Dan Inouye says "I flip flopped too"

[oasis]

I attended a Veteran's for Kerry luncheon Friday in Honolulu. Senator Dan was the featured speaker and addressed about 300 at the event.

He was sincere in his presentation and endorsement of John Kerry for president. "You can say that I flip flopped about the war in Vietnam because after supporting it I changed partly because of events surrounding the Mai Lai massacre". (I'm paraphasing).

A noble Senator Dan did his best to put to rest veteran's questions about John Kerry's anti-war activity after his return from Vietnam.

Plenty of old timers were present, including a WWII Medal-of-Honor winner from the 442nd.

Senator Dan went to each table to greet attendees. He is a classy gentleman.

[pacalo]

1. He most certainly is.

I remember when he served on the judicial committee during the Nixon impeachment. He was very eloquent &, just as you said, a classy gentleman.

[Quetzal]

2. God Bless his soul

Although I am still kind of pissed over the whole Stryker thing.

Meanwhile, we here in Hawaii have to deal with a.k.a. wingnut "Mike Gabbard" and his virulently anti-gay commercials. It's a good thing that he won't win.

[PoiBoy]

3. Sen. Inouye is very committed to the people of Hawaii...

and he is a 442nd Medal of Honor winner himself...!

http://www.senate.gov/~inouye/bio.html

a telling snip from his bio:

<snip>
To commemorate the third anniversary of Hawaii statehood, Congressman Leo O'Brien of New York reminisced about Senator Inouye's arrival on the national political scene. His recollection of the day Inouye took the oath of office in the House of Representatives was recorded in the Congressional Record:

Tuesday last was the third anniversary of the admission of Hawaii. Today is the third anniversary of one of the most dramatic and moving scenes ever to occur in this House.

On that day, a young man, just elected to Congress from the brand new state, walked into the well of the House and faced the late Speaker Sam Rayburn.

The House was very still. It was about to witness the swearing in, not only of the first Congressman from Hawaii, but the first American of Japanese descent to serve in either House of Congress.

"Raise your right hand and repeat after me," intoned Speaker Rayburn.

The hush deepened as the young Congressman raised not his right hand but his left and he repeated the oath of office.

There was no right hand, Mr. Speaker. It had been lost in combat by that young American soldier in World War II. Who can deny that, at that moment, a ton of prejudice slipped quietly to the floor of the House of Representatives.
<end>

Mahalo Sen. Dan, and Aloha :hi:

[oasis]

4. Thanks to you PoiBoy for that contribution.

:hi: