Swift Boat Sniping (WaPo [!] Calls Kerry's Conflicting Statements on Cambodia "Troubling")

The Washingon Post ^

[governsleastgovernsbest]

washingtonpost.com Swift Boat Sniping

WEN WE FIRST wrote about the ads slamming Democratic nominee John F. Kerry's service in Vietnam, we said that Mr. Kerry's emphasis on his Vietnam experience had made questions about his war record fair game. But we said that ads by the group calling itself Swift Boat Veterans for Truth had crossed the line in smearing the service that earned Mr. Kerry three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star. Nothing we've seen in the two weeks since has changed that view.

snip

Mr. Kerry's conflicting statements about where and when he was in Cambodia remain troubling. He has backed away from repeated claims that he spent Christmas Eve 1968 in Cambodia, a memory that, he said in a 1986 Senate speech, is "seared -- seared -- in me." This does not undermine Mr. Kerry's military bravery, but it does raise an issue of candor. It's fair to ask whether this is an episode of foggy memory, routine political embroidery or something more. Indeed, the Kerry campaign ought to arrange for the full release of all relevant records from the time. Mr. Kerry granted historian Douglas Brinkley exclusive use of his wartime journals and other writings; the campaign should seek to be freed from that agreement and to make all the material public. Though the ads are being underwritten by longtime Bush partisans, the Kerry campaign's claim of illegal coordination between the Swift boat group and the Bush campaign is unconvincing.

[AmericanMade1776]

Jan 30, 1992" (in regards to the Clinton presidential campaign)" I am saddened by the fact that Vietnam has yet again been inserted into the campaign, and that it has been inserted in what I feel to be the worst possible way. By that I mean that yesterday, during this Presidential campaign, and even throughout recent times, Vietnam has been discussed and written about without an adequate statement of its full meaning." blah blah blah "We do not need to divide America over who served and how. I have personally always believed that many served in many different ways. Someone who was deeply against the war in 1969 or 1970 may well have served their country with equal passion and patriotism by opposing the war as by fighting in it. Are we now, 20 years or 30 years later, to forget the difficulties of that time, of families that were literally torn apart, of brothers who ceased to talk to brothers, of fathers who disowned their sons, of people who felt compelled to leave the country and forget their own future and turn against the will of their own aspirations?" John Kerry, congressional record

[mlstier]

Actually, ABC radio is reading an Associated Press story, that starts out calling the Swift Vets as "Republican funded". (It's that way on the abcnews.com website; with an 'api' tagline.)

However, reading the story, the bias of the writer is obvious. I doubt he ever refers to MoveOn.org stories as "Democrat funded".

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Wouldn't you love to see a new Swift Boat Veterans TV commercial exclusively on the Cambodia issue? Can't you just see it?

First, quotes from Kerry (or actual Senate-floor footage if available) I've Kerry claiming how being in Cambodia is "seared, seared" in his memory.

Next, equivocal statements from Kerry's own campaign effectively admitting he lied.

Next, the excerpt from WaPo calling Kerry's conflicting stories "troubling."

The beauty would be that there is effectively no response Kerry supporters can make. His own campaign now essentially admitts he wasn't there.

[B.Bumbleberry]

Yes, indeed. A crack in the major media stonewall.

Of course the rest of the world arrived at this party over a week ago. But sometimes better late than never. It's still troubling that they so easily brush off the rest of the problems with Kerry's myths.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Hell, I was just an enlisted grunt in the National Guard, and we had to go through the classes on that stuff during basic training.

[OldFriend]

Actually, the entire DNC is Soros funded! Not the other way around!

[BunnySlippers]

The article is highly unfavorable to Bush and make several scurrilous statements about his connection to the Swift Vets. I wouldn't be lauding this article.

[OldFriend]

Evan Thomas of Newsweek, can you believe, also writes an article about Kerry's record not exactly accurate and needs to be clarified......or something to that effect.

[TNCMAXQ]

>ABC radio is reading an Associated Press story, that >starts out calling the Swift Vets as "Republican funded".

>However, reading the story, the bias of the writer is >obvious. I doubt he ever refers to MoveOn.org stories >as "Democrat funded"

Exactly right! Just like 16 years ago they referred to the Willie Horton ads as "Bush campaign ads" though they were done by Floyd Brown's group. Media bias has only gotten worse since then. Back then they were slanted. Now they are complete flunkies for the Dems.

And in reply to the person who said most of the SBVTs are Republicans, I don't know that this is necessarily the case. O'Neill and others have stated they are not registered Republicans. O'Neill did not even vote for GWB the last time.

[B.Bumbleberry]

As to your post 23, it was my understanding that Kerry hasn't yet admitted he wasn't there, just that he wasn't there on Christmas but at some later time. Supposedly his historian is coming out with an explanation. Has this changed?

Caution: don't hold your breath that we will see this "explanation" before early November. Breathe deeply. Try not to sigh.

[nicmarlo]

It's not a smear to point out the truth but the comPost just can't get away from that word.

Exactly.

smear: n 1: slanderous defamation; 4: charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone

The Swift Boat Vets are stating the truth; the smearing of one's reputation was done by Kerry's own hand.

[edwin hubble]

Finally (from the Post):

"Indeed, the Kerry campaign ought to arrange for the full release of all relevant records from the time. "

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I don't laud the entire article but the fact that the Post essentially accuses Kerry of lying about being in Cambodia is stunning.

[Chieftain]

This is the BEST "Bang for your political buck" - EVER!

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

[YaYa123]

Last night Chris Matthews told Pat Buchanan, in essence, to shut up about Kerry's Christmas In Cambodia. The dates didn't matter, he didn't want to hear about it, it didn't matter, it was just "poetic liscence".

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Further to my earlier response, the Post attacking W is "dog bites man." The Post accusing Kerry of lying is "man bites dog." It's very newsworthy and an indication that the liberal press could be turning on/giving up on Kerry.

[goldstategop]

Finally, a half-hearted admission Kerry's critics are right about the Cambodia story. Why don't they dig deeper and investigate the seriousness of charges? Or are they afraid of the political implications more than the truth? The Washington Post hasn't even begun to answer the questions at issue with the same zeal they displayed on President Bush's National Guard records.

[nicmarlo]

don't forget, Bush's dental records were also looked at!

[x1stcav]

Exactly. At each stage of advancement it was gone into in ever deepr detail. I'm sure that it was covered in staff officer courses.

[Psalm 73]

"Is there any issue he has not been on both sides of?"

Laura Ingraham did a hilarious segment last night on Kerry's GQ interview -
GQ: "So, Senator Kerry - Beatles or Stones, who's your favorite?"
Kerry: "I listen to them both equally, that's the beauty of this country - I don't have to choose sides...." [or some such lingo]

The Bob Dylan questions were rip-roaring funny - a really great piece.........