SEARED MEMORIES
John Kerry sniffs that criticism by special operators and intelligence professionals of President Obama’s disclosure of sensitive national security information reminds him of the Swift Vet attacks during the 2004 campaign. I’m happy to say that there is a resemblance.
There are also differences, though. The dispute about Kerry’s Vietnam service was entirely about the past. The issue had nothing to do with policy or national security. It was relevant only because it pertained to Kerry’s character and because Kerry had made his service a talking point in the campaign.
Obama’s “dishonorable disclosures” are another matter. The current critics contend that Obama is jeopardizing our national security and the lives of our operatives by talking about U.S. operations in order to enhance his image. This constitutes a potentially more explosive charge than any leveled by the Swift Vets.
In the face of this damning case, carefully set forth in a 22 minute presentation, Kerry contents himself with reprising the victim role and lying about the charges being made against Obama:
Seeing the new outrageous attacks made against President Obama from a shadowy Republican-allied veterans group called OPSEC, which take issue with the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, remind me all too well of the notorious ‘Swift Boat’ attacks I faced in the 2004 campaign.
Nothing in the OPSEC video takes issue with the mission to kill bin Laden. Kerry is just making this up, as he apparently made up “Christmas in Cambodia.” OPSEC takes issue only with statements Obama made following the mission and with other statements and leaks that have hurt our security.
Nor is OPSEC “shadowy.” All but one of the patriots who appear in the video identify themselves by name. They can expect to be the target of “opposition research” and vilification at the hands of Team Obama and its apologists.
Finally, Kerry never explains why he finds the criticism of Obama “outrageous.” Doing so would have required a defense of the administration’s serial disclosure of sensitive national security information.
Self-reference isn’t an argument and neither is whining. Kerry should have learned that in 2004.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/08/seared-memories.php
Thanks. I read that article this morning too. I have clear memories of how John Kerry slandered our good guys during the Vietnam era. He has absolutely NO credibility on such matters, in my opinion.
Personally, I believe he got part of what he deserved because of the Swift Boaters. However, he STILL has not learned his lesson.