"The
issue here, as I have heard it raised, is was he present and active on duty in
Alabama at the times he was supposed to be. . . . Just because you get an honorable
discharge does not in fact answer that question." --John Kerry, questioning
President Bush's military-service record, February 8, 2004
A good rule
in politics is that anyone who picks a fight ought to be prepared to finish it.
But having first questioned Mr. Bush's war service, and then made Vietnam the
core of his own campaign for President, Mr. Kerry now cries No mas! because other
Vietnam vets are assailing his behavior before and after that war. And, by the
way, Mr. Bush is supposedly honor bound to repudiate them.
We've tried
to avoid the medals-and-ribbons fight ourselves, except to warn Mr. Kerry that
he was courting precisely such scrutiny ("Kerry's
Medals Strategy," February 9). But now that the Senator is demanding that
the Federal Election Commission stifle his opponents' free speech, this one is
too rich to ignore.
What did Mr. Kerry expect, anyway? That claiming to
be a hero himself while accusing other veterans of "war crimes"--as he did back
in 1971 and has refused to take back ever since--would somehow go unanswered?
That when he raised the subject of one of America's most contentious modern events,
no one would meet him at the barricades? Mr. Kerry brought the whole thing up;
why is it Mr. Bush's obligation now to shut it down?
Simply because some
rich Bush-backers are funding Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is hardly an adequate
answer. Some rich Kerry-backers are spending far more to attack Mr. Bush's record,
and the Senator was only too happy to slipstream behind Michael Moore's smear
that Mr. Bush was a Vietnam-era "deserter."
In any case, anyone who spends
five minutes reading the Swift Boat Veterans' book ("Unfit for Command") will
quickly realize that their attack has nothing to do with Mr. Bush. This is all
about Mr. Kerry and what the veterans believe was his blood libel against their
service when he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the spring of 1971
that all American soldiers had committed war crimes as a matter of official policy.
"Crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at
all levels of command" were among his incendiary words.
Mr. Kerry has never
offered proof of those charges, yet he has never retracted them either. At his
recent coronation in Boston he managed the oxymoronic feat of celebrating both
his own war-fighting valor and his antiwar activities when he returned home. This
is why the Swifties are so incensed, and this is why no less than World War II
veteran Bob Dole joined the fray on the weekend to ask that Mr. Kerry apologize
for his unproven accusations.
As Bill Lannom of Grinnell, Iowa, one of
the Swifties, told the Washington Post last week: "He's telling untruths about
us and his character. He's talking about atrocities that didn't happen. And then
he's using that same experience to promote himself. He can't have it both ways."
We don't pretend to know the truth about how Mr. Kerry won his medals.
There's no doubt that he pulled Jim Rassmann from the water (as Mr.
Rassmann described recently in The Wall Street Journal), and that he put himself
in harm's way and deserves respect for it. There's also little doubt that he has
exaggerated some of his exploits--especially that Christmas in Cambodia sojourn
we now know never happened--even to the strange extent of restaging events while
in Vietnam so he could film them for political posterity. Modesty is not one of
his virtues, in contrast to Mr. Dole and other modern veteran candidates (George
McGovern, George H.W. Bush) who did not flaunt their noble service. But whatever
doubts still exist could probably be put to rest if Mr. Kerry simply released
all of his service records.
The "war crimes" canard isn't so easily handled,
however. It relates directly to our current effort in Iraq, where U.S. constancy
is as much an issue now as it was in Vietnam. Mr. Kerry's denunciation of the
U.S. at that time presaged a career in which he has always been quick to attack
the moral and military purposes of American policy--in Central America, against
the Soviet Union, and of course during the current Iraq War that he initially
voted for. It's certainly fair to wonder if Mr. Kerry will have the fortitude
to fight to victory in Iraq if he does win in November. Or will he call for retreat
the way he and so many other liberals did when Vietnam became difficult?
The
irony here is that a main reason Mr. Kerry has focused so much on Vietnam is to
avoid debating Iraq and the rest of his long record in the Senate. He wants Americans
to believe that a four-month wartime biography is credential enough to be commander-in-chief.
But a candidate who runs on biography can't merely pick the months of his life
that he likes--any more than a candidate who makes Vietnam the heart of his campaign
can confine the resulting debate to his personal home video.
