Rove Credits Swiftvets With 'Energizing' Bush Vote (Thank You Karl Rove!)

NewsMax ^ | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004

Rove Credits Swiftvets With 'Energizing' Bush Vote

Bush-Cheney re-election architect Karl Rove gave credit on Sunday to the Swift Boat Veterans and POWs for Truth for exposing John Kerry's anti-war past and energizing Republican voters to turn out at the polls.

Asked what role anti-Kerry ads sponsored by the Swiftvets played in Bush's re-election victory, Rove told "Fox News Sunday":

"They were made important by the fact that Senator Kerry, at his convention, really talked ... only about Vietnam."

The top White House adviser explained: "I was amazed by the people that I met around the country who were energized by that issue being discussed. ... I was really amazed by how strongly men and women who had served in Vietnam and in the armed forces felt about that."

Rove recalled that his uncle had done several tours of duty in Vietnam. "I've never been able to think of Colonel Verhi as somebody who would have 'raped and pillaged in a manner reminiscent of Genghis Khan,'" a reference to Kerry's 1971 Senate testimony where he accused Vietnam veterans of committing widespread atrocities.

[My2Cents]

I was already energized, but the money I contributed to the Swift Boat Vets was the best investment I've ever made.

[CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC]

Rove reminisced about his political beginnings, saying he put a Nixon bumper sticker on his bicycle. But the "Catholic girl down the street was a couple years and about 20 pounds on me. She was for Kennedy," he said, and bloodied his nose when she saw the Nixon bumper sticker.

"Despite that beating, I never lost interest in politics," Rove said.

From a speech he gave at Liberty U. regarding an incident when he was 9 years old, growing up in a Denver suburb.

[sevry]

Thank You Karl Rove!

It's about gosh-darned heck time he did. This was the guy behind the don't touch don't get dirty policy of the Bush Campaign with regard to the Swifties, who are an important reason why Bush won. Rove let McCain SLANDER these guys without so much as a - what you talking about, John?

So, yeah, I hope the 'boy genius' finally gets it. That would be nice. I wonder if such is all that appreciated by the Swifties and POWs for Truth, at this point. The time to have made this a Bush Campaign issue - was during the campaign.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Karl Rove finally did get it.

And I'll give him credit.

Now the US Senate needs to get it and throw the traitor out.

Distribute these url's!

EXPOSE HANOI KERRY!

MUST SEE WEBSITE!!!!

http://www.kerrystreason.com/index.html

Full details on these url's!

http://tonkin.spymac.net/hanoikerry1.html

There is a backup site
if the 1st url is unavailable.

http://stophanoikerry.150m.com

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

CPAC 2005: 02/18/05 Courage Under Fire Award (Story AND Audio Link)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1347932/posts

[Chu Gary]

"...instead of using surrogates..."

This implies you think that the RNC and the SwiftVets were in bed together. I don't accept your premise. Out of 225 or so of Kerry's command structure and fellow swift boat guys, about 12 supported the coward while virtually every other one denounced Kerry. I, personally, think that Bush is just too classy an individual to sling easy mud at an easy target. Thankfully, the Swiftees came to the rescue and told the truth relentlessly.

[Tall_Texan]

I'm not implying coordination between the two camps. What I meant to say is that it is traditionally the role of the president/vice president to level their own attacks at an opposing candidate. For one reason, it is awfully hard to ignore a charge made directly by the candidate. The MSM tried to blockade the Swifties from giving their grievances any credibility.

It's easy for the media to marginalize a bunch of people the general public doesn't know. Had the President or the Vice President amplified these charges and used one of the debates to ask Kerry about them, I think it not only would have been very effective but it could have put the election less in doubt than it was.

IMO, of course.

[hobbes1]

Rove recalled that his uncle had done several tours of duty in Vietnam. "I've never been able to think of Colonel Verhi as somebody who would have 'raped and pillaged in a manner reminiscent of Genghis Khan,'"

You kow he has been just DYING to let that one out....

[Meldrim]

"I was amazed by the people that I met around the country who were energized by that issue being discussed. ... I was really amazed by how strongly men and women who had served in Vietnam and in the armed forces felt about that."

Perhaps if pantywaste Karl had put a few years in the service, he'd have been less amazed at the response...I can only assume the reaction as regards the administrations immigration policy still befuddles him

[Meldrim]

I can see the fat in his jowls. Another young republican who'd have benefited by four years in uniform...and unfortunately, another YR a little too good to serve...

[Meldrim]

I don't accept the premise either. The swiftvets were by definition Vietnam era combat veterans...there are not too many of those guys in any level of Republican policy making. There are exceptions...Hunter, Cunningham, Kline...but for the most part most of the leadership in both parties were too good to serve themselves.

[kabar]

I am amazed that Rove was amazed. He apparently doesn't get out much among the common folk. - tom

I agree. Rove and the GOP made a major blunder in not attacking Kerry's phony war record and traitorous behavior afterwards as part of the VVAW. The SBVFT saved the GOP bacon despite official GOP attacks against them including GWB's statement that he was against all 527 ads, including the SBVFT.

What I am amazed at is the fact that the most liberal senator from the most liberal state in America with all of the attendant baggage could come that close in defeating an incumbent, wartime President. Rove has been given too much credit for his political acumen. The SBVFT won the election for Bush. They made the difference.

