Kerry's `band of brothers' bolsters campaign

Most vets support Kerry.. Not some of these *GREAT* heros on
alt.war.vietnam...funny never heard of most of em before.
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Kerry's `band of brothers' bolsters campaign

MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer Wednesday, January 28, 2004

(01-28) 00:19 PST MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) --

When things were darkest in his presidential campaign, John Kerry turned
to his "band of brothers" -- a group of veterans whom he had relied on
in Vietnam 30 years ago.

"We're a little older, a little grayer, but we still know how to fight
for our country," Kerry said Tuesday, claiming his victory in the New
Hampshire primary. It came in no small part by highlighting a war-hero
history that should serve him well in upcoming campaign tests.

A bit paunchy and gray now, some brothers-in-arms from Kerry's Vietnam
days are a constant presence in his campaign, their loyalty unquestioned
and their energy high, though they have little political history.

When he stood on the stage before a cheering throng of thousands in a
Manchester hotel to claim his second straight win of the primary season,
Kerry drew the most emotional response when he acknowledged those veterans.

Most prominent are Del Sandusky, a suburban Chicago man who captained
one of Kerry's boats, and Jim Rassmann, an Oregon man whom Kerry rescued
in 1969.

They aid Kerry in ways big and small. Efforts to tag him as just another
liberal are complicated by a middle-age veteran touting an old friend
with a war background. Kerry acknowledged as much Tuesday night.

"This victory also belongs in a special way to the veterans who marched
with us and lifted us up from the lowest points to where we stand
tonight," Kerry said. "In the hardest moments of the past month, I
depended on the same band of brothers I depended on some 30 years ago."

On a pragmatic basis, it's tough for Republicans -- or Kerry's
Democratic rivals -- to counter the appeal of Kerry's military past, and
Kerry is likely to continue the theme heading into states like Missouri,
which has a heavy military presence, and South Carolina, which is home
to 400,000 veterans.

At the same time, Kerry offers the populist pitch of being willing to
stand up to powerful special interests.

He thanked voters "for lifting up this campaign and the cause of an
America that belongs not to the privileged, not to the few, but to all
the people."

"I have spent my whole life fighting against powerful interests -- and
I've only just begun to fight," said Kerry.

Kerry was moving aggressively to compete in the seven-state contest
looming Feb. 3, where 269 delegates to the Democratic convention are at
stake. That dwarfs the first two tests, offering 12 percent of the
delegates needed to claim the nomination.

Kerry said he'll campaign in all seven of those states, including tiny
North Dakota, and he's bought television ad time in all seven as well,
including very expensive Missouri. Kerry was headed to Missouri on
Wednesday as his first stop after the New Hampshire primary, and he
plans to return on Saturday.

With 74 delegates and favorite son Rep. Dick Gephardt now out of the
race, Missouri is the biggest prize of all on Feb. 3. Kerry also plans a
heavy focus on South Carolina, but is likely to face competition from
retired Gen. Wesley Clark for the veterans' vote.

In New Hampshire, surveys of those casting ballots showed Kerry's
support was broad, roughly equal between women and men and among all age
groups. Kerry got the strongest vote from those who described their
views as moderate, not quite half the electorate. He got one-third of
the vote from self-described liberals, and had roughly equal backing
from independents and Democrats.

The exit polls were conducted for The Associated Press by Edison Media
Research and Mitofsky International.

About six in 10 voters who said experience was important voted for
Kerry, and six in 10 who said the ability to beat President Bush was
important went for Kerry. More than half of his supporters said they
made up their mind in the last week.