New at SwiftVets.com (re: enemy fire during Rassmann incident)

SwiftVets.com ^ | 08/19/2004 | Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

[Interesting Times]

August 19, 2004 -- Posted Swift Veteran statements in response to today's Washington Post article by Michael Dobbs, Records Counter a Critic of Kerry. Dobbs attempts to make a case that there was enemy small-arms fire during the Rassmann incident for which John Kerry obtained a Bronze Star, based on the writeup for Larry Thurlow's own Bronze Star. But who wrote the action report for the event? And why no bullet holes in any of the boats?

Statement By Swift Boat Veterans for Truth member Larry Thurlow

Statement By Swift Boat Veterans for Truth member Van Odell

Statement By Swift Boat Veterans for Truth member Jack Chenoweth

Statement By Swift Boat Veterans for Truth member John O'Neill

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[Interesting Times]

Swift vets respond to today's attempt by the Washington Post to patch up John Kerry's leaking credibility.

[swilhelm73]

Funny how the comPost has *no* interest in looking into Kerry's record, but finds investigating the Swiftees is their number one activity right now.

[sarcasm]Why, it is almost as if they are trying to help Kerry. [/sarcasm]

[Republican Red]

According to Drudge Kerry will face a new frontal attack tomorrow:

SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH TO RELEASE NEW TV AD // latest television ad from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth will be released tomorrow at 10:00 am. The ad will begin airing next week in select markets... Developing...

Payback is a bitch. On ABC The Note they called today Paybackk day for Kerry. heheheheh

[franklog]

Democrats think these guys are going to fold and wither. They're wrong. These guys are actual warriors, not Purple Heart Hunting phonies like Flippy. They're smart, professional, upstanding guys who spent a lot of time living down the lies Kerry told in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in '71. They're used to defending themselves against his baseless attacks.

[Interesting Times]

Boldly brave Sir Kerry
Went forth from Camelot
He was not afraid to die
Bold, brave Sir Kerry
He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways
Brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Kerry...

[Mo1]

Thurlow is on Hardball right now

And Chrissy is barely giving him time to speak

[Shermy]

I love this. Closest thing to pure citizen participation. Not like the faux populism of Soros outfits like MoveOn.Org

[steplock]

In the Marine Corps, all units have what is called the "UNIT DIARY" which is the official daily record of all that occurs in that company.

WHY has nobody asked for the Navy's version of that same document? It is not Kerry's to agree to release or not, it is a publically available document, property of the U.S. Navy.

It also shows all enemy contacts, casualty reports, and deployements. It would close many arguments and the fact that this is not public yet has me wondering who is yanking whose chain here???

[prairiebreeze]

Yes, the information about no bullet holes on the SwiftBoats and nobody else getting shot is crucial.

[Mo1]

Chris is treating Thurlow like he is in a court of Law

[zarf]

I never thought I would live to see the day the major media would cease to be the gatekeepers of the news. Unbelievable.

Thank god for the Internet. Hallelujah baby.

[zarf]

I never thought I would live to see the day the major media would cease to be the gatekeepers of the news. Unbelievable.

Thank god for the Internet. Hallelujah baby.

[commish]

The most telling statement today came from John O'niell on the Sean Hannity show -- "You had 5 boats on a river 75 feet wide, supposedly under enemy fire and no boat had a bullet hole."

[RobbyS]

Keep us posted. I don't have cable.

[My2Cents]

From Thurlow's statement: "After the mine exploded, leaving swift boat three dead in the water, John Kerry’s boat, which was on the opposite side of the river, fled the scene. US Army Special Forces officer Jim Rassmann, who was on Kerry’s boat at the time, fell off the boat and into the water. Kerry’s boat returned several minutes later—under no hail of enemy gunfire—to retrieve Rassmann from the river only seconds before another boat was going to pick him up.

Has anyone ever asked Rassman why he fell into the river to begin with? I suspect he fell overboard as Kerry poured on the power to flee the scene.

