Kerry courts veterans in Iowa

On the eve of Veteran’s Day, the Democratic presidential candidate who’s a Vietnam veteran is traveling the state with Iowa veterans who support his candidacy. John Kerry delivered a mid-day speech at the Iowa Paralyzed Veterans of America office in Des Moines.Kerry says Memorial Day is to honor veterans who died in battle, while Veterans Day is set aside to remember those who did make it back. Kerry says it’s time to increase government benefits for veterans who are disabled. Under present rules, if a veteran gets payments to cover expenses related to their disability, their military pension gets docked.Kerry says the “bond of honor” with veterans have been broken over and over by President Bush, who Kerry accuses of turning his back on veterans. Kerry says veterans need to fight for the change in military pension policy. Kerry says veterans know what fighting is all about, and every time obligations to veterans have been kept, Kerry says it’s because veterans “stayed together and pushed for it.” Kerry says America must “keep faith with those who’ve borne the brunt of battle.”Kerry traveled to Marshalltown to visit the Iowa Veterans Home this afternoon before heading for meetings with veterans in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City..