I hadn't intended on making Candidate Mxyzptlk a series of entries but off went John Kerry one way while recorded fact went another [emphasis mine]:

Contradicting his statements as a candidate for president, Sen. John Kerry claimed in a 1971 television interview that he threw away as many as nine of his combat medals to protest the war in Vietnam....Throughout his presidential campaign, Kerry has denied that he threw away any of his 11 medals during an anti-war protest in April, 1971. His campaign Web site calls it a "right wing fiction" and a smear. And in an interview with ABCNEWS' Peter Jennings last December, he said it was a "myth."

But Kerry told a much different story on Viewpoints. Asked about the anti-war veterans who threw their medals away, Kerry said "they decided to give them back to their country." Kerry was asked if he gave back the Bronze Star, Silver Star and three Purple Hearts he was awarded for combat duty as a Navy lieutenant in Vietnam. "Well, and above that, [I] gave back the others," he said.

The statement directly contradicts Kerry's most recent claims on the disputed subject to the Los Angeles Times last Friday. "I never ever implied that I did it, " Kerry told the newspaper, responding to the question of whether he threw away his medals in protest.

..."I'm proud of my medals. I always was proud of them," he told Jennings in December, adding that he had only thrown away his "ribbons" and the medals of two other veterans who could not attend the protest.

Reported by none other than ABC News, which has the distinction of being the most partisan of the broadcast networks by a fair margin. Link via Glenn Reynolds, who notes that Mickey Kaus is seeing the medal fib and raising the ante by a Patriot Act wiggle. Moral of the story: if you're following driving directions from John Kerry, whenever he tells you to turn left, turn right. More pertinent to the situation at hand, don't expect him to change his habits if elected president.

THIS IS JOHN KERRY: Drudge has the Good Morning America transcript. Bizarre. Unpresidential. Harboring questions about Bush is normal and can work within supporting him for reelection; it doesn't require choosing his inconsistent, even mendacious opponent. Can you understand my shock about this revelation from anyone but a partisan Democrat now?

A THOUGHT: The "ribbons versus medals" element was introduced by Kerry himself; whether employed intentionally or reflexively to deflect responsibility, the dichotomy is quite capable of reducing this otherwise serious contradiction into a minor or, worse, partisan quibble — especially if adversarial press agencies or pundits latch onto it. Kerry has also massaged the discrepancy, on one hand claiming only his ribbons were thrown but on the other, suggesting that they're all the same to the military. Tricky work. At the very least, Kerry benefits from what the definition of "medal" is. It's a blind alley, all to Kerry's advantage. I would guess he intends to exploit any dithering, so the bait should be ignored. Remember, this man is untrustworthy; not unintelligent.

YES, BUT NO: Via IP, Thomas Oliphant vouches for Kerry. But if what Oliphant says is true, why did Kerry claim he'd dumped the Bronze, Silver and Purple? And that contradicts another eyewitness, ABC's Charlie Gibson. As John Podhoretz says, "In 1971, he wanted people to think he had thrown away his medals. In 1984 and ever since, he has wanted people to know he had kept his medals."

Finally, while the Democrats shake their fists at "right-wing attack machines" for defaming Kerry's military service — despite the fact that ABC, of all parties, has been pushing this issue — Kerry and Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe impugn the president and vice president, respectively.