SwiftVets.com

[sdmoel]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20041216/ap_on_el_pr/bush_kerry_managers
Cahill: Kerry Camp Underestimated Ads

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The campaign manager for Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites)'s failed presidential bid said Wednesday she regrets underestimating the impact of an attack advertisement that questioned Kerry's Vietnam War record.

Mary Beth Cahill, who spoke at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government with Ken Mehlman, President Bush (news - web sites)'s campaign manager, said the Massachusetts senator's campaign initially thought there would be "no reach" to the ad from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

Instead, the ad, which initially aired in just three states, became a central issue of the campaign, eventually forcing Kerry to personally deny the group's allegations that he did not deserve his combat medals.

"This is the best $40,000 investment made by any political group, but it was only because of the news coverage that it got where it did," she said.

"In hindsight, maybe we should have put Senator Kerry out earlier, perhaps we could have cut it off earlier."

Mehlman said that it was natural that the ad had the reach and impact it did, because Kerry decided to make his Vietnam record a central part of his campaign.

"Because Senator Kerry was so focused on that part of his biography, it came out as an issue," he said.

Mehlman acknowledged that Democrats scored points against Bush, such as raising the specter of a draft reinstatement, which got the attention of young voters.

"I think that was something that worked. It wasn't true, but it worked," he said.

The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group of Republican-funded Vietnam War veterans who patrolled the same Mekong Delta in Swift boats similar to the ones piloted by Navy Lt. John Kerry, challenged Kerry's accounts of his medal-winning service and anti-war protests.

In the first ad, former sailors who served on boats near Kerry's in Vietnam said he lied about his war record. In a second, veterans criticized his subsequent anti-war activities. A third attacked Kerry for throwing away the medals he earned in Vietnam.

Cahill said the Swift boat ads show the power of news coverage, particularly cable news stations, which she said amplified the ads by running them repeatedly.

She said it was frustrating that the first ad continued to eat up so much air time even after the central allegations were debunked.

"For me, this was a very big change. The fact that it was disproved and it was still shown every day as part of the (campaign) coverage," she said.

Cahill said if she could change one thing about the campaign it would be the timing of the conventions. By scheduling their convention about five weeks after the Democrats, the Republicans gained a fund-raising advantage and dominated the news going into the final stretch.

"That was a huge hill to get over," she said.

Both sides agreed the debates were a crucial moment in the campaign.

Mehlman said he felt Bush was comfortable because he had gone through similar debates in 2000 and had gained confidence as president.

Cahill said Kerry practiced "mock debate after mock debate" and tried to avoid political zingers given the seriousness of the debates while the country was at war.

"This was not an election where 'You're no John Kennedy' was going to turn a debate," she said referring to a quip used by Democratic vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen against Republican Dan Quayle (news - web sites) in a 1988 debate.

Both sides also agreed that the Internet and other emerging news technologies have transformed the political process by making it more democratic and encouraging more people to become involved.

Mod Edit: Change thread title to match article title

[Wescoot2]

Well at least they have admitted to 2 truths in this article.......The Swifties did sink Kerry's boat, and the other being that all the commotion about the draft was a Lie......and they admit that it was a LIE.......

As far as the debunking, well....LOL......all I can say is.......Thats a lot of BUNK......
_________________
If your Gonna Be One...Be a BIG RED ONE

No Mission To Difficult...No Sacrifice To Great...

DUTY FIRST

[tiptie]

Well, no, Mary Beth Cahill never admitted it was a lie. Ken Mehlman, Bush’s campaign manager stated that it was a lie. Read that article again.

Mary Beth is either in complete denial or is being lied to by Kerry himself. I suspect the later. Or a little of both.

They do not want to really dig into it and see the TRUTH. If they did, they would have to come to the conclusion that THEY were misled and were too gullible.

It is pretty hard for someone to admit that they are taken in, were too gullible, and deceived from the very start. It is hard to come to the conclusion that your “god”, your “hero”, is a liar, a fraud, a man responsible for millions of deaths, and a traitor to his own country.
_________________
"A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can put on his shoes." Mark Twain

USCG
61-69

[homesteader]

"Bullseye" tiptie, or as we old pilots would say "shack"! A dead on hit. You nailed it. If the loser's psychophants would spend just one hour honestly looking at what he said, what the Swifties and POWs said and what the loser himself has not release for review, they would be confronted with the Truth. They do not want do that as you so rightly observed. Deep in their hearts (if they have one) they know they were had. That is what makes it so much fun to watch them now. Aint it sweet.

[I B Squidly]

Cahill said

[MrJapan]

[happyday]

Hmmmm, seeing as they repeatedly said the Swiftees were connected with the Bush reelection campaign (another lie), I think they are in complete denial.

They can't imagine that skerry is anything but perfect, and as Teereeeza said, anyone that doesn't agree with her husband is crazy.

It didn't sound very democratic or reassuring to me then, and it still doesn't.

Just my opinion, respectfully submitted.
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God Bless America, and God Bless the Swiftees!

[Me#1You#10]

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