Posted 10:46 PM by Robert

Undiscovered Checks

The Swiftee assault on John Kerry's record represents reanimation of just one of several skeletons lurking in the Senator's closet, with the others for the moment slipping from public attention. But the others are probably destined to emerge at some point, perhaps to paralyze his campaign as the Swiftees have done. Some "forgotten" examples:

John Kerry has cancer (or, to use the current euphemism, he "is a cancer survivor")and many other health issues that have not been fully disclosed. Indeed, Senator Kerry's health difficulties seem to be more serious than those of Vice President Cheney - whose health issues the Democrats have tried to make a campaign issue. It is worth recalling, for example, that former Sen. Paul E. Tsongas, who rebounded from cancer to briefly become the Democratic presidential front-runner in 1992, died [at age] 55. Tsongas ... with a liver problem related to his cancer treatments and later developed pneumonia, died at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He died free of cancer the hospital said. .... [H]e declared himself cancer free after being one of the first 100 people to undergo a grueling, experimental transplant in which his own bone marrow was removed and later reintroduced into his body.

John Kerry has not released either his full military or his health records.

Teresa Kerry's tax returns remain undisclosed.

Court records for John Kerry's divorce from his first wife have not been disclosed.

This is not a complete list. But it is remarkable how much Senator Kerry appears to be relying on his ability to keep information from the voters. There is a strong tendency for this kind of information to find its way out, one way or the other - sometimes in not very savory, ethical or even legal ways. But it does tend to happen.

Just ask George Bush about that DUI incident.