Monday, Feb. 7, 2005 10:13 a.m. EST
Kerry Hedges on Form 180
Sen. John Kerry reiterated his pledge on Monday to sign the form that would allow the government to release all his military records, but said he wanted to know exactly what was in his file before doing so.
"I have a stack of different material they sent me," Kerry told radio host Don Imus. "Every time they send me something I want to know what they sent me."
"I'll get it done," Kerry insisted in the next breath.
Last week the 2008 presidential hopeful suggested he wanted to review his full Navy file to make sure of "what is in the record and what isn't in the record" before signing Form 180.
"I'm going to sit down with them and make sure that they are clear and I am clear as to what is in the record and what isn't in the record and we'll put it out," he told "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert.
Kerry did not explain his reference to "what isn't in the record," though questions arose late in the campaign about why he received his honorable discharge six years after leaving the service.
Pressed earlier today on when he intended to sign Form 180, Kerry said only, "Shortly."
The full exchange went like this:
IMUS: You also told Tim that you would sign Form 180 releasing all of your military records. Have you done that?
KERRY: Yeah. We're gonna do that. Absolutely, I will. But listen, I also think ...
IMUS: When are you going to do that?
KERRY: As soon as I get, as required by the military, precisely ...
IMUS: Why don't you do it today?
KERRY; Because I have a stack of different material they sent me. Every time they send me something I want to know what they sent me. I'll get it done. ...
IMUS: By noon today?
KERRY: No. But shortly. [END OF EXCERPT
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