SwiftVets.com

[Doc Jerry]

As usual, the Philadelphia Daily News loves to take shots at anyone who criticizes JFK. Those of you who know the facts can respond much better to this piece of trash better than I can. Please take the time to respond to this rag.

From today's Daily News (Aug. 17, 2004), "The Boo Brothers: Anti-Kerry Vets are shooting blanks." It reads:

"Here's an idea: Let's have a debate on the Vietnam-era service of John Kerry and George W. Bush.

The men who served with Kerry on his swift boat can tell their stories--and then the men who served with Bush in the National Guard in Alabama can tell theirs. Oh, that's right, there isn't one person who's yet come forward to say he remembers serving with Bush.

Then we get Jim Rassmann, the man Kerry pulled out from the river under fire (and for which action he was awarded the Bronze Star) to debate the men whom Bush saved...Guess not.

Instead, we have the "Swift Boat Veterans for the Truth," who have made the loathsome smear ad running in some states. They say that Kerry--and almost all of his crew members--lied about absolutely everything that happended in Vietnam. There's also a companion book, published by the righ-wing Regnery Press, which goes further, claiming that Kerry came close to being a traitor.

None of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth actually served with Kerry. The leader of the group, John O'Neil, who has been attacking Kerry since 1972, never met him in Vietnam. Jerry Corsi, his co-author, hs made outrageious anti-Muslim and anti-Catholic statements on a right-wing Web site. Kerry's commanding officer, George Elliott, retracted his criticism of Kerry to the Boston Globe, then reinstituted it. Louis Letson, who claims to have treated Kerry for the wound leading to his first (of three Purple Hearts), is not listed in the records. Quite a band of brothers.

The ad was produced by the same people who painted Sen. John McCain as a Vietnam-era Manchurian Candidate during his run against Bush in 2000. It was funded by Republican contributers. The White House refuses to condemn the ad, while claiming not to question Kerry's wartime record.

It's trash, unworthy of a response. Yet in a Drudge Report-Fox News driven world, the Kerry campaign's point-by-point response was wise--including the admission that Kerry was near, no in Cambodia on Christmas 1968, but also that he made a run into Cambodia in early 1969.

It isen't enough these days to decry "dishonest and dishonorable" campaigning. The Kerry campaign is using the Swift Boat Veterans ad as it own fund raisning tool--and it should."

The email address for these lowlifes is: Views@phillynews.com.

Please write.

[Curt]

Seems to me that this person is desperate to put anything out there that someone can cling onto. Unfortunately the american people know more on this issue than he does. This guy is trash and his employers must not be much more either. Its the Michael Moore article..lol.. I dont see why this would have to be responded too. Its BS and I do think a majority of people know it. I personally like the way O'Neil has gone about this story with the media.

Curt

[Theresa Alwood]

Wrote them...

Dear Sir

Must say that as a vet I think it is important that my fellow vets be heard! I am not affilated with swiftvets other than the fact that I have contributed money to their effort to expose John Kerry for who is.

I have also ready "Unfit for Command" by Mr. John O'Neill...WOW! EXPLOSIVE!!! How could anyone support or even begin to protect this man?

I served in the United States Air Force from 1979-1983 with a honorable discharge. My husband served in the United States Air Force from 1978-2000 and is on INR (Inactive Reserve until 2008) and we both feel it is important that the truth be told about John Kerry.

I have even e-mailed Senator McCain informing him in my unhappiness of his comments against the swiftvets. They (the swiftvets) feel it is their duty to inform their comrades and country of who John Kerry is. These men are honorable and do not need to be spat on again by their country.

I had to listen to the likes of Michael Moore and his propaganda movie and noone in the DNC INCLUDING John Kerry denounced their ads - matter of fact if I remember correctly Mr. Moore was up in the presidential box with former President Jimmy Carter. I heard no complaint from the DNC about the MILLIONS George Soros put into organizations like Moveon.org...so with ONE republican giving $100,000.00 is really irrelevant and small compared to how much money Mr. Soros gave.

Please. It is up to the media to REPORT the news and leave it up to us to decide who is telling the truth. I would take 254 swiftvets any day over John Kerry and his elite 10.
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Born to raise a little hell!

[Doc Jerry]

Curt:

I would agree with you if this was in a paper other than in the Philadelphia/NJ area. You'd be surprised how many yo-yos believe this stuff around here. This is the land of Mayor Street and Gov. McGreevey, need I say more (and McGreevey's polls have gone up since he announced his resignation).

The only way these guys get the message is to get hammered with letters.

PS: and many around here still think Mumia did not murder Philadelphia Police Officer Danny Faulkner.





Medics, we're there when you need us.

[You GottaBeKidding]

Done. Not only are these morons using the DNC talking points, they are still quoting the stuff that was disproved days ago.

[minnie presley]

I know this is getting off the topic, but after watching brit hume just now I am furious, they had wesley clark, this is the guy brought back from kosovo, and told to retire of be fired, he is now putting his 2 bit in and blaming GWB, also quoting mccain about the new ad the swiftvets are making today,we need to get a message and tell that loser to butt out

[Doc Jerry]

Minnie:

I saw that piece too. That's why we have to keep pressing.

[Sisku Hanne]

I did. They may be printing my response.

[Polaris]

Minnie,

I was actually snickering at the stupidity of the Kerry campaign. First Gen. Clarke denounces the swiftvets and endorses the MoveOn Ad just before Kerry himself denounces the MoveOn ad.

Couple that with the "Vice Chairman" fiasco, and this has been yet another embarrassing day for Kerry. More importantly, this was a leading NEWS story and for the first time the Kerry campaign is being forced to answer independant allegations rather than merely comment on the swiftvets.

