Film shows McCain's release from Vietnamese prison

[FormerBondFan]

By MALIN RISING, Associated Press Writer 52 minutes ago

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Previously unseen footage emerged Thursday showing Republican presidential candidate John McCain as a proud, stoic prisoner of war in Hanoi on the day his Vietnamese captors released him to the U.S. military.

A former reporter from Swedish broadcaster SVT, 71-year-old Erik Eriksson, told The Associated Press he found the video in the network's archives while researching a book he was writing about his experiences as a Vietnam War correspondent.

The footage was filmed by a North Vietnamese photographer with whom Eriksson had contracted to film the release of U.S. prisoners of war.

AP Television News acquired exclusive worldwide distribution rights to the SVT footage from March 14, 1973, and edited it into a 2-minute, 14-second video of a remarkable day in the life of the Republican candidate. SVT posted a 39-second clip on its Web site.

The AP footage begins with prisoners being led out of a Hanoi compound one by one, then climbing onto buses taking them to the handover area. Each prisoner is dressed in identical blue-gray, long-sleeved shirts and dark pants, and carries a beige jacket. Up to 16 U.S. POWs are seen.

McCain grimaces as he steps off a bus with other prisoners. He has a pronounced limp and needs to put both feet on the same step before continuing but is not using crutches.

The prisoners stand in rows until a Vietnamese official calls their name. McCain, like other prisoners, briskly walks up to salute and shake hands with U.S. military officers. Although only 37, he has prematurely white hair. Then the prisoners are seen walking to a U.S. plane.

APTN kept to the chronological order of the video.

"This summer when I was preparing the release of my book we were putting together a DVD with some of my reports from Vietnam and then I thought, 'I wonder if we have McCain here?'" Eriksson said.

Per Yng, head of SVT's national news, confirmed that Eriksson found the film in the network's archives. "It's our material. So we can confirm its authenticity," Yng said.

Yng could not confirm the exact date, but the AP was able to by matching the footage with black-and-white AP photographs taken of the POW release.

Eriksson said he covered the Vietnam War for SVT as well as U.S. television networks CBS and NBC. He explained that in February 1973, he was in Hanoi filming the release of the first American pilot prisoners, but had to return home to edit the film "because it was the first release that was sensational."

"However, we knew that more prisoners would probably be released shortly, so we left a camera and lots of film with a North Vietnamese photographer and asked him to film all the releases of U.S. prisoners," Eriksson said.

Eriksson could not recall the name of the Vietnamese cameraman and said he had not been in contact with him after finding the clip.

[Kristatos]

Did you know McCain was a prisoner of war? He doesn't like to talk about it much

[stockslivevan]

Did you know McCain was a prisoner of war? He doesn't like to talk about it much

I think that's low. Bragging about a time of pain just to get a couple of voters to think "Gee he's a tough guy, I wanna vote for him!" Give me a break. I wish he could explain himself why he's suited for serving as president TODAY rather than discussing how he was back in the day. The Republic National Convention was nothing more than a bunch of supporters delivering the exact same speech "McCain was in POW camps", "McCain is a survivor", "McCain did this 30 years ago", "Hey did you know he's a POW?", "Vote for a war hero!"

Remember when the republicans not only criticized John Kerry for harping about his time at war, but they also tried belittling his "war hero cred" and now they're doing exactly what Kerry is doing with McCain and think they can get away with it because they think everyone is idiotic enough not to notice? This is why I hate having two parties always opposing eachother rather than working together. Sure both sides may claim "we should work together" everytime the election is rolling in but they're only saying that to get more voters to believe in that "unification" card. President Bush promised the same exact thing at his convention in 2000, so why is he and his supporters still bad mouthing the democrats? At least the democrats have the right to badmouth them after eight years of republicans running the administration didn't seem to help matters. We're stuck on Iraq, who's fault is that? Not the democrats, what are you gonna do? They're trying to stay in the war and hope they win it just to save face rather than back out and have the Iraq war in US history as a failure and be connected to it. It's all about trying to save face than dealing with reality for these people.

[Kristatos]

We're stuck on Iraq, who's fault is that? Not the democrats, what are you gonna do? They're trying to stay in the war and hope they win it just to save face rather than back out and have the Iraq war in US history as a failure and be connected to it. It's all about trying to save face than dealing with reality for these people.

