Kerry said Swift-boats vets did NOT exist before his nomination. Donna Brazile on CNN just said this group supported him in past elections. Who is correct?
I saw something about the swift vets group being a group over the years -- though not for any particular purpose, but I'm not sure. It is true that a couple of the swift boat vets spoke up for Kerry before one election (1996?) to defend him from charges of being a war criminal.
Back in '96, as he ran for re-election to his *Senate seat*, Kerry was being accused of committing war crimes (he's claimed so himself), so a few of these men stepped forward to say he did not, and in fact made limited comments praising his service.
Those same men then joined the group that was formed this last spring called "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" as they find John Kerry unfit to be commander in chief.
It should be noted that a book came out (in 2000, I believe) by Doug Brinkley that opened a lot of their eyes. Kerry slams them. They also from that point on started learning details of what Kerry was claiming went on over there. They had no idea he had been misrepresenting different events. Why would they have?
BTW, these same men that Kerry called and asked to defend him back in '96 as having served with him, were recently lumped in by the Kerry Kamp and the media as "not having served WITH" Kerry because they hadn't been on the same boat.
Hope that helps clear that up for you.