http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/na...ts29jul29.storyCrewmates Attest to Kerry's Mettle as Wartime Commander
By Maria L. La Ganga, Times Staff Writer
BOSTON — Fred Short only needs two minutes. He'll take more if you give it to him, but it's not really necessary.
The abridged version of his harrowing tale, delivered in a honeyed Arkansas drawl, has been honed to accomplish the tasks at hand: burnishing Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry's national security credentials, showcasing his humanity and defending against attacks on his Vietnam War record.
"In 1969, I was Sen. Kerry's gun mate atop of the Swift boat in Vietnam," he told the Mississippi delegation at a Democratic National Convention breakfast. "And I just wanted to let everyone know that, contrary to all the rumors that you might hear from the other side, Sen. Kerry's blood is red, not blue. I know, I've seen it."
The campaign is betting that the mettle of the candidate, as seen through the eyes of Short and other former crewmates, will help erode the Republicans' traditional strength on foreign policy and cut into voters' belief, as reflected in many polls, that President Bush is better equipped to handle the war on terrorism.