SwiftVets.com

[GoophyDog]

The door was opened. The Paris trip was mentioned. I'm sure there's going to be at least one outlet that, on review, see/hears that and goes HUH?
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Why ask? Because it needs asking.

[TEWSPilot]

O'Reilly is still hung up on "Primary Sources" as he calls them, and he weighs the accounts of 8 of the 10 who actually served on Kerry's boat plus Rassman more than he does the 250 others who served "with" Kerry and some who commanded him. These are the ones who travel around with Kerry (which should call their objectivity into question) and support his version of accounts, and not all of them support him both as a commanding officer and for President. Of the 10 who served on his boat with him, one crewmember is deceased, one has given SWORN first hand testimony against Kerry's versions of events, most served on his boat only a few days to a few weeks, Rassman was only a passenger on his boat for a short time, yet O'Reilly still emphasizes the handful over the many who knew him for much longer, many who were there before he arrived and were there after he left. O'Reilly needs to understand that being on a boat beside someone can often provide a better perspective to observe the person and his actions. I know from experience that is the case in flying formation, and I would assume it holds for driving boats as well.

Too bad John O'Neill was not allowed time to point out that Rassman originally claimed to be a member of Kerry's swiftboat crew (corrected rather quickly early on in an interview with a Foxnews reporter of all people) and that in one version he was on the #3 boat and in another version he was on Kerry's boat (did anyone ever figure out what a Special Forces field unit Awards and Decorations Officer was even doing on a swiftboat mission?). He has also said all boats fled, but even the Kerry campaign has admitted that only Kerry's boat left and later returned. In one account of his rescue, he said that Kerry reached down a bloody arm to rescue him and in another account, Kerry jumped into the water. He has never acknowledged that another boat was just yards away picking up others and would have picked him up next had Kerry not swooped in and "saved his life". This is a credible "Primary Source", Mr. O'Reilly? Even O'Reilly had to acknowledge the FACT that only Kerry's boat left. As John O'Neill pointed out, being in the water and hearing outgoing fire from all boats could have confused Rassman that there may have been incoming fire. He also spent a lot of time underwater, and he likely was disoriented by having just fallen off a boat.

Perhaps John O'Neill's strongest attribute was his calmness and the unemotional and clear answers that have become his trademark. If O'Reilly had a club under his chair in anticipation of using it to control John O'Neill if he started arguing, he realized pretty quickly he wasn't going to get a chance to use it -- unless it would be on himself to clear the predjudice out of his own brain.

Maybe Bill O'Reilly will finally stop slandering the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, but as someone pointed out, he is a friend of John Kerry, and John Kerry is known for surrounding himself with persons of "questionable honesty". Hopefully, Bill O'Reilly is the exception to the rule.
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[Stevie]

cipher

yep, these people are fast... I type slow .... and have to think - that slows me down

tho, I have set up my computer in my bedroom in front of the tv.... only because it's the only room w/ air conditioning and the only space in this room for it! I didn't know when I did it how helpful it would be - I wasn't on the forum yet! it really works out well... and I don't thnk I'll move it back to the other room when the temps go down here in AZ

[zinfella]

Man, it's impossible to understand that everyone who posted to this thread saw the same show.
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No whiners!

[Billman]

The most hilarious aspect for me was O'Reilly's "new information we've uncovered", which he'd earlier touted on the radio show. It was all old news or trivial:

* Kerry's Yale commencement speech demonstrates he was anti-war well before Vietnam
* Some irrelevant comment from Hackworth
* There was some medal inflation in Vietnam v. WWII
* A new (?) comment from a highly-decorated officer, that Kerry served honorably in Vietnam but not afterwards with his antiwar comments

Yawn.

These were all dispensed with quickly in the opening few minutes - as O'Reilly made each point, O'Neill simply agreed, except on medal inflation within Swift units. He also pointed out the officer (didn't catch the name) wasn't present on most of Kerry's actions.

Overall impression? Strong showing, despite O'Reilly's smugness. There is no way - no possible way - O'Reilly could have been more supportive, let alone enthusiastic, given his earlier rash comments. It's just a fantasy to imagine otherwise. But not only has he turned around, some strong points were quietly made on this program, before millions of viewers.

