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<DIV>All,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I've been an ABB (anybody but Bush) fan since way before the democrats
picked a candidate. This article troubles me. I'm still in the ABB party and
wish we could wage a successful write in for John McCain. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dick Schmidt</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>From the Chicago Sun Times</STRONG></DIV>
<H2>Kerry citation a 'total mystery' to ex-Navy chief </H2><FONT
face=arial,helvetica,sans-serif size=2>
<P>
<P><I>August 28, 2004</I>
<P><B>BY THOMAS LIPSCOMB </B><!-- Empty line is needed -->
<P>
<P><!--publication CST --><!--pub_section NWS page 14 last modified 8/27/04 9:26 PM-->
<P>Former Navy Secretary John Lehman has no idea where a Silver Star citation
displayed on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's campaign Web site came
from, he said Friday. The citation appears over Lehman's signature.
<P>"It is a total mystery to me. I never saw it. I never signed it. I never
approved it. And the additional language it contains was not written by me," he
said.
<P>The additional language varied from the two previous citations, signed first
by Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and then Adm. John Hyland, which themselves differ. The new
material added in the Lehman citation reads in part: "By his brave actions, bold
initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant (jg) Kerry reflected
great credit upon himself...."
<P>Asked how the citation could have been executed over his signature without
his knowledge, Lehman said: "I have no idea. I can only imagine they were signed
by an autopen." The autopen is a device often used in the routine execution of
executive documents in government.
<P>Kerry senior adviser Michael Meehan could not be reached for comment on
Kerry's records.</P></FONT></BODY></HTML>