SwiftVets.com

[fortdixlover]

A fascinating expose of the stunning silence of the networks regarding SBVT.

I make a long-term prediction here: the SBVT saga as documented below will form the nucleus of a powerful series of additional documentaries exposing the severe, severe bias and ideological leanings of the non-elected totalitarians known as the "media."

FDL


Drudge's Power Lifts Swift Boat Veterans For Truth

http://www.washingtondispatch.com/opinion/article_9760.shtml

Editorial by CK Rairden
August 9, 2004

A powerful story was born on The Drudge Report last week that old media has largely ignored. A non-profit group of Viet Nam war veterans formed a group for the sole purpose of stopping Democrat presidential nominee John Kerry from achieving the highest office in the land. They named it “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” Some served with Kerry and want to share their opinions from over thirty years ago. While that should be ridiculous on the surface it’s more than fair, as Mr. Kerry has built his campaign largely on his Viet Nam service.

The group got into full swing last week, releasing one of the most powerful ads in the history of modern day politics. It was only available on the Internet for the first few days, and then released in three strategic markets. It hammered Mr. Kerry with some powerful charges from his fellow veterans. The ad begins with Kerry’s running mate Senator John Edwards asking, "If you have any question about what John Kerry is made of, just spend 3 minutes with the men who served with him."

Some of those men then let loose with some incendiary charges.

Their faces are shown on the screen and their words echo, "He is lying about his record…I know John Kerry is lying about his first Purple Heart because I treated him for that injury… "John Kerry lied to get his bronze star ... I know, I was there, I saw what happened…"His account of what happened and what actually happened are the difference between night and day…I served with John Kerry, John Kerry cannot be trusted."

Lies, liars and more lies--it almost sounds like an Al Franken book. One would expect the old media would give them the same royal treatment they gave Franken when he released his book, right? Hardly. The story has gone largely ignored in the old media circles. Matt Drudge first noted last week that the group had made this powerful political ad and linked to it on his Website. It bounced around the Internet and caught fire, but still old media ignored it.

Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Neal Boortz, Hugh Hewitt, Michael Medved and the rest of talk radio then grabbed it and gave it hours of radio programming, pontificating and even interviewing many of the Swift Vets who desperately wanted to get their story in front of as many Americans as possible. Coinciding with the ad release is an upcoming book called “Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry.” The book is currently number one on Amazon.Com. For those not keeping score, this group now had a powerhouse ad running and a book coming out that is number one. They are the talk of the water cooler in offices and on Internet bulletin boards. It’s a story on fire. So--is old media ready to jump on board? Absolutely not--none of the group is scheduled or has appeared on network television. In fact, political heavyweights and old media giants attempted to stop the ad.

Arizona Senator John McCain tried, immediately coming out and releasing a statement calling the ad "dishonest and dishonorable" even though there is no way he could have know whether it was or not. John Kerry and the DNC tried to stop the ad, dispatching attorneys to draft a letter to television stations telling them not to run the ad. One station, (WBAY Channel 2, in Green Bay, Wisconsin) decided not to run the ads. One of the old media kings, The Boston Globe did write something on the group, though it was a negative article by Globe writer Michael Kranish that claimed Lieutenant Commander George Elliott was retracting his criticism of Mr. Kerry.

But the group was organized and dispatched a quick response and neutralized that with a signed affidavit from Mr. Elliott, ‘retracting the retraction.’

Expect the old media to get involved this week, but not in a favorable way. They will likely take a long hard look at the members of the Swift Vets and look for anything they can exploit in a negative manner. They have failed their consumers of news, ignoring a growing story because of what many believe is a built in bias. It has mattered little--yet. The incredible power of The Drudge Report gave this story life. Talk radio and the Internet blogosphere have given it legs.

But at some point for this to go nationwide, a brave old media network will have to report on this in an unbiased manner and allow a large number of consumers the opportunity to see whom they believe--John Kerry or “The Swift Boat Veteran for the Truth.”

CK Rairden is the National Editor for The Washington Dispatch.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

What a terrific article!

I wrote to the author to thank him/her for finally affording these courageous men the respect that their effort warrants.

They are giving up their regular lives, (again!) in order to warn us that there is danger, ahead!
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother