Posted on 01/23/2008 9:50:36 AM PST by SpinyNorman
Sen. John Kerry is calling on Democrats to help presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama avoid the fate he endured in the 2004 election -- "swiftboating" by political foes.
In an e-mail sent out Tuesday to Obama's supporters, Kerry wrote:
"I support Barack Obama because he doesn't seek to perfect the politics of Swiftboating -- he seeks to end it.
"This is personal for me, and for a whole lot of Americans who lived through the 2004 election.
As a veteran, it disgusts me that the Swift Boats we loved while we were in uniform on the Mekong Delta have been rendered, in Karl Rove's twisted politics, an ugly verb meaning to lie about someone's character just to win an election. But as someone who cares about winning this election and changing the country I love, I know it's not enough to complain about a past we can't change when our challenge is to win the future -- which is why we must stop the Swiftboating, stop the push-polling, stop the front groups, and stop the email chain smears.
"The truth matters, but how you fight the lies matters even more. We must be determined never again to lose any election to a lie.
"This year, the attacks are already starting. Some of you may have heard about the disgusting lies about Barack Obama that are being circulated by email. These attacks smear Barack's Christian faith and deep patriotism, and they distort his record of more than two decades of public service. They are nothing short of "Swiftboat" style anonymous attacks.
"These are the same tactics the right has used again and again, and as we've learned, these attacks, no matter how bogus, can spread and take root if they go unchecked.
"But not this time -- we're fighting back.
"And when I say 'we,' I mean that literally. I know Barack is committed to fighting every smear every time. He'll fight hard and stand up for the truth. But he can't do it alone.
"We need you to email the truth to your address books. Print it out and post it at work. Talk to your neighbors. Call your local radio station. Write a letter to the editor. If lies can be spread virally, let's prove to the cynics that the truth can be every bit as persuasive as it is powerful. ...
"Barack Obama is committed to bringing our country together to meet the challenges we face, but he knows that power gives up nothing without a struggle -- and to win the chance to change America, we must first defeat the hateful tactics that have been used to tear us apart for too long. ...
"The fight is just heating up -- we won't let them steal this election with lies and distortions."
© 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
To wit:
"As a veteran, it disgusts me that the Swift Boats we loved while we were in uniform on the Mekong Delta have been rendered, in Karl Rove's twisted politics, an ugly verb meaning to lie about someone's character just to win an election."
Only you and the MSM have made Swiftboating into an "ugly verb meaning to lie about someone's character just to win an election." Everyone else sees the exact opposite: revealing the truth about a dishonest politician in order to keep him from winning an election.
Kerry gets it right, but for the wrong people! Here is the true definition of the Swifties: "The truth matters, but how you fight the lies matters even more. We must be determined never again to lose any election to a lie." Or a liar.
"These attacks smear Barack's Christian faith and deep patriotism, and they distort his record of more than two decades of public service. They are nothing short of "Swiftboat" style anonymous attacks."
I don't recall the Swifties being anonymous in any way. In fact, they proudly revealed their identities to confirm the validity of their claims against Kerry.
To this day, Kerry has yet to fulfill his promise to sign Standard Form 180, releasing his military records to the public.
Obama is better off without this lying buffoon on his team.
I thought I already read this thread earlier today.
John Effing Kerry served in Vietnam you know? He was a war hero you know?
Kerry: Swiftboating is the use of truth to counter my lies about my past. It should not be allowed.
With supporters like Kerry, who needs Swiftboats? ROFL!
Kerry might come across as a deranged, self-obsessed sore loser, but just you watch. If history is any guide, he’ll make a documentary which will win him an Oscar and springboard it into a Nobel Peace Prize.
Maybe it was deja vu, or then again maybe it was seared - SEARED into your mind.
Notice Lurch is talking about what Hillery is doing but as if it’s the Republicans.
I wasn’t aware that Obama had an “embellished” war record or that he turned against his comrades in arms.
Perhaps you read it before you read it?
I'm betting he actually has signed the form.
He just hasn't submitted it.
Kerry's endorsement is sort of the equivalent of walking around with your fly open, and no one will tell you.
I think it's delicious; he snubs Hillary! and attaches himself like a carbuncle to Obama.
In my lexicon “swiftboating” means telling the truth about someone.
By all means Obama should be “swiftboated”...along with all the other candidates.
I didn't even know Obama had a military record.
Obama met with the enemy in France to “negotiate the peace” in an unpopular war???
The correct term is “BORKING”. Barak is being BORKED.
As one who was in Vietnam when you called us all war criminals for your own political opportunism, your defeat in 2004 wasn't political, it was personal.