[adam_az]

When Kerry loses big on Nov 2 I can see him and Clumsy Cleland whining - "They questioned our patriotism!"

Keep crying into your beers, boys.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Kerry's group VVAW members made propaganda tapes for Radio Hanoi.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1195008/posts

[adam_az]

"Has anyone ever asked Rassman why he fell into the river to begin with? I suspect he fell overboard as Kerry poured on the power to flee the scene."

Rassman was eating a cookie on the back of the boat and fell off when Kerry fled the scene after #3 hit the mine.

[Mo1]

Did y'all just watch Hardball ball??

If not .. do catch the 2nd airing .. UNBELIEVABLE

BTW .. What is wrong with FR .. it's going wacky on me

[The Mayor]

I'll be back for this..

[fhayek]

I was listening to the local news radio station (in Buffalo) this morning. They have never mentioned the Swift Boat Vets in any story prior to today. But low and behold, they led off with the Wash Post story which (supposedly) challenged the credibility of Thurlow. Amazing.

[Cold Heat]

Great news!

I am thankful that we are getting the attention now. This new ad will keep this issue front and center in the news cycle for at least a few more weeks up till the convention.

I sure wish one of his boat people would see the light and come clean. It would be the kill shot.

[Chieftain]

These brave men deserve our support!

Click the logo to donate to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

[My2Cents]

Chris Matthews makes me sick to my stomach. Talk about the imperial press!....I've written I don't know how many emails to "Hardball" complaining about Matthews' obvious shilling for Kerry, and I'm sure I'm not the only one, but the shilling goes on unabated. He's one of the worst examples of the news media being unaccountable to anyone for the way they conduct themselves.

[franklog]

I can't believe what I just saw matthews do. He created this whole false issue: Should Bush be allowed to use these charges in the campaign - and then used that as the entire basis to make the point he wanted to make (even though Thurlow wasn't taking the bait like he expected). Who even said Bush wanted to use the issue? What does that matter?

These guys are smarter than the media are giving them credit for. This isn't going away.

[Cold Heat]

Yeah, me too!

Had a post that dissapeared into the ether.

[My2Cents]

FR is wacky from this end as well. "Refresh" isn't working very well.

[freddiedavis]

BUMP FOR SUPPORT SWIFTVETS HERE... http://www.swiftvets.com/

[austingirl]

God bless these patriots.

[Mo1]

can't believe what I just saw matthews do. He created this whole false issue

And watch the lib media/press feed off of this interview

Chris barely gave him a chance to respond or TOTALLY ignored the response

[eastsider]

I never thought I would live to see the day the major media would cease to be the gatekeepers of the news.

Kinda makes you wonder if they ever were ...

[js1138]

Chris is treating Thurlow like he is in a court of Law

That's fair enough, if Thurlow is allowed his own attorney.

;^)

[franklog]

Chris barely gave him a chance to respond or TOTALLY ignored the response Then it's a good thing no one watches Hardball or anything else on MSNBC!

[yoe]

Kerry is just about toast - his "promise" that when I am president, I will make National Security a top priority - or words to that effect - fact is when he was on that committee he missed meetings 75% of the time...his senate voting record is appalling. This arrogant, officious playboy is spinning like a top! If it weren't for George Soros' money, he would be out now - MoveOn.Org, A.S.W.E.R., Media Fund and the media/press are the only things keeping him alive.

[fhayek]

Can someone help me out here? Does anybody know what a 30 second spot on 60 Minutes run? I mean, Kerry had a cow because a 'rich Texas supporter of George Bush' put up $150,000 so that they could hawk their book. How much would a commercial on 60 Minutes cost to sell a book criticizing Bush? Forget about an entire hour-long infomercial.

[sweetiepiezer]

Good Going Swifties!!!!!!!!!!!

[isthisnickcool]

I can't believe what I just saw matthews do.

I can believe it. I saw him do the same kind of thing to O'Neill. I made a pledge to never watch Matthews again. And I won't.

