vietnamization would save South Vietnam from the communists.

And he (O'Neil), predicted a bloodbath of at least 60,000 deaths if the north won. I don't believe that ever happened - Kerry essentially said that we couldn't know what would happen; but that thousands of Vietnamese were dying daily in the war.

In retrospect, Kerry was right and O'Neil was wrong in all the parts of the debate that I saw. I think it would be a tremendous help to the left to replay these old debates and show how idiotic the rights arguments are when they are re-visited a few years later, when the lies of the right can be seen in the clear light of day.

[sandnsea]

15. Everyone knew about Laos

That was the real stunner to me. How could that guy sit there and say that with a straight face? That's what half the argument was about at that time, the Hanoi Jane Commies who were accusing the U.S. of an illegal war in Laos and the other side saying it just wasn't true. And then he gets up there and says it was common knowledge. WOW!! And only 8,000 civilians on the Ho Chi Minh trail. I just happened to watch a program a week ago with some special ops guys who were there through most of the 60's and said that we killed around a million Laotians, 1/3 of the population. I don't know how people like O'Neil can live with themselves, continuing to spout lies that have been exposed as lies. Astounding.

[nostamj]

7. even in 1971

the right was playing the overtalk and interrupt strategy.

wanted to pound that annoying POS O'Neill. big surprise he grew up to be a texass republican

[Imalittleteapot]

8. I noticed that also. Kerry was so

cool and mature. I wanted to slug O'Neill, who ended up clerking for Renquist.

[diamond14]

9. iraq is Vietnam-in-a-microwave...notice how the audience BOO-ed

o'neill and cheered for Kerry....why today, do young people just SIT THERE looking like they support iraq-killing, silent, no cheers or boos...silence is complicit....

also, o'neill sounded like today's freepers, and in a historical context...o'neill was wrong on all points about Vietnam, the Vietnamization program, and OUR exit from Vietnam....mai lai massacre (pronounced: My LIE).....war crimes, cover-up by colin powell, second in commmand of the Ameri-cal division....fragging, suicides, Veterans going postal, Veterans disabled by war chemicals like agent orange and more....

Kerry was right on....Kerry predicted exactly what would happen...and Kerry will guide us out of Iraq, because he can see the image of Vietnam and KNOWS what's going on.....the Military is doing the exact same thing...pouring tons of weapons into Iraq, make Iraq police in charge, who are turning on OUR troops with American weapons in hand and sometimes with their police uniforms on....

Our troops left Vietnam with their tails between their legs....humiliated...scrambling off the U.S. Embassy roof in helicopters at the end, with people shooting, dying, hanging onto to the overloaded helicopter for their lives....defeated by a third-world country that had no air force or navy....America was humiliated....Kerry STOOD UP for the Veterans....

we'll probably leave Iraq the same way, unless bush* is sent back to Crawford in November....

[Zen Democrat]

10. O'Neill LIED About Not Visiting White House Before Cavett Show

At the beginning of the C-Span program tonight the moderator talked to John O'Neill by telephone,wherein O'Neill was asked if he had visited the White House and he answered that he had not gone before the debate with Kerry. Well, the Nixon Tapes show otherwise. Toward the end of this article is a full discussion of how O'Neill was brought into the Oval Office with Nixon BEFORE the Dick Cavett show.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4534274/

[evworldeditor]

11. Remarkable composure...

It's amazing that so little has changed in 33 years! You're right on in your analysis. O'Neill was proven wrong on every point he raised and I wish CSPAN had asked him how he felt about his position in the light of history.

[lostnfound]

14. They did ask him..had him on the line..and he's still the same..

in fact, he repeatedly mentioned the idea that Kerry called them all war criminals and that Kerry had only served a few months while he was over there a year (4 times he mentioned that..).

I don't think this plays well. I think that the BFEE will mine this video and we will see it again (soundbytes) in their ads.

[elperromagico]

17. I did note that Kerry's accent has softened a bit.

You could hear a lot of Boston in his accent at the time.

[9215]

12. LINK Please. nt

[Woodstock]

13. I'd also like them to air videos of Bush in 1971

:evilgrin:

[elperromagico]

16. Hey! Those videos were "youthful indiscretions"!

;) ;) ;)