I advise healthy doses of patience and advil. We will not tank Kerry overnight. We don't have to. This is Chinese water torture. All he have to do is force Kerry to shred his credibility one lie after another after another....and plant the seed of doubt about his Vietnam service and what came after. A seed of doubt is all we need because Kerry's Vietnam record is the only thing he has going for him.

In short, at this point any publicity is good publicity.


Why is Kerry making such a series of spectacular blunders?

IMHO (and this is based on comments from DU posters and similiar), the Kerry campaign doesn't understand the Swiftvets at all. He assumes that we are all GOP dirty tricks specialists.

The problem he will discover is that we're not. We're independant veterans and those that honor the same that can not stomache what Kerry does (not) stand for. At least in my not-so-humble opinion.
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-Polaris

Truth is Beauty

[integritycounts]

The Swiftvets should not bother to respond to all the willy nilly pissants that yap and yap without facts.

If you get into a mud fight with a moron, you are going to:
1. Get muddy
2. Be hanging out with morons.

Neither is a good thing

[Polaris]

People,

I agree with integrity. If you stoop to their level, then you meet them on even ground and then they beat you with experience. We're doing it right IMHO.
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-Polaris

Truth is Beauty

[Tony]

I tend to agree with Integritycounts....The dems may think the swift vets are slinging mud and taking the campaign discourse to new lows - but the reality is much different. The SBVT ad simply responds to topics and ideas that John Kerry introduced into this campaign. He wants us to consider his heroic service in Viet Nam as part of his qualification to be President but he wants us to overlook his VAW activities and anti-defense record in the Senate. Unfortunately for him, maybe this has backfired a bit.

People have quickly forgotten that earlier in the campaign, it was part of the Kerry strategy to trumpet his own Viet Nam service while the democratic attack dogs questioned George Bush's service. We don't hear much about GWB's service lately - it was what it was. John Kerry, on the other hand, seems to have a service record full of mystery and intrigue. Rewritten citations, more medals than a Gunny who served in 3 wars and selective release of some, but not all relevant records. When combined with the stuff they have released (the extremely poor junior officer fitness reports, for example) - you can't help but wonder what sort of man the Dems have put forth as their candidate.

Bottom line is to stay on target and fire for effect. A little counter-battery fire isn't going to do much damage, especially when delivered by this writer from the Phily news, who is obviously shooting BL&P.
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http://tonyk.smugmug.com/photos/1822816-L-1.jpg
USN 1983-1992

[MrBuzzcut]

The editorial constructs a straw man -- Bush never based his fitness for office on his service. Kerry's time in Vietnam is all he has offered as proving his worthiness for the job.

[hanna]

A response to an article in Views, in the Philadelphia Daily News, August 17, 2004

A debate concerning Kerry’s military service can certainly be undertaken but we must first set the stage for the debate.

1. Whatever Bush did or did not do has nothing to do with this. This is not a contest of who is best or who is worst. It is an examination of the character and integrity of John Kerry.

2. Who authored or co-authored the book Unfit for Command, is an irrelevant and lame attempt at avoiding the issues. Did Mr. Brinkley serve with Mr. Kerry in Vietnam? No of course not, so does that disqualify him from writing Tour of Duty, outlining Senator Kerry’s adventures in Vietnam? No, of course of doesn’t, he wrote the book because he is a talented and successful writer, not because he fought in a war.

3. You vilify the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth because a co-author has made some stupid remarks, and cannot accept the fact that he is a co-author simply because he is a talented writer, yet John Hurley who has been front and center supporting Senator Kerry, marched with Mr. Kerry in the Vietnam Veterans Against the War back in the 70’s.

4. It also appears that if a Republican donates money to a cause, other than your own, then they are doing so only to promote the Republican agenda. People are not allowed to have issues of their own unless they are tied to a political party, which is a ludicrous idea. If it is not, then beware Red Cross. If a Republican sends you money, you will be vilified.

5. By the same standard, only books, published by who support Democrats and Democratic causes are worthy of consideration.

6. You insist that President Bush renounce the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, yet Kerry and the Kerry camp refuse to renounce Michael Moore, Whoopie Goldberg, and Richard Clark.

7. Your contention that President Bush has the authority or the right to demand that the Swift Boat Vets for Truth pull the ad flies in the face of your constant blathering about loss of individual rights. To think that anyone would presume to think that the President, no matter who he is, could or would attempt to do such a thing is both horrifying and preposterous. But lo and behold, Kerry just did just that. Is that what we have to look forward to if Senator Saddam…oops, I mean Kerry, is President?

It seems that a person is not qualified to write a book, to publish a book, donate to a cause or to speak unless they proclaim themselves to be democrats.

Now that the above issues have been addressed, you should take the time to read the book and we can discuss that next week. In the meantime, ask your friend Senator Kerry to release ALL of his military records and his journals, which were the basis for Tour of Duty.

A short list of missing documents include:

 Substantiation for the first Purple Heart.

 The requests for the Bronze Star and Silver Star. (Not the citations, the requests)

 The two different versions of the Bronze and the three different versions of the Silver Star citations

 A page of the fitrep by CDR Streuli.

[minnie presley]

did anyone just see the bs on john kasish sitting in for oreilly with pasty face estrich, I am beginning to wonder about that guy, he thinks this is all old news happened 30 years ago and we should be talking about issues, I am going to e-mail that benedict arnold, of course, pasty face was agreeing with him and saying how great this advertising is for the dems, I don't know why fox have her on , the voice is enough to drive anyone to drink