SwiftVets.com

[soccer4ever]

I would post a link, but i got this via email:

Nightline Daily E-Mail
August 9, 2004

TONIGHT'S FOCUS: Service in the Vietnam War, or lack of service, has become an issue in this election. John Kerry is running on his service record, the President is still dogged by questions about his service in the National Guard. Now there are veterans for Kerry, and veterans against him.

I am amazed at how angry people are these days. There is a group out there called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. They have launched an ad attacking John Kerry's service in Vietnam. They have paid to run the ad in only three states, figuring, quite correctly, that they would get lots of free coverage on news shows. Now there are some interesting things about this group. There are connections to the Republican Party, one of the veterans who had written a glowing assessment of Kerry back in Vietnam signed an affidavit attacking him, then sort of retracted that in a newspaper interview, and then apparently retracted the retraction.

Now I say people are angry because we have gotten a number of e-mails, starting the day the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth began their campaign, accusing us of all sorts of bias and worse for not investigating their claims. Whatever happened to patience? We wanted to investigate, but that takes a little time, but these days, unless there is some sort of instant response, it's clearly evidence of a conspiracy, or bias, or worse. Not sure what the "worse" is, but it seemed like a good way to end the sentence. I am increasingly convinced that we have lost something important in this country, and that's the capacity for honest disagreement. These days it's not enough that you have to prove the other person is wrong, you have to attack them and prove that they are a bad person for being wrong.

In any case, we're going to take a look at all this tonight. Correspondent Jake Tapper will take a look at the dispute, the dueling groups of swift boat veterans, and the political connections on both sides. He'll also try to sort out the accuracy of the claims on both sides, although, as I said above, I don't expect that to satisfy anyone. And I don't say that with any happiness. Correspondent Mike Cerre, himself a veteran of Vietnam, will look at the split within the Vietnam veteran community as a whole. And does this dispute matter to other voters?

Michel Martin will anchor tonight. Will we answer people's questions about this? That's certainly our intention. Will we bring back civility to this debate, or any other? I'm not that naïve.

Leroy Sievers and the Nightline Staff
Nightline Offices
ABC News Washington Bureau
_________________
Share the passion: http://www.MLSnet.com

[justamom]

OH YES OH YES OH YES!!!!

While I know it's really too soon to get so excited, one can hope right?

Perhaps tonight will prove a test for this country's media - ARE they willing to put aside their bias and show some respect for the intelligence of the american voter? ARE they truly willing to look honestly, fairly, accurately at both sides of an issue and present to us the FACTS so that we can decide for ourselves (rather than thinking they must influence us or we can't/won't make the right choice)?

I hope this won't prove to be a "pretend" investigation - trying to appear as if they're giving all the facts - but adding the usual subtle hint of "spin" leaving people just as confused/uncertain as they were to begin with.

Here's to hoping (against hope) that ABC will do the right thing tonight and, as a result, the rest of the media will follow suit!

THANKS SWIFT BOAT VETERANS! THIS WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING IF NOT FOR YOU!!!

[Grampa]

I predict the Kerry side will get the kid gloves treatment, the SBVT side will get the hammer and that key info will be ignored and left out to make Kerry look good and make SBVT look like hacks.
_________________
Iraqi Freedom 2003-2004. We won't take any of that 1960s crap when We come home!

[hanna]

I may be awfully cynical......but I expect a well spun hatchet job out of this........we'll see;/

[neverforget]

I agree; the writer gave it away in the first sentence or two.

[GuitarJon]

I love how the wording is so subversive in that article. If the Vets point out their view or the truth it's "attacking" John Kerry.
But when the other side does it.. it's simply them "expressing their view or outrage".

I'm new here,, and I am 100% behind the SBVT members. My father served for 14 years in the army. I had 2 brothers in the army as well.
I'm 38 years old and although I never served I always had and still have a deep respect for anyone willing to put on the uniform and go to war.

I believe the SBVT members are truly courageous for coming out with this.

God Bless,

Jon
_________________
United States of America, The greatest country on Earth!!

[Lily]

I think it's obvious from the tone of this email what the spin of the story will be. What's more interesting to me is that the SBVT story is not going away this is a story with legs. Who would have thought a week ago Nightline would spend an entire show discussing whether or not claims about John Kerry's military record are true.

[4moreyears]

[soccer4ever]

Nightline does reach a different demographic than FoxNews, MSNBC, etc.

So it's great news for us even if they spin the Dem propaganda.
_________________
Share the passion: http://www.MLSnet.com

[Lily]

In a sense that's true, stories are kept alive and have legs when there is a different spin put on the story. Today the lead story is Christmas in Cambodia, last week it was the new SBVT ad. What's important is that Kerry's record is being explored something people were not allowed to do before.

[forgivenjojo]

We must not get sleepy and resort to autopilot, we must continue to grease the wheels and push the machine to press out the truth.

[lrb111]

Here are the leftist talking points.
http://www.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/080504_truth.html

Might as well print them off and check them as they use them.
_________________
said Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe. "It is inexcusable to mock service and sacrifice."
well, when even the DNC can see it,,,,, then kerry is toast.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

[You GottaBeKidding]

It's all "was not a crewmate".