CPAC 2005: Courage Under Fire Award (Story AND Audio Link)

Tonight was a great night. The Reagan Banquet was a great event. I was sitting at a table with Robin Burke, Adam Doverspike, and La Shawn Barber... This was truly a night to remember. Zell Miller was to present The Swift Boat Veterans For Truth with the Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award.

Of course, the Swifties in attendance each received standing ovations when they were introduced. When Zell Miller spoke before the presentation of the award, he commended the Swifties efforts, and for having the courage to "call a lie a lie." There was a point when he speaking about Vietnam that he appeared to be choking up a bit.

When John O'Neill spoke, he began saying he didn't want to talk about Kerry, but he wanted to talk about "the real heroes," and he mentioned Zell Miller, and gave the crowd a chuckle when he said he didn't want to go on Chris Matthew's show again unless Zell was with him.

It was great to hear O'Neil credit bloggers for helping to get the Swifties' message out.

Bill Franke, who spoke after O'Neill mentioned the bloggers as well. He mentioned how he didn't really know what we were, and thought that "bloggers" sounded like a skin disease. Ultimately, he would appreciate the role us bloggers played in helping them get their message out. He showed us a few Swift Vets ads, telling us that the first ad run cost $400,000, and the calculated value of the earned media that followed was about $40 million. The third ad he showed was the ad was the one titled "They Served". The dinner guests cheered with a standing ovation.

Roy Hoffman spoke next. He was immediately emotional, and it was a moving speech. He recalled about making the decision to speak out against John Kerry. He said they felt they "had to do something" to stop him, after what he had done to all them. He described Kerry as a loose cannon who didn't obey orders, who was a headache to everyone.

I thought it was great when he mentioend that Kerry campaign manager, Mary Beth Cahill refers to them as the "discredited Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," and challenge her to to come up with one paragraph, one sentence, or one statement that was not true.

The whole event was incredible, and moving to say the least. These are men of honor who doing what they felt was right to do. Kerry betrayed his fellow veterans and the Swifties just could let him become our Commander-In-Chief.

Below you will find the audio of Zell Miller's introduction of the Swift Vets and John O'Neill's remarks:

NOTE : Click on the link, scroll down for the audio.

Other heroes of the campaign:

Larry Bailey, former SEAL and president of Vietnam Vets for the Truth

Terry Garlock, organizer of VVFT and the Kerry Lied Rally

Tony Snesko, Swiftee who developed and organized Operation Street Corner

The thousands of Vietnam vets and their families who used e-mail and the internet to spread word through letters to editors and among their military networks about the movement against Kerry, traveling at their own expense to D.C. and speaking out for those who couldn't.

We and the mainstream press (and the Kerry campaign) saw the very 'out there' faces of the Swiftees, and could focus on them as the point of the spear, but this organization against Kerry was MUCH bigger than anyone has yet reported, encompassing even the disabled vets, some of whom logged hours daily on their computers, looking for ways to get around the media blockade.

The real story is that this was one of the largest, most passionate grassroots political movements in the history of our nation, made possible by the internet and with enornmous emotional healing power.

The Vietnam vets and the families involved in this movement were witness to incredible reunions, renewed friendships, and a healing the likes of which we've never seen before.

Along with the simple explanation by Adm. Hoffman that the Swiftees "had to do something" about the injustice of Kerry's candidacy -- there were other important events which brought us all to the point of action: the current situation on the ground in Iraq and the massive anti-war demonstrations showed us that the same liberals who trashed the Vietnam vets were going to try and do the same thing with our current troops; Kerry's own actions and rhetoric, including when he stood on the steps of the Georgia capitol and said, "George W. Bush has re-opened the wounds of Vietnam" when it was HE, not Bush, who kept the focus there; his vote against funding the current war; and his most disgusting display of "reporting for duty" at his "me me me convention".

Now he thinks he still has a chance?!!

Rotsa Ruck, John-boy. We're still gunning for you.

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