It occurred to me (borrowing on the SF Chronicle article in post #49) that some time many years from now there might be this in the news:
"Former Senator John Kerry passed away today at age 99. Blah, blah... It was learned a few years ago that his charges of war crimes against his fellow Viet Nam veterans were lies and his service records did not comport with his public claims. He is best remembered as a victim of swift boating."
Yep, and they'd write it without a trace of irony.