Posted on 08/26/2004 11:15:32 AM PDT by pookie18
Of far greater significance than the firestorm surrounding John Kerry's war record is the manner in which the Kerry camp and its allies in the liberal media are attempting to respond.
Their predictable and reprehensible actions serve as examples of how political war has been waged against traditional America by the left over the past four decades. Conversely, the Swift Boat for Truth veterans, despite being vastly outnumbered and out-funded, are nonetheless winning the day, and thus stand as an example to conservatives of how to confront and overcome the liberal leviathan.
To begin with, the Swift Vets have done nothing but simply bring forth the facts, albeit in the face of enormous attempts to undermine and ultimately, silence them. But rather than engage them in direct debate (always a dangerous prospect for the intellectually vacant forces on the left), their opponents have, in the typical and cowardly fashion of bullies, threatened to sue them, along with any TV station that chooses to run their ads.
Furthermore, the Kerry campaign has officially filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission, contending that the federal government should forbid the ads from being run. This from the people who champion every form of "free speech and expression," as long as it is limited to kiddie porn and taxpayer funded blasphemy. Surely, the truth has become an enemy to these people.
Nevertheless, the Swift Vets press on, and the liberal attack machine, despite its malignant efforts, has proven to be completely ineffectual at stopping them. Perhaps the most desperate, most vicious, and therefore the most telling incidents was one that occurred last week on the TV show "Crossfire," hosted by Robert Novak. There, former Clinton cronies James Carville and Lanny Davis directly faced John O'Neill, co-author of "Unfit for Command," the Swift Vets' book detailing the flagrant deficiencies of Kerry's wartime (and post-war) activities.
Faced with the consistent points made by O'Neill, Carville and Davis continually interrupted with rude hysterics, in a brazen effort to prevent O'Neill from successfully verbalizing his case. This they immediately followed with accusations that O'Neill wasn't answering their "questions." But rather than making them appear victorious, the antics of Carville and Davis embodied all of the courage and bravado of a couple of noisy toy poodles. In Novak's words, it was Carville's "most disgraceful performance on this show."
Ditto for "Hardball" host Chris Matthews, a few days later. Clearly, Matthews exists among the realm of deluded media types who believe that dominance of the microphone somehow equates to holding the moral and intellectual high ground. Matthews was equally cowardly and disgraceful in his treatment of conservative author and columnist Michelle Malkin.
During his "interview" of Malkin, Matthews repeatedly and deliberately mischaracterized her assertions regarding the Kerry controversy, while refusing to allow her to clarify her position. Most pathetic of all was Matthews' feeble attempt at justifying his behavior as the "pursuit of truth" in a statement he later posted on his website.
But for sheer absurdity, nothing surpasses Kerry's contention that, on account of his four months of "service" in Vietnam, his actions should somehow be considered above question or criticism (a notion that is in no way supported by Kerry or his minions in their own treatment of the Swift Vets). According to such thinking, Timothy McVeigh ought to be walking the streets today as a free and honored citizen, having "faithfully served" in the first Gulf War (and for considerably longer than four months).
In stark contrast to all of the liberal caterwauling, consider the qualities of old-fashioned American masculinity personified by the Swift Boat Veterans... qualities that used to be respected as "mainstream", and need to be once again. These courageous veterans display an unwavering resolve to confront their opposition, regardless of the cost, in a manner that could never be emulated by the likes of Matthews, Carville, Davis, or Kerry.
Liberalism has never flourished except by the total suppression of its opposition. No amount of falsehood and propaganda, irrespective of the venom with which it is presented, will ever be sufficient to negate the existence of facts, once they are known. Likewise, all of the petty tantrums of the left simply cannot prevail when determined and heroic men like the 254 members of "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" decide to make a stand.
But for sheer absurdity, nothing surpasses Kerry's contention that, on account of his four months of "service" in Vietnam, his actions should somehow be considered above question or criticism...
I think clearly the dems are going to attack the messenger and not the message.
I've been disappointed w/ O'Reilly of late as he continues to state on radio and tv that the swiftvets are like Michael Moore and otheres from the left and that they have no integrity. He says this because he BELIEVES that there was only one Swiftboat Vets for Truth eye witness. This of course is not true, as there were several who worked with Kerry on different boats.
I thought Schacte was going to come out regarding being on the boat with Kerry when he sustained his first purple heart wound.
The real travesty is in part two of the book where it describes Kerry post war activity. He clearly was someone who was trying to amass the medals as fast as possible so as to get out of viet nam early.
He never missed a moment to find a reason to claim a medal.
nikos
Excellent column, Chris!
Not only did Kerry attack the Viet Nam veterans in the 1970's, by accusing them of war crimes; he is attacking them right now--again--
He has called upon the Attorney General and President Bush to silence them.
The Americans now on trial for their actions at Abu Ghraib prison have been in country for more than a year. By Kerry's logic, their "actions" also should be above criticism..
What a great article. Well thought out and written. Every Swiftie should keep a copy of it in their pockets, to pull out and read when the lib screams get loud and shrill. The Swifties are in the Right and they need to be reminded of it constantly. The American people will decide if what they say is true, not sKerry people.
Operation Desert Storm only lasted about a month and a half.
Liberalism is itself a lie. It cannot survive in the presence of truth.
Bill O'Reilly is off my list for good. I wouldn't listen to the people here on FR that stated over and over that Bill is a pompous self-indulgent promoter, but now I understand.
Bill jumped on the Swift Boat Vets from the beginning, giving them no benefit of the doubt. He discounted the possibilty that the Vets were doing a public service by getting the truth out in the open. He didn't even give a nod to the absolute fact that all democrat supporters are liars and socialist bent on destroying our country.
Bill O'Reilly served his own purpose in hopes of scoring some dymanic interviews and guests. That puts Bill on my "do not watch" list. Anyone who treats the fight for the truth in this election season as equal to the absurd dishonesty and slimey lies of democrats and their supporters needs to be ignored.
bmp
"in our opinion, and from our experience, there is nothing in South Vietnam which could happen that realistically threatens the United States of America. And to attempt to justify the loss of one American life in Vietnam,Cambodia,or Laos by linking such loss to the preservation of freedom, which those misfits supposedly abuse, is to us the height of criminal hypocrisy"
John F'n Kerry (from New Soldier)
I can't stand O'Reilly anymore. His coverage and questioning during the 2000 election was exemplary, but he's let his ego get away.
ping
how can nobody on the left see the hypocracy of
1) Kerry's 'band of lawyers' trying to stifle the first amendment rights of the sift boat vets
2) Kerry saying it is sad, pathetic, dishonest, dishonorable, etc. for the swift boat vets to be questioning the service and honor of a Vietnam vet (while hiring attack dogs to dig up dirt on the vets to shut them down, and telling the world the 260+ of them are liars, while his small group are telling the truth)
The Americans now on trial for their actions at Abu Ghraib prison have been in country for more than a year. By Kerry's logic, their "actions" also should be above criticism..
That is all they have done so far.
They have not refuted one word that the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have said.
Just like the National Socialists of tthe '30s Germany they attempt to shout down, intidate their opponents.
Should john kerry win, watch them be aressted on trumpted up charges, tried, and convicted in kangeroo courts and sentenced to prison.
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