Posted on 08/06/2004 8:44:31 AM PDT by Conservative Coulter Fan
Last night, Fox News Commentator Bill O’Reilly launched a broadside on a new blistering Television Commercial produced by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth saying that sharply criticized Kerry’s service in Vietnam. Literally, the first words out of his mouth were about the “brutal attack ad” and he introduced the segment about the ad that “savagely attacked” Kerry. He kept up his endless denunciation by saying that he promised to deliver the “fairest election coverage” and said he covered left wing slander and now this ad as if to say it is right wing slander.
Bill O’Reilly, if my recollection serves me correct, has taken a position a while back saying he wouldn’t allow anyone or any information about Kerry’s role as the leader of the radical pro-communist VVAW, his connection to Jane Fonda, his bogus Winter Soldier Investigation, his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1971 or anything else to be aired on his program. Yet, Bill O’Reilly can have Douglas Brinkley, Kerry’s authorized biographer, and author of “Tour of Duty” come on and paint a glowing portrait of Kerry. This is what he means by “fair and balanced.”
Of course he has allowed Democrats to come on his program and make their argument that President Bush went AWOL from the Texas Air National Guard. The whole assertion that Bush was AWOL has been refuted, but the fact remains that he allowed such claims to be aired and when it come to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth – O’Reilly was all style and no substance.
He said that facts are that John Kerry volunteered to serve in Vietnam and that he had a Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. If he had paid attention to what the group was saying he would know that Kerry received the Bronze Star for killing a lone teenage VC and burning down a village. I recall in the Boston Globe that Kerry reportedly shot a wounded VC in the back. O’Neil says in ‘Unfit to Command’ that it was awarded two days after the incident, it wasn’t vetted by review, and it was designed to boost morale.
Odell was on Hannity and Colmes explaining that Rasmussen wasn’t pulled by Kerry from the water under fire, but that four people were in the water due to a boat hitting a mine and that his boat had picked up two of those people. Kerry had gotten the Bronze Star for this and Rasmussen has been following Kerry almost everywhere beating his drum.
Then there are the Purple Hearts. John Kerry was on a training mission and he fired either a mortar or a rocket at some rocks on shore and a piece of shrapnel ricocheted hitting him in the arm. The doctor pulls it out and puts a band aid on – the Kennedy Family writes a letter and he gets a Purple Heart for a self-inflicted wound requiring a band aid. The he attacks a flotilla that was carrying rice – I suppose that dangerous rice wounded him somehow – second Purple Heart. The third wasn’t related to enemy fire either.
So Bill O’Reilly needs to do his homework a little better before he talks about how “awful” it is with guest Dick Morris. One only wonders why he didn’t allow the group to defend itself or the ad. Dick Morris, not surprisingly, says the ad is “stupid” and dangerous.” O’Reilly continued his righteous indignation saying that he condemned the Left. What is awful or stupid about Veterans that served in Coastal Division 11 telling us the truth about Kerry and his service in Vietnam? It seems all we got from O’Reilly were these emotional attacks while Morris pondered the elusive connection between the group and the Republican Party.
He had the audacity to say that Rasmussen is unimpeachable, but I say to the contrary. He’s been out there on the campaign trail helping the Kerry Campaign sell Kerry as a “war hero.” He’s a willing political whore. Now we have accounts by Veterans, Kerry’s fellow officers, which contradict the account given about Kerry saving his life. Why isn’t that unimpeachable? Bill O’Reilly didn’t do his homework.
Dick Morris held the contention that you don’t attack Kerry on his “strongest suit.” Well, if what Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is saying is true – then the centerpiece of Kerry’s campaign becomes his weakest. My goodness, he has relied on this to inoculate himself against any criticism that he is weak on defense. I was outraged that he said no one is interested, because I’m immensely interested. What I wasn’t interested in was this circle jerk between O’Reilly and Morris trashing the Ad.
This ad will effect how people vote – showing Kerry is a liar and that his service was dishonorable and he didn’t earn those medals. Interestingly enough, Kerry said in a 1971 interview that he gave his medals back, but then he flip-flopped in 1984, 1988, 1996, 2003, and 2004 with evolving stories that he gave his ribbons back and those medals weren’t his and it is an issue “instigated by the republicans.” The 1971 footage blew him out of the water, but now he wants to highlight the medals he supposedly threw away or “gave back.”
I urge everyone to email Bill O’Reilly and fulfill his prediction that he would get tons of angry email from right wingers who think this sort of attack is okay.
…now this ad as if to say it is right wing slander.
He doesnt agree with the ADS. I dont happen to either!!
I didn't watch either, but saw some comments on threads, here, while the show was playing. I have the impression that Tony gave the matter a fair showing - open minded, need more time for facts to emerge, that sort of attitude.
many thanks for update
I'll settle for any of the shows giving the matter a fair hearing, instead of the hosts calling the matter a hoax, a fraud, pack of lies, or rudely not letting the vets get a word in edgewise or otherwise.
Correct.
Basics of Defamation Law <-- Mash here.
Google "elements slander" and you'll find quite a few resources.
I sometimes forget that definitions for words used by news readers, commentators and political hacks change during a Presidential election year. It’s good to know that the real definitions are still there.
I’ll sure be glad to see December role around.
This defense doesn't hold water when we all know that these guys sleep in the same place, eat in the same place, drink etc all in close proximity. Much as firefighters do in a FIRE STATION. However this is the defense that is being raised AND NOT questioned, just parroted by FNC and other media outlets.
But Snow had supporters of the Swift boat veterans on, as well. Contrast that with O'Reilly, the night before, or Shemp Smith, yesterday, who only took and only aired positions AGAINST the Swift boat veterans position.
I was current as of the time of my posting, daddy.
well....i'm glad to see you've seen the clarification.
what a little battle.
I hardly watch O'Bloviator any more. He is often smarmy and uninformed.
Which reminds me of anther issue with O'Reilly. It sure seems he's been promoting sex a lot this past year. I don't know how the shows went but the ads his staff runs on FNC at other times keep talking about various sexual themes.
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