Next step: encourage Bill to get Kerry on the show - Kathy Kay's earlier insight was brilliant!
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-- Bill in Seattle

[Misty]

[ASPB]

That's why he taught in a private High School after he graduated from college. There was a specific deferment for teachers. My Brother-in-law who now works for the DOD did the same thing.
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On Sale! Order in lots of 100 now at velero@rcn.com Free for the cost of shipping All profits (if any, especially now) go to Swiftvets. The author of "Sink Kerry Swiftly" ---ASPB

[IamHG]

I actually thought BOR did a pretty nice Job with O Neil. Especially considering the unfair critiques he had given [before] he read the book. I do not have the same lowly esteme for him as I do for Mathews.. I think Bill tried to [finally] be fair.

O Neil was as always.. superb !!
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[Hammer2]

Guys, cut Bill some slack. He has just begun his education on this issue. I am sure there are many of us here who started out sceptical but have had our minds changed by the facts.

I see BOR as a typical "Reagan Democrat". He calls himself an independent which I interpet as being a traditional Democrat who is disgusted by what his party has become. He has enough issues with the Republicans to not become one. In this he is much like Zell Miller.
He seems relatively balanced, most of the time, and how you see him seems to be related more to whose ox he is goring than anything else.

He does have some hot button issues that set him off. He loves this country, he dosen't like big corporations, he hates liars, and he hates cowards. His first read on the Swifties was that they were slimeing a decorated veteran. How would we feel about some group attacking Bob Dole's service? Right, but the folks let him know he was off base. So he dug deeper. Now it looks like he's realized he was too hasty. He's not ready to believe Kerry is the traitor most of us see him as, but look how far he has come from his initial position.

We need to understand that there are a lot of people just like Bill out there who are suspicious of what the Swifties are doing. Good solid traditional Americans. My family is full of people like Bill. My grandfathers and uncles were mostly Union men and Democrats, and lifelong autoworkers. Great people who don't have much use for the leftists running the Democratic party today. People who are very much like Bill, who comes from a family of steelworkers.

We just need to be patient, persuade gently, point them to the facts, and show them that we aren't a bunch of kooks - they'll come around. Look what a difference there is already!
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"An armed society is a polite society" - Thomas Jefferson
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[jrsdad]

[85 Scott]

I think O'Reilly's eyes may have been opened after he read Unfit For Command.

O'Reilly basically concluded that....

* Kerry was anti-war before he ever went to Vietnam
* Kerry likely exaggerated on his war record
* Kerry was 100% wrong to do what he did when he came back

Now I would loved to have had the 1971 assassination plot, the secret commie meetings, and that hideous cover on Kerry's anti-American book debated too - but overall, I thought the Swiftboats scored big.

I was expecting a "bunch of excuses" from O'Reilly too. But except for saying that both Bush and Kerry were patriots for their service, I thought O'Reilly made Kerry look bad.

And by mentioning Kerry's anti-war speeches at Yale, I think many viewers will conclude that Kerry may have gone to Vietnam with a pre-conceived "add war on resume" agenda for later political exploitation.

[Spiess]

Perhaps a bunch of us should write a "piffy" question.
What the hell did he say about Paris and dealing with the enemy?

[ccwebb]

I had taped BOR and just saw the O'Neill interview.

I didn't put a stopwatch on it but I would guess that Bill O'Reilly did 90-95% of the talking and O'Neill the remainder. That is hardly an interview.

It reminded me of a court deposition where O'Neill was basically restricted to yes/no answers. Whenever O'Neill tried to elaborate he was cut off by BOR. And the points he did get in went right by BOR.

To me, it was obvious that BOR was trying to get this interview past him ( he said he'd received a lot of flack from swifties,etc), I thought BOR was smug and dismissive. BOR failed to consider that a person who lied and cheated and defamed vets was now running for president and CIC.

Charlie

[Bernard Cullen]

Take the win. Mr. O'Neill did a great job. BOR was as "open" as you could reasonably expect given his past comments.

Now the issue is the next Ads and most importantly the placement of these Ads. Fox is largely for the converted. We need a broader audience. Fortunately MNF will soon be here and that is definitely a place to go, along with 60 Minutes. But this means big $$. Is it feasible?

Bernie

[leeinwv]

I am glad Bill didn't go at him with rage. I think Bill has changed his mind a little. I just think it is more important than he acted like it was. This man is running for president and I don't think he has changed much now