Now go away, you annoy me.
"Gomer Pyle, reporting for doody, Sir".
Looking for the link to Scrappleface...
Nope, J F-in’ Kerry is really bats**t crazy.
Dear Senator Kerry -
You can defeat the “Swiftboaters” with your signature. You can prove them wrong, embarass them and stop the “politics of personal destruction.” You can beat Karl Rove at his own game!
One little signature, Senator Kerry, and the pain stops.
Sign the Form 180.
Respectfully,
Freeper kidd
P.S. If you cannot sign the Form 180, then I suggest that you refrain from any reference to Vietnam, in any way, including using “Swiftboat” as a verb. It makes you look like a hypocritical fool with sour grapes.
No John, just for you. Let it go -- your fellow vets hated your guts (and for good reason), told the world about your lies and treason, and you lost the election. Deal with it.
I noticed that too. I was wondering who the hell he was talking about?
I haven’t heard anyone on the GOP side say anything bad about Obama yet.
What a fool.
I don't think I could stand being in the physical presence of either of the Clintons, or Kerry, or Edwards or Gore.
But I wouldn't mind chatting with the guy.
While I was reading Kerry’s words I thought of the exact same arguments you posted regarding the meaning of the word “swift-boating” (it means to tell the truth about a lying opportunist politician, it does not mean to lie about a politician), and the charge of “anonymous attacks”. The Swift Boat Veterans who attacked John Kerry did so on their web sites and in their books, with their names all out there for the world to see.
In fact, didn’t Kerry try to sue some of the BY NAME, later?
I feel the same way. Although I may not agree with Obama, I believe in his mind he wants what is best for the nation.
Cannot say the same about Hill or Bill.
And am amazed they garner the support they do with real alternatives.
As a vietnam veteran John ‘effin Kerry and his traitorious actions disgust me. The voters of Taxachusetts must be some of the biggest morons living in this country.
LOL!
This is now seared into my memory.
Kerry might come across as a deranged, self-obsessed sore loser, but just you watch. If history is any guide, he’ll make a documentary which will win him an Oscar and springboard it into a Nobel Peace Prize.He needs to find himself an issue.
Hmmmm. Global warming is already taken.
Hey, how 'bout Global Cooling! He can argue for a negative carbon tax!
And that way, the Nobel Committee can cover both sides of the fence. When they give the award to Kerry, they can honestly say they were against global warming before they were for it!
Rich Lowry used the same terminology. I was thinking the same thing, that I have been wondering how the questions about Kerry’s record became unfounded lies. I notice that the relative youth of some of the writers may explain their willingness to accept Kerry’s word about his war record, and many of the rest of the media who accept the use of the term, swiftboating, are willing to believe Kerry simply because it fits their agenda and gives them cover for their own positions on the Vietnam War.
When will they swiftboat hrc?
Obambi is actually swift boating the Clintons. Clintons squeal loudly when the truth is told about them.
Couldn't read past this disgusting POS from the worst person to ever run for POTUS...lies are all he speaks!
Oh you big baby, YOU LOST.
Get over it.
>to lie about someone’s character just to win an election<
Yes, John. And in your case we’ve determined who was doing the lying.
John Kerry betrayed America when he lied about witnessing war crimes. He’s in too deep to reveal the whole truth now.
He is a traitor.
Damn! No matter what, it’s all about Kerry! It is like Bill Clinton.
“an ugly verb meaning to lie about someone’s character just to win an election.”
So does this mean that Dan Rather “Swiftboated” President Bush with some forged National Guard memos?
Or was that a case of “fake but accurate”?
I loathe Stalinist socialists.
Cambodia too! Ask to see his secret Navy Seal hat that he keeps in his briefcase. “Shhhh.”
You said everything I was going to say in your OP.
I have no idea whether the Clinton critiques of Obama are accurate or not, but, just as you said, Kerry has never demonstrated that the SVT attacks on him were false. At best, he has shown that they disagree with him and with some official records, but he has not signed a 180 to permit all records to be released.
That says it all. This is about him - not about Obama.
Kerry should have sent the letter to Hillary and Bill if he wanted the smearing to stop.
From JFn’s letter: “They are nothing short of “Swiftboat” style anonymous attacks.”
Not a damned anonymous thing about it ... they had an ad in which swiftboaters appeared personally, by name standing up for their truth. Kerry just doesn’t have a very close relationship to even the concept of truth.
And, unless I’m missing something, the attacks on Obama are not coming from the right but from the grifters from Arkansas/New York.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.