Bash-the-AARP effort off to a smarmy start (Barf Alert)

www.newsday.com ^ | February 23, 2005 | Ellis Henican

[bitt]

It's like a Washington sequel to "Reservoir Dogs."

Finally rested up from their cynical assault last year on John Kerry's patriotism, the most ruthless smear squad in American politics is back together again.

And they're revving up for another nasty job.

Their latest ugly enterprise? Sliming the AARP, which had the nerve to come out against President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security.

This is the same gang of rhetorical hatchet men behind the deceptively named Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. During last year's presidential campaign, they were telling vicious lies about Kerry's combat record in Vietnam. Now, they're turning their trash talk on the nation's largest and most effective senior citizens lobbying group, which they'll try to tar as an extreme left-wing cabal.

Any reason not to name names?

Ex-Marine Chris LaCivita, who wrote the incendiary Swift Boat commercials ripping Kerry's war record, is coordinating the anti-AARP media campaign.

Rick Reed, whose Virginia-based ad agency Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm handled production on the Swifties' print and broadcast ads, will be standing over the editing console again.

Creative Response Concepts of Arlington, Va., the Swifties' public relations firm, is handling PR this time, too.

And lurking in the shadows nearby, ready to rush out any late-breaking anti-AARP books, is the hard-right print shop known as Regnery Publishing. These are the ruthless knife-twisters who published the hateful anti-Kerry screed, "Unfit for Command."

Keep a jaundiced eye out for "Unfit to Get Old."

[.cnI redruM]

Ellis Hellican should not be lambasting anyone else for snark, slime or smarm.

[mewzilla]

Ellis, if I were you, I wouldn't use the word smarmy.

[No Surrender No Retreat]

Well the truth hurts the ARRP, and their liberal leeches. There are some good people who get duped into joining this organization. It is nothing more than a DNC spin machine and some scared gullible seniors. NSNR

[LittleMoe]

useless organization is far as I'm concerned

[OldFriend]

Is there a more odious jerk than hellican?

[Texan5]

"senior citizens lobbying group"

What bulls***! The AARP's primary business was and continues to be selling insurance-it is a business operating for profit.

[kcvl]

Ellis Henican. PUKE!

[sr4402]

John Kerry was a anti-war hero of the left who betrayed all his fellow soldiers by abandoning the field of combat and sliming his compatriot before congress. I'm sorry, he is no patriot.

As far as the AARP sliming the Social Security proposals, that is completely true.

So as far as I am concerned, this is a case of the Kettle trying to call the pot black.

[MinuteGal]

Hellican, the Bird-Brain Pelican, will really need his meds when he finds out that Art Linkletter will be lending his name in support of the President's social security initiative.

As Art would comment, liberals say the darndest things!.

Leni

[Gabz]

And it never met a leftist proposal it didn't like.

[msnimje]

Ellis is a girl.

[BibChr]

Where's the "Barf Alert"?

[msnimje]

Sign the Form 180 Ellis!!!

[add925]

On FOX, someone was touting a conservative competitor to the AARP.

I'll be 50 this year, inquiring minds want to know: Who is the conservfative answer to AARP? USA????something...can't recall (Oh no! gettin' old).

[MindBender26]

>Finally rested up from their cynical assault last year on John Kerry's patriotism.

We never assaulted John Kerry's patriotism. We simply read his resume into the record.

We might even assume, that once all his vast personal needs were met, Mr. Kerry might have occasionally done what he thought was best for America.

It's just that, as a long-serving Senator and former U.S. Navy officer, Mr. Kerry has been making those choices for years. Unfortunately for Mr. Kerry, and fortunately for the citizens of this country, Mr. Kerry has been wrong nearly every time.

No, we didn't attack Mr. Kerry's patriotism. We simply pointed out where his acts, thinking, even his soul are at great odds with the Founding Fathers, those patriots who made that patriotism possible.

No one went home from Valley Forge, Antietam, San Juan Hill, Belleau Woods, Guadalcanal or Pork Chop Hill because they has three minor scratches.

[G Larry]

Here's the letter I just sent him:

Mr. Henican,

Newsflash!
The Swiftboat Veterans are right about Kerry and AARP’s politics are NOT mainstream.

How many critical articles did you write in 1999 after Clinton cited the Social Security problem?

The only reason to whine about private Social Security accounts is the reduced revenue available to politicians, for their socialist agenda.

For the individual tax payer (SSI), the OPTION of participating in private accounts is only a positive benefit.
As you are well aware, these investments would only be allowed in conservative funds, much more restrictive than the limits on IRAs which can not be invested in commodities or options.

And as for “smarmy”……. go re-read your article.

[layman]

"they were telling vicious lies about Kerry's combat record in Vietnam"

I read this far and decided to not waste anymore time. This guy wouldn't recognize the truth if it walked up and smacked him in the face.

[NRA1995]

Just filled a giant barf bag reading that

[OldSmaj]

...their cynical assault last year on John Kerry's patriotism...

...the most ruthless smear squad in American politics...

...another nasty job.

...latest ugly enterprise?

...Sliming the AARP...

...gang of rhetorical hatchet men...

...deceptively named Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

...telling vicious lies about Kerry's combat record...

...trash talk...

Bias?

I don't see any bias there.

Anybody see any bias in this?