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* * *
Concerning
Attempts to Stop the Swiftboat Ads - Stifling Free Speech
http://www.foxnews.com/foxfan/
- We Won't be Silenced - A Swift Boat Vet responds to the president's request,
and the lawsuits trying to shut them up.
* * *
John
Kerry just filed suit to withdraw SwiftVet Ads..... Then tell MoveOn and Soros
to cease and desist their hate spewing ads...they started it.
His
frantic, still futile attempts to silence these individuals' freedom of speech
still doesn't sink in to the power hungry. All I can see is another commie-oriented
dictator desperate to rise to ultimate control. Moreover, he is the biggest anti-gun
supporter in US History. [look that voting record up too: www.VoteSmart.com and
send THAT to the people you know who hunt, or who plan to vote for the beast.
God help us.
Cathy
*
* *
Concerning John Kerry's Legal Action Against Them...
He
can file all the law suits he wants until the cows come home but that's not going
to get them to pull the ad. If anything that's going to bring more attention to
it. The dude has brought more attention to himself by fighting to defend his "honor"
that he served in Vietnam than he has in campaigning. The money that he's spent
hasn't been in advertising, he's been too busy running his yap about other's and
blaming them. Lurch has been too busy trying to keep them shut up rather than
campaigning. Makes you wonder what he's got to hide doesn't it.
What
I find is funny here is Bush has been the quiet one of the bunch. Every time Lurch
says something negative about him or his background, there's no response. The
only time that there's been a response is when a comment came up about the budget
that he didn't go for and yet he flip flopped on it. Bush called him on it after
Kerry made a remark and that shut him up right quick after that. We've got 2 weeks
to go (there abouts) until the GOP convention and I can see the sparks getting
ready to fly in Lurch's direction like he's never seen them before. If it looks
like a duck, walks like a duck...well you know the rest.
Sue
* * *
The Slime Campaign
Has Begun.....Because the Truth won't do.
Former
FBI Agent Warns Swift Boat Vets - Gary Aldrich (archive) August 10, 2004
-
Also posted with permission on our Swiftboat
Vets page.
* * *
Smears
of Swift Vets .... MAINSTREAM MEDIA CONFIRMS EXISTENCE OF DEMS ''BROWN BOOK''
SMEARS OF SWIFTIES - CrushKerry.com - August
28, 2004
Dirtbaggers
- The Slime Offensive
- By The Prowler - Published 8/26/2004 &
NYDailyNews.com/front/story/
- August 24, 2004 / Ben Widdicombe and Jawn Murray
The Democrat
National Committee has prepared a full-scale assault against the Swift Boat Veterans
for Truth to draw their character and veracity into question, according to one
anonymous source inside the DNC. The campaign of character assassination is scheduled
to coincide with the release of the book Unfit for Command which reveals inconvenient
facts for the Kerry campaign. “We have prepared what we call ‘Brown Books’ that
contain damaging military records, personal credit histories, medical histories,
psychiatric histories, divorce records, you name it,” our source told us. "We've
got the goods on the Veterans who oppose Kerry."
A Reader
responds.....
What is happening now to the Swift Veterans is
the same thing Kerry did to them after his four months in Vietnams. He wants to
ruin them. Kerry is so far down in the gutter now with the truth from the Swift
Vets, he does what he usually does-turns things around like it's their fault.
Right now he's going crazy and going after not only the Swift Vets, but Rumsfeld.
He thinks he is deflecting everything away from himself and on others. IT IS NOT
WORKING! The Swift Vets are sticking to the issues. The more he goes after them,
in the wings are some Conservative Warriors with more ammunition. We all know,
the truth hurts but our guys are dealing with the truth. They're not like the
left who will dig up dirt to ruin people.. Kerry is in a panic mode. Believe me
the second Brigade is on their way and all the stuff kerry is hiding will come
to roost. In addition to our Swift Vets, there are many more on their way. If
Kerry continues his assault on the Swift Vet, how do you think they'll react.
They know the real Kerry and his end will be near. Instead of going in panic mode,
say some prayers for our Swift Vets and President Bush.
God
Bless. Arlene
* * *
Hypocrisy
Comments
On Kerry's Demand that Bush "Apologize for Swiftboat Ads, and stop them."
