all right phishy...as to your points numbered:

1)" I find his war\post war actions to be more slimy than GWs"

so....ever seen the movie 'born on the fourth of july'? guy goes to vietnam ready to die for his country, gets there sees what a mess it is, gets wounded (badly), comes home and protests the war....

you find excercising your rights as an american (free speech) 'slimy'? . you don't have to agree with the message or even the delivery but you do HAVE to respect the excercise.

Probably the most repected pow from the vietnam era (McCain) doesn't hold that excercise against Kerry. Why should he? That is the very principle they were over there fighting to protect.

Key words...'were over there'.

If you are simply going to base your opinion on the facts as they are credibly known, the best you can do is rely on the military records, no? Everything after that is purely analysis, capable of being spun in either direction.

The miltary records are quite clear that Kerry was in vietnam, medals and awards notwithstanding.

The records for Bouche are at best, thin. All you can tell me with certainty is that he was in the national guard. Show me something that proves with at least the credibility of the military record WHERE Bouche WAS while he was in the guard and what he DID while he was there.

I mean, its the military, there has to be some paperwork around somewhere, right? RIGHT?

I'll address your second point a bit later.