# Pitting the Washington Times yet again (Kerry-Fonda story) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 12, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857 "2004-02-12T15:45:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/1 "2004-02-12T15:45:31Z")
[linky](http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040211-123002-8027r.htm) > [@](#): > > **Photo of Kerry with Fonda enrages Vietnam veterans** > > By Stephen Dinan > THE WASHINGTON TIMES > > A photograph of John Kerry together with Jane Fonda at an anti-Vietnam War rally in 1970 in Pennsylvania has surfaced on the Internet, angering veterans who say his association with her 34 years ago is a slap in the faces of Vietnam War veterans. > The photograph, taken at a Labor Day rally at Valley Forge, has been circulating across the Internet, particularly among veterans. It was posted Monday on the [NewsMax.com](http://NewsMax.com) Web site. > Mr. Kerry spoke at the 1970 rally, the culmination of a three-day protest hike from Moorestown, N.J., to Valley Forge, which featured a speech by Miss Fonda and a reading by Hollywood actor Donald Sutherland. > “When he stands up with Jane Fonda, someone that is so notorious and hated by veterans, and Tom Hayden, and a couple of others as well and supports their agenda,” Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, California Republican, said yesterday, “it diminishes the service some of us almost gave our lives for, and the over 56,000 people that lost their lives —it slaps their families in the face.” What we know: 1. Kerry and Fonda were both among the speakers at an antiwar rally in 1970. How many speakers there were, we don’t know. We don’t know whether Kerry so much as said hello to Jane Fonda. 2. The photo shows Kerry ‘with’ Fonda only in the loosest of terms. They’re in the same crowd shot. He appears to be seated three rows behind her. 3. If you’re wondering how Kerry could even be on the same stage as the woman who betrayed our troops by going to Hanoi, it’s because Kerry didn’t have a crystal ball. Fonda didn’t make her infamous trip to Hanoi until 1972. So unless someone knows something I don’t, there’s no reason under heaven why Kerry _shouldn’t_ have been on the same stage with her that day. But what the Moonie paper has, is a story about Kerry together with Hanoi Jane. They mention that Fonda had not yet been to Hanoi, but they bury it deep in the story. Sweet, real sweet. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/2 "2004-02-12T15:56:41Z")
> [@](#): > > But what the Moonie paper has, is a story about Kerry together with Hanoi Jane. They mention that Fonda had not yet been to Hanoi, but they bury it deep in the story. Sweet, real sweet. I think it’s a story about a picture surfacing on the Internet, rather than a story about Kerry and Fonda. At least that’s what it says in the portion you quoted. But didn’t you do the same thing you say the paper did? Buried deep in your post — at the end, in fact — is acknowledgment that they said she had not yet been to Hanoi. Sweet, real sweet. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/3 "2004-02-12T16:05:51Z")
I saw this over at Snopes. They made it very clear that this was pre Hanoi Jane. It’s no secret though that Kerry was a member o VVAW (Viet Nam Vets Agains the War). Of course you have to BE a Viet Nam Veteran to be a memeber of that group. I wonder who dug up the photo and started it down internet lane? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/4 "2004-02-12T16:06:52Z")
Well, unless the picture is circulated exerywhere with a full explanatory caption, it’s not great news for Kerry. I agree, it’s not fair. However, it’s very true in politics that sometimes people you’re associated with will subsequently do things that will cause you embarassment. The easiest thing for him to do would be to condemn her Hanoi trip in the strongest possible terms. That would anger a very few very left-wing Democrats, but he hardly has to worry about them defecting to Bush. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/5 "2004-02-12T17:07:27Z")
I’m a very strong Kerry supporter, I see nothing wrong with him being in proximity to “Hanoi Jane” at a rally 2 years prior to her trip, and like the OP, find it disingenuous to bury the fact at the end of the story. Aside from his differences with the government/military establishment and Vietnam, I can’t see where he’s weak on military support. Here’s something from his website about Fonda and the Valley Forge ralley: [http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news\_2003\_1204a.html](http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news_2003_1204a.html) Sam ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/6 "2004-02-12T17:22:12Z")
Get used to it. Jane Fonda and gay marriage is just about all they got. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/7 "2004-02-12T17:31:46Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Get used to it. Jane Fonda and gay marriage is just about all they got. What??? Jane Fonda is marrying her Vietnamese-communist-lesbian lover? Now that’s news!! I’ll bet Kerry officiated at the wedding, too. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/8 "2004-02-12T18:28:36Z")
Fuck 'em I say fight fire with fire. I’d use that Rummy and SH picture until it had a whole worn through it. Every commercial, every leaflet. And just to remind them I’d throw that stupid… “I agree, it’s not fair. However, it’s very true in politics that sometimes people you’re associated with will subsequently do things that will cause you embarassment.”… right back in their fucking faces. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/9 "2004-02-12T18:30:46Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Fuck 'em I say fight fire with fire. I’d use that Rummy and SH picture until it had a whole worn through it. Every commercial, every leaflet. > > And just to remind them I’d throw that stupid… “I agree, it’s not fair. However, it’s very true in politics that sometimes people you’re associated with will subsequently do things that will cause you embarassment.”… right back in their fucking faces. **Now with 50% better grammar** 😃 Fuck 'em, I say fight fire with fire. I’d use that Rummy and SH picture until it had a _hole_ worn through it. Every commercial, every leaflet. And just to remind them, I’d throw that stupid… “I agree, it’s not fair. However, it’s very true in politics that sometimes people you’re associated with will subsequently do things that will cause you embarassment.”… right back in their fucking faces. [/QUOTE] [sub]need coffee…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/10 "2004-02-12T22:49:59Z")
> [@Libertarian](#): > > I think it’s a story about a picture surfacing on the Internet, rather than a story about Kerry and Fonda. At least that’s what it says in the portion you quoted. But didn’t you do the same thing you say the paper did? Buried deep in your post — at the end, in fact — is acknowledgment that they said she had not yet been to Hanoi. Sweet, real sweet. 😃 Well, exactly what was newsworthy about Web circulation of a pic of Kerry sitting three rows behind Fonda and a coupla seats to the right? (Maybe the Moonies will do a story on Badger Badger Mushroom Snake next.) And they give prime space to some elected idiot saying, how could Kerry be hangin’ with Hanoi Jane after what she did? Half the Moonie Paper’s readers will take their cue from that, and will have already thrown the paper to the ground in disgust before they ever get to the buried ‘this happened before Hanoi’ mention. And what **World Eater** said. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/11 "2004-02-12T23:47:57Z")
Well, its the _Washington Times_, isn’t it? One has to view anything from that font of cess with a certain detached aplomb. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/12 "2004-02-13T09:18:16Z")
As they say in politics, never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel. ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-washington-times-yet-again-kerry-fonda-story/228857/13 "2004-02-13T11:03:26Z")
I’d just like to say at this point, that I have FAR, FAR more respect for a man who served his time in what he came to feel as an unjust war, and came back and fought legally, and protested legally within the system for change, than I do a man who has still, illegible supposed “payroll documents” aside, yet to prove that he actually served his time in a National Guard unit, which he joined so he wouldn’t have to go to war.