From the Toronto Star:
Aug. 5, 2004. 11:00 AM
McCain condemns anti-Kerry ads
RON FOURNIER
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called an ad criticizing John Kerry's military service "dishonest and dishonourable" and urged the White House today to condemn it as well.
"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me," McCain said in an interview with The Associated Press, referring to his bitter Republican primary fight with President Bush.
The 60-second ad features Vietnam veterans who accuse the Democratic presidential nominee of lying about his decorated Vietnam War record and betraying his fellow veterans by later opposing the conflict.
"When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry," one of the veterans, Larry Thurlow, says in the ad.
The ad, scheduled to air in a few markets in Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin, was produced by Stevens, Reed, Curcio and Potham, the same team that produced McCain's ads in 2000.
"I wish they hadn't done it," McCain said of his former advisers. "I don't know if they knew all the facts."
Asked if the White House knew about the ad or helped find financing for it, McCain said, "I hope not, but I don't know. But I think the Bush campaign should specifically condemn the ad."
Later, McCain said the Bush campaign has denied any involvement and added, "I can't believe the president would pull such a cheap stunt."
The White House did not immediately address McCain's call that they repudiate the spot.
Steve Schmidt, a spokesperson for the Bush-Cheney campaign, said Kerry's record and statements on the war on terrorism — not his service in Vietnam — are fair game. "The Bush campaign never has and will never question John Kerry's service in Vietnam," he said.
In 2000, Bush's supporters sponsored a rumour campaign against McCain in the South Carolina primary, helping Bush win the primary and the nomination. McCain's supporters have never forgiven the Bush team.
McCain said that's all in the past to him, but he's speaking out against the anti-Kerry ad because he believes it's bad for the political system. "It reopens all the old wounds of the Vietnam War, which I spent the last 35 years trying to heal," he said.
"I deplore this kind of politics. I think the ad is dishonest and dishonourable. As it is, none of these individuals served on the boat (Kerry) commanded. Many of his crew have testified to his courage under fire. I think John Kerry served honourably in Vietnam. I think George Bush served honourably in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War."
McCain himself spent more than five years in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp. A bona fide war hero, McCain, like Kerry, used his war record as the foundation of his presidential campaign.
The Kerry campaign has denounced the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, saying none of the men in the ad served on the boat that Kerry commanded. The leader of the group, retired Adm. Roy Hoffmann, said none of the 13 veterans in the commercial served on Kerry's boat but rather were in other swiftboats within 50 yards of Kerry's.
Jim Rassmann, an Army veteran who was saved by Kerry, said there were only six crewmates who served with Kerry on his boat. Five support his candidacy and one is deceased.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1091702801829&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968705899037
Jim Rassmann, an Army veteran who was saved by Kerry, said there were only six crewmates who served with Kerry on his boat. Five support his candidacy and one is deceased.
This is all they need for the Swift Boat group to be marginalized. They should not of done this. Trying to site such detail of what happened in a combat zone over 30 years ago when they were 50+ yards away is fruitless when it went unchallenged at the time.
Instead, they should have stuck to "Kerry sucks". A much more powerful message coming from men who served our country in a torubling time. Now they will sound like a bunch of lunitics eating sour grapes.
Kerry's service is questionable, all of this does not raise the doubt any higher. There is no need to try and marginalize the medals or his service, he had already done that himself through his own actions.
As for McCain, this is well within his M.O. And not a surprise he would say this. Bush will most likely follow suit.
It appears as if some prefer to take John McCains's words as a personal insult. There are always things to be learned by listening to someone without presuming there are ulterior motives.
I know, I know. Politics being what it is, there are always questions as to people's motivations.
But, sometimes it may be worthwhile to see what the person really means to say before overreacting.
Thanks for the article post. At least, the article goes into the matter with some background.
We have big, fat JUICY red meat issues that will be used to pummel John Kerry. We don't need the ad or the book to beat this condescending ass, and his fruitloop wife. Let McCain come to Kerry's defense,smooch smooch. Do any of you breathlessly turn the channel to 'hardball' because McCain is on? I sure don't. McCain is Bush's republican version of France. Your friend, but not your friend. I think McCain is irrelevant. Alot of you were soiling yourselves over the story of "old,outdated information in raising the terror alert",too. I would much rather have a big story about Kerry's opposition to the death penalty, or the 800 other issues he is on the wrong side of.