[David M. Brooks]

Yeah, it's "Hardball" for Larry Thurlow, but "Softball" for Michael Dobbs, the Kerry friendly WaPo reporter who supposedly debunked Thurlow. Matthews didn't ask Dobbs, if the the boats were subject to the "withering" fire, how come no causalities, and as the Swiftvets attest, no bullet holes in the boats?

[Dolphy]

It seems to me that the WaPo wanted to sort of call things a draw, with the tie going to Kerry because the records support his version. But the Swift Boat Vets make at least 4 charges. Kerry's version:

1) Kerry was terribly wounded and bleeding heavily (that can be verified and is not in the realm of he said-he said, let's call it a draw.

2) Kerry turned back into the fire zone. It has now been established that Kerry first fled and then returned.

3) Kerry pulled Rassmann to safety with enemy fire all around him.

4) Kerry towed the sinking boat to safety which the Swift Boat Vets dispute.

That was a pretty slick effort on the Washington Post's part but any logical person would ask both who wrote the report and what merit do the other charges have.

[sport]

They would probably have an accident if they did.

Might even experience the Mass. version of Arkincide.

If you recall Steve was fired from his job within hours of outing kerry.

[GregoryFul]

When I go to Swiftvets.com and click on where to dontate I get:

Not Found The requested URL /swift/ccdonation.php was not found on this server. Apache/2.0.46 (Unix) mod_perl/1.99_09 Perl/v5.8.0 mod_ssl/2.0.46 OpenSSL/0.9.7a DAV/2 FrontPage/5.0.2.2634 PHP/4.3.7 mod_gzip/2.0.26.1a Server at swift1.he.net Port 80

from Yahoo.com

[Mo1]

Did ya see Max Cleland??

Now he is claiming Kerry was shot 3 times and all this with the Vets is Bush's fault

I lost count how many times he said Bush's name

These people are scare sh**less about this .. what I just saw was complete panic

[austingirl]

I did hear right. Cleland said Kerry was SHOT 3 times. What BS! He was never shot, never spent an hour in the hospital. 2 self-inflicted shrapnel wounds and one that was maybe legit.

[Stentor]

Jack Chenoweth

I would love for Crissy to interview Jack Chenowith. He'd end up wearing his ass for a hat.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

When danger reared its ugly head
He bravely turned his tail and fled ...

Oh, I do love Monty Python so!

[IPWGOP]

Thanks for the ping. I already have the Swiftees/Thurlow Press Release on my website: www.iowapresidentialwatch.com

Just watched the PBS/Lehrer interview with O'Neil and Boston Globe's Oliphant. Total win for O'Neil. Oliphant looked visibly shaken during most of it.

kewl

[sport]

That is exactly why matthews picks his victims.

[Mo1]

I did hear right. Cleland said Kerry was SHOT 3 times

Yep and he also said that Thurlow questioned McCain's patriotism ..

Cleland is one piece of work and sure loves to sling the BS

[joesnuffy]

There was gun fire alright.....

When one boat hit a 'viet cong home made mine'....they did their version of immediate action drills...poured power to the boats and every body opened up in the area of fire they were responsible for...

So I am guessing dual 50 cals on every boat four M-60s and a Honneywell 40 mike-mike all opening up at once....

Yep there was lots of shooting going on alright...

And not one hole in any boat (other than Kerry himself that is)

imo

[sevry]

Chris barely gave him a chance to respond or TOTALLY ignored the response

I think on a show like that, with a demagogue, you have to approach it differently. You don't reply to his questions. And if he says, you're not answering the question you reply - you've been ignoring the answers. And since he has such a shallow, soundbyte approach, he's stuck. At that level, a guy like that can't explain anything. It's takes him out of his 'rhythm'. He might have had a sign he could have brought up to camera - KERRY LIED! Matthews might have objected and could have said - Kerry lied about what he did that day. Just as simple as that. And so on. Again, the trick is, Matthews can't get into depth with anything, when he takes that approach (he doesn't always). So he can't confuse in that way. All he can do is launch surface-level slurs. And in my opinion there's a way to respond to that.