Apology
one sided. Now let's see, little fella Edwards and Traitor John want Bush to apologize
for ads he had nothing to do with. Myself, I think the Swift Vet's ads were great
because they are true. The radical left's attacks are like savages, no brains,
no hearts. Gee, I really had to stop and wonder if Kerry and the little guy ever
apologized for Whoopie "filthy mouth" Goldberg and her obscene comments about
President Bush? No, they didn't apologize. In fact Trator Johnsaid these filthy
mouth stars represented the heart and soul of America.
Now
I don't think he was talking about my America. The military represents the heart
and soul of America but during the entire DNC while Traitor John wrapped himself
in a flag that was once held upside down on his book cover, he never once mentioned
or thanked our military for serving. No it was no oversight, we know Traitor John
hates the military. I mean really all one has to do is hear his words after Vietnam
and all one has to do is check his voting record. He voted against every article
for defense.
Look, let's admit that this guy is a pathological
liar as he really doesn't know how to tell the truth. He has lied so much, he
can't remember what to cover up on. "Oh what webs we weave when one deceves."
Now Kerry through his Boston Globe is going on the attack mode after Bob Dole.
One must understand, the Boston Globe wants Kerry to get elected. Then maybe he
will attempt to get rid of media such as FOX, Washington Times and guys like Rush.
Kerry hates the truth. Kerry loves Hollywood and the way they atttack Bush on
his behalf. When you know the man as I do. He was Lt. Governor under Dukakis where
people lost their jobs and we were known as Taxachusetts. He is presently my Senator
and has been for 19 years but damned if I know of anything major he has ever accomplished.
And what about Kerry's other friend, Michael Moron who like
Kerry is a another pathological liar who turns 9-11 events into a movie. Yup,
that's Kerry's kind of man. No Kerry didn't ask Moore to apologize for ripping
Bush. And then there's the Big MOVE ON organization with George Soros and they're
doing their job for Traitor John in a big way with lots of money. Has Kerry asked
them to stop. No Way! And all the liberal talk shows supporting Traitor John who
ask conservatives to come on their shows and they they attack them by not allowing
them to speak. Oh I keep forgetting, freedom of speech is just for liberals..
They scram just as all liberals do when they hear the truth. It's sort of like
a bunch of vampires, but instead of light hitting them, it's the truth. They haven't
seen one truth from conservatives they like.
Kerry has his
own attack dog, Teresa who said shove it to a reporter. Did anyone tell the true
side of this story. No!
After giving a speech to the Pennsylvania
Democratic National Convention delegation about the importance of civility in
politics, Theresa Heinz-Kerry told a reporter to “shove it.” (video)
The exchange occured when a reporter questioned Heinz-Kerry
regarding a statement in her speech to the Pennsylvania delegation. Heinz-Kerry
told the delegation “We need to turn back some of the creeping, un-Pennsylvanian
and sometimes un-American traits that are coming into some of our politics… .”
When Colin McNickle, the editorial page editor of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,
asked Heinz-Kerry about what she meant by “un-American,” she denied having used
the word, and walked away from the reporter. Later, she cut back to the reporter,
asked him which newspaper he was with, accused him of putting words in her mouth,
and told him to “shove it.” Now that's an example of another liar in the family.
Imagine Laura our polished first lady ever saying shove it. Never!
Arlene
* * *
MoveOn direct links to DNC and
Kerry campaign - August 23, 2004
With all the left's accusations
of "collusion" between 527 unlimited soft money groups and the political parties
simply because some Republican donors have given to both Bush's campaign and the
Swift Vet group.... Not only is the accusation baseless, but the hypocrisy is
mind-boggling coming from MoveOn and Democrats.
The DNC and
Senator Leahy working directly with MoveOn - http://www.democrats.org/blog/display/00010183.html
Same
top MoveOn staffer Zack Exley hired by Kerry as one of his campaign directors
- http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-04-07-kerry-staffer_x.htm
Theresa Heinz-Kerry featured speaker at a large MoveOn House
Party http://blog.johnkerry.com/blog/archives/000871.html
And the new site sending out campaign kits to help elect John
Kerry, www.kerrykit.com registered to
MoveOn's Eli Pariser http://www.samspade.org/t/lookat?a=www.kerrykit.com
* * *
