SwiftVets.com

Me#1You#10 · Site Admin Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 6503

Swift Boat Veterans will spend $500,000 in Minnesota
Greg Gordon, Star Tribune Washington
October 30, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Vietnam veterans group that has spent $19.5 million attacking John Kerry's military record and character bought $500,000 in Minnesota TV advertising time on Friday for the presidential campaign's final three days.

"We had some extra donations and figured that Minnesota would be a good place to put the money," said Chris LaCivita, a strategist for the Swift Boat Veterans and POWs for Truth.

Steven Schier, a Carleton College political scientist, said that "you wouldn't see an ad buy like this" if Minnesota were not "ground zero in the presidential race."

The ad buy is huge by Minnesota standards. Political campaigns in the state typically spend no more than $250,000 for a full week's advertising.

Minnesotans have seen some Swift Boat ads over cable television, but until now the group has not advertised locally in the state. It did, however, send 12- and 8-page mailings to 80,000 Minnesota households of military veterans in the past three weeks, part of a mailing to 1.2 million homes in 10 states, LaCivita said.

The mailings accused Kerry of lying about his military record, called him "unfit for command" and said he "cannot be trusted."

LaCivita said the TV ad will begin airing today on some stations. It will run through Monday in the Twin Cities, Duluth and Rochester.

The ad opens by panning the faces of Vietnam vets it says served with Kerry, who received a Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts during his service as a Navy Swift boat commander before returning home and becoming an anti-war leader.

Besides questioning Kerry's honesty, the ad says U.S. prisoners of war were tortured for "refusing to confess what John Kerry accused them of: being war criminals."

Bill Burton, a Kerry spokesman, said the Swift Boat Vets have "been discredited time and time again, but it's not surprising that they would bring this garbage up again close to Election Day."

He said the Navy, sailors who served directly with Kerry and the families of those "who died beside John Kerry have all verified John Kerry's brave service to his country."

Schier said the ad "trades on the credibility of these Swift Boat Vets, assumes that what they've been saying is accurate and begs the question of whether it is."

He said that he doubts the ad will offer enough details to sway undecided voters but that it should "really fire up" President Bush's base of core Republican backers.

Greg Gordon is at ggordon@mcclatchydc.com.

Minneapolis Star Tribune

dmackto · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 3:27 pm Post subject:

It'll sway undecided voters alright.
_________________
Deborah
The FROZEN CHICKEN Journal

This is no time for ease and comfort. It is the time to dare and endure.
- Winston Churchill

Fort Campbell · Vice Admiral Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 896

Good news here. This is what I contibuted to SwiftVets and POWs For Truth for in the first place ....................getting ads to those key swing states that will determine the outcome of this election. I fervently hope that you pull Minnesota.

mcknz · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 6:03 pm Post subject:

Excellent choice. If Bush doesn't win Ohio, then state like Minnesota become crucial.

WilliamShipley · Seaman Recruit Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Posts: 37

vet_supporter · Lt.Jg. Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 114

Interesting how the media always have the general dismissal:

ASPB · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 8:13 pm Post subject:

4moreyears · Former Member Joined: 08 Aug 2004 Posts: 591

DUH! Another kerry exaggeration...lie.
_________________

kerry returned to the United States on July 22, 1971, held a press conference publicly calling on President Nixon... for the surrender of the United States to North Vietnam.

Beatrice1000 · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 8:53 pm Post subject:

shadowy · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 8:57 pm Post subject:

Maybe they mean the family of the VC Kerry killed. Maybe they think he's a helluva guy.

If after the election any of those mailings are left over, I'd like to have one as a keepsake. Any chance they might be made available to donors if we send the postage?