[kabar]

Why was it left to John O'Neill and his fellow Swifties to take the mudslinging and arrows? Why did the Bush Administration lack the courage to attack the Senator themselves instead of using surrogates they could pretend to criticise?

My hat's off to the Swifties, of course, but I still question why the GOP couldn't swat these sort of lies down without the need of a side group to do the dirty work for them.<,/i>

Good question. The answer is that the GOP was intimidated by Kerry's war record vis-a-vis Bush's TANG service. The Dems early on in the campaign, before their nominee was even selected, started attacking Bush's TANG record, i.e., the best defense is a good offense.

If anyone studies Kerry's political campaigns since he entered the Senate in the 1984 elections, you will find that he has always used his decorated war hero status to intimidate and defeat his opponents. It is his MO. Bush and many of his political advisors who did not have any military background were afraid to go after Kerry.

The SBVFT, the only real 527 organization, did what needed to be done despite being called dishonest and dishonorable by guys like McCain and being attacked by the MSM. I stopped giving contributions to the GOP and gave multiple contributions to the SBVFT. Next on the Congressional agenda will be efforts to muzzle 527s.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

CPAC 2005: 02/18/05 Courage Under Fire Award (Story AND Audio Link)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1347932/posts

Rear ADM. Roy Hoffman asking the questions
that Main Stream Media should be asking!

Both Right and Left!

02/18/05

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1346397/posts

"Mary Beth Cahill getting it for referring to"discredited" swiftboat vets.
Challenged anyone to come up with anything that has been "discredited"

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1346397/posts?page=113#113

Tainted media [Kerry's 'honorable' discharge?]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1345874/posts

"Some of the public have begun to wake up but more need to do so.
Many in the media also need to wake up to what they are doing, or failing to do,
when their politics taints their work."

TownHall.com ^ | February 18, 2005 | Thomas Sowell

Viet Nam Vet Ollie North nailed Hanoi Kerry on his false 1971 testimony.

"Kerry testified under oath before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1971 that Americans in Vietnam had "raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war."

Set aside the horrific and defamatory nature of these accusations and ask this: Did he witness these atrocities? Did he try to stop them? If not, was he held accountable for dereliction of duty? If he knows the perpetrators, did he ever see that they were brought to justice? If not, why?"

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ollienorth/on20040220.shtml

And FR's own Interesting Times nailed Hanoi Kerry for his lies in 1971

AFFIDAVIT OF STEVEN J. PITKIN combat veteran of the Vietnam War
(Kerry pressured him to give false Winter Soldier testimony)
http://ice.he.net/~freepnet/kerry/staticpages/index.php?page=PitkinAff

Now can anyone name 1 so called MAIN Stream Right Wing Media
personality

(we know Russert on tv and Imus on radio from the Left have)

that has asked,

in 2005,

these questions?

"Asked Kerry when he will sign Form 180.

(Even though President Bush signed his Form 180)

Or how could Kerry have a top secret clearance,
and access to US intelligence
WITHOUT revealing ALL his military records to the US Senate

Who in the US Senate has seen ALL of Kerry's military records?

Who, in the US Senate, gave him his top secret clearance?

Or why Kerry is still in the US Senate.
This is in violation of
U.S. Constitution Amendment 14 Sec 3
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxiv.html

Or when Kerry will set the record straight
on his false testimony in April 71"

Distribute these url's in e-mail, Vet boards, Conservative boards, etc.

EXPOSE HANOI KERRY!

MUST SEE WEBSITE!!!!

http://www.kerrystreason.com/index.html

Full details on these url's!

http://tonkin.spymac.net/hanoikerry1.html

There is a backup site
if the 1st url is unavailable.

http://stophanoikerry.150m.com

[kabar]

I have gone through all of this during the campaign. I sent letters to the editors, to colunists, to TV and radio personalities, to GOP officials, and to my elected reprsentatives on all of these issues. I have also offered Jerry Corsi my support if he runs against Kerry for the senate.

The MSM will not investigate the charges against Kerry and the GOP doesn't have the stomach for the fight. It is frustrating. Hopefully, we won't have to resurrect this issue for the 2008 elections. Hillary will almost certainly be the Dem nominee.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Well I plan on "reminding" the media who lurk here.

EVERY time Hanoi Kerry's name appears I repost my stuff.

Welcome Home Brother

[hang 'em]

Karl Rove is the Lee Atwater of this generation.

[Clioman]

Not to worry. John Kerry is gonna sign his SF180 real soon -- any day now -- and that will finally put an end to all of this nasty, creepy Karl Rove stuff.

/sarcasm off

[AlbionGirl]

He was seen ultimately as fighting accusers from his own past instead of the President.

You're right. They brought the fight to Kerry at the perfect hour; far enough from the election to inform and infirm, but not so far as to give distance a chance to palliate. Timing is everything; they gutted him clean and they gutted him early.

I understand that Corsi is getting ready to take Kerry on in Massachusetts. What's the deal with Corsi? Is he a loon or just a loudmouth?

[hinckley buzzard]

I don't know much about Corsi. But if he can kick up enough dust, he will be an asset. Kerry must not be given a free pass, and he now has the MSM to answer to re: his form 180 and record. Could be interesting.