Kerry's been a senator for how many years? And yet this issue never came up during any of his Senate campaigns? (Didn't at least one of the Swift Boat vets actually speak favorably of Kerry during a previous Senate campaign?)
However, note that I totally agree with you that they are not trying to get President Bush reelected. They are trying to make sure that Kerry doesn't get elected. President Bush's reelection would be a secondary result.
I have heard O'Neill state in interviews that he has been approached many times during previous Kerry campaigns to speak out against Kerry. He had always stayed out of it before but that the position of Commander in Chief changed the stakes.