SwiftVets.com

[JK]

Editorial in my home town paper on August 15th...


The clever Kumbaya intellectuals at the Democratic Party have publicly embraced neo-communist Michael Moore's factually challenged propaganda documentary. Even the John Kerry campaign recently used Moore-generated scenes to smear the president.

But when more than 200 decorated veterans created a one-minute TV spot expressing their views on the John Kerry war record, ringleader Terry McAuliffe of the DNC and flunkies squawk for the White House to declare war on these "partisan liars."

I am sure that a character-assassination campaign is planned against "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," in time for the release of the book "Unfit for Command."

A counterattack has already begun in an e-mail campaign titled "Swift Boat Vets are Dishonest, Dishonorable, Unpatriotic Liars," from a group that calls itself the "Patriotic Veterans for Truth."

Once again, the liberals' slogan appears to be "Don't let the facts get in the way of attacks."

The one thing the Democratic Party owed America this campaign season was a candidate credible on the global war on terrorism. The Democrats needed their own Tony Blair, a fellow who's a big socialist when it comes to big government, more taxes, health and education and the other nanny-state hooey but believes in a strong execution of the war on terror.

Nevertheless, that is not how the isolationist Democratic Party backroom schemers saw John Kerry. Since a credible war president was not important to them, they looked at the war on terror merely as a Bush wedge issue to be neutralized; they figured their best shot at neutralizing it was Lt. Kerry on a Swift boat.

Meanwhile veterans and Americans in general mostly despise Mr. Kerry for riding the "war, what is it good for -- absolutely nothing" movement to celebrity status.

Most of these former Navy men in the anti-Kerry book and TV ad are also Patrol Craft Fast (PCF) or Swift boat commanders. If being a Swiftee is the most important thing in American life, why are all these "Swift Boat Veterans For Truth" less entitled to be heard than John Kerry?

If I understand the rules of Campaign 2004, every time any member of the administration says anything about the war on terror, he/she is accused by the Kerry Democrats of shamelessly "politicizing." After all, as everyone from Al Sharpton to Max Cleland to Jesse Jackson to Bill Clinton has assured us, being a Swift boat lieutenant (junior grade) for 3 1/2 months is the indispensable qualification for being president and commander-in-chief of the most powerful military force in history.

Apparently, it's Bush's fault that only one of the 22 surviving Swift boat officers who served with Mr. Kerry are willing to support him, and that a big bunch of the remaining Swiftees feel strongly enough about his conduct 35 years ago to appear in one of the most remarkable political ads ever seen.
Jose ManuelAlvarez
PORT READING NJ