I think you let congressional Democrats off too lightly, they have been so weak in their opposition as to be virtually complicit. I don't think I'll ever forgive Nancy Pelosi for that "impeachment is off the table" remark. It made it very clear to the Republicans that they could go on doing whatever they like and the Dems would turn a blind eye.

[Dr. No]

Remember when the republicans not only criticized John Kerry for harping about his time at war, but they also tried belittling his "war hero cred" and now they're doing exactly what Kerry is doing with McCain and think they can get away with it because they think everyone is idiotic enough not to notice?

McCain has video tape evidence and that is waht rules in this age. If the tv news can lead with video footage, the rest doesn't matter.

Does anybody remember how the RNC tore MccAin an new one in 2000 when the decided bush jr was their guy?
there was wild stuff from half black baby, to questioning his military record. why did he crash so many jets? was one of the questions. All of this to defend a guy who kept "CHARLIE" out of north TEXAS in the national guard.

This is why I hate having two parties always opposing eachother rather than working together. Sure both sides may claim "we should work together" everytime the election is rolling in but they're only saying that to get more voters to believe in that "unification" card. President Bush promised the same exact thing at his convention in 2000, so why is he and his supporters still bad mouthing the democrats? At least the democrats have the right to badmouth them after eight years of republicans running the administration didn't seem to help matters.

Couldn't agree more

We're stuck on Iraq, who's fault is that? Not the democrats, what are you gonna do? They're trying to stay in the war and hope they win it just to save face rather than back out and have the Iraq war in US history as a failure and be connected to it. It's all about trying to save face than dealing with reality for these people.

Have to disagree here.
I know people fighting there, the war is won in Iraq. All but done. It not to bush's credit, or mccain or obama's.
The generals finally got to get the job done. Bush held back and kept bad advisers on for too long. Ironic but early in the iraq ground war there was a lot or diplomacy BS trying to unite the tribes. The tribes wouldn't unite until the major threats were out of the way and stability was possible, not the other way around as bush tried it.
can't tell you how disgusted I am by how that was was handled.

The problem I see wiht teh DNC strategy is back in 2002-2003 they decided to run and anti-patriotic is patriotic and only true patriots question there government. IMO it is good to question the government but it feed in to the far left fringe. the DNC did it because they could see a RNC lock on the "we can protect you. war on terror!" PR for the next 20 years.

I strongly believe that if the Democrats had run stronger on defense they could have won in 2004. Kerry's problem was he was too d**n wishy-washy. He should have said "screw the left fringe" "get behind me they are botching things ! I will lead us to a stronger safer America! victory is the only answer. I will make stronger alliances and make sure we have the victory we need!"
He didn't say that instead he came off as a stuck up and foreigner friendly. The kiss of death in a US election. Hell he had folks from the UK writing to us citizens begging them to vote for kerry, nothing pisses Americans off faster than a brit telling us what to do

[Kristatos]

All of this to defend a guy who kept "CHARLIE" out of north TEXAS in the national guard.

I thought he brought Charlie into North Texas. Or at least knew a guy who did.

[Dr. No]

well mccain is trumping up the wounded veteran, fine he did it and was it. but the hypocrisy is thick in the rnc, the same people who trashed mccain in 2000 and kerry in 2004 are now yelling at the top of their lungs that macain is a hero.

The opposition is trying to play up he broke under interrogation and is a traitor.
They are also trying to play up Mcain dsn't use email, bad move because he can then say he dosn't use email because he can't. they broke his fingers while they tortured him

[Kristatos]

The opposition is trying to play up he broke under interrogation and is a traitor.
They are also trying to play up Mcain dsn't use email, bad move because he can then say he dosn't use email because he can't. they broke his fingers while they tortured him

I have an e-mail buddy with no arms at all, so that excuse won't fly. Has he never heard of speech recognition software?

[Dr. No]

true. I think he uses his wife as his speech translator translator.

But he has gotta want to use the whatever the alternatives are, i don't think he cares. I do think he makes uses of the new technology, communications and so, through underlings. Aids and interns who's job it is to keep him informed and reply back. Same for Barack . Personally I don't want our president to waste time on the computer. But he should know how the technology works and how it influences the world around us
Bill Clinton would have never done anything if internet porn was the way it is now during 90s