Gainesville/Alachua County GOP Flier business BLOWN WIDE OPEN!

Miami.com/AP Wire and AllVeteransForKerry.com ^ | August 20, 2004 | mattdono

[mattdono]

Since this story has broken, there has been some serious questions about the veracity of these claims. I'm posting this to show that the story is a total fabrication and has direct ties to none other than John Kerry.

A volunteer for John Kerry said Friday he picked up a flier in a Bush-Cheney campaign office in Gainesville, Fla., promoting Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group the Bush campaign has insisted for weeks it has no connection to.

Bill Shilling, a Kerry volunteer in Gainesville, says he went to the GOP offices there Thursday and picked up the flier from a pile of literature on the table.

"The flier they gave me was on the same table as some Bush-Cheney bumper stickers," said Shilling. "I asked them if the Swift boat veterans were coming to Gainesville, and the woman I talked to said yes."

Shilling said he went back to Kerry headquarters and turned over the flier.

"I thought there was supposed to be some separation between Bush-Cheney and the Swift boat controversy but I didn't understand there was a big deal about this," said Shilling. "I think this whole thing attacking Kerry's war record is a diversion by Bush-Cheney from the real issues of the campaign."

Emphasis Added.

Source: The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/9455783.htm?1c
Extracted 08/21/2004 1352

So, this person, Bill Shilling picked up copy of the flier at GOP HQs. I want to repeat something very important, "I thought there was supposed to be some separation between Bush-Cheney and the Swift boat controversy but I didn't understand there was a big deal about this".

That seems like he wasn't really aware of the magnitude of this, right? As if it was "news to him", right?

So, who is Bill Shilling? Is it possible that Bill Shilling is just a volunteer who stumbled onto this flier?

That would be quite a find for the Kerry campaign, wouldn't it? The so-called "smoking gun" just laying around?

So, who is Bill Shilling?

Bill Shilling
After going on active duty I successfully completed basic artillery officer training at Fort Sill. I was assigned to the 2nd Battle Group, 31st Infantry Division, Fort Rucker, Alabama. As a first lieutenant, platoon leader, field artillery, our unit was responsible for training light-wing aircraft crews and helicopter crews on observing artillery fire. My three years in the Reserves came before I was commissioned and were served in Lakeland, Florida, in an MP unit, reaching rank of corporal. Three of these four years were concurrent with my four years of ROTC at Florida Southern College. After I served my two years of active duty it became clear to me that the military would not be an appropriate career for me. I like to think for myself, and I work very hard at whatever I do. I learned that in the military working hard didn’t pay off. It was better as an officer to just stay in the background with as little responsibility as possible and to stay socially connected. I was prepared to fight for my country if my country was truly threatened, but not interested in Vietnam. After my active duty service became an anti-war activist and a supporter of the Civil Rights movement based in Atlanta. I respect the US military and those who serve, but not in the ways those in ultimate authority use our military to promote the interests of American corporations and to extend “the empire.”

Source: All Veterans For Kerry
http://www.allveteransforkerry.org/Advboard.htm
Extracted 08/21/2004 1359

So, as it turns out, this "flier find" was found by a member of John Kerry's advisory board.

Also, I would like to point out that the flier was found on Thursday, August 19th. It was found the day after John Kerry crewman, Del Sandusky, spoke in Gainesville (at the Unified Training Center, 809 W. University Ave, Gainesville, Florida; August 18th, 7:00-9:00 PM).

Is it possible that Mr. Sandusky and Mr. Shilling shared their frustration with the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth the night before? Is it possible that Mr. Shilling took it on himself to plant this flier?

Some very interesting questions. I will wait for the media to start turning the focus back onto the Kerry campaign and, once again, its decietful tactics in this campaign.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Millions of acres set aside. LIes, Lies and more lies.

...And everyone wonders why the West is set ablaze in forest fires every Summer. All for the purpose of keeping the granola vote happy.

[mattdono]

Good point. I actually had noticed this yesterday afternoon and I explained that to the local talk show host this morning.

SO either Shilling got it faxed to him by someone...before the date he claims that he picked it up....or he faxed it to someone...before the date that he claims he picked it up.

The bottom line on this is the same as it is with Kerry: there is always another explanation; there is always another question about the explanation; there is always another explanation to that question about that explanation and so on and so on.

We simply don't have the ability to have a Commander-in-Chief who 1) is stuck in the muck and mire of what his detractors are saying or 2) who would spend his valuable time explaining and re-explaining his various positions on the same issue.

[mdbill]

sir,
your allegation that my father "planted" the fliers at the GOP HQ in gainesville is flat wrong, and i resent it. my father is simply a retiree living in florida, who volunteers much of his time to organizations he believes are worthwhile. he does NOT sit on ANY advisory board (where did you come up with that bullshit), and he did NOT plant anything at the GOP HQ. hell, the people at the offices there admitted the fliers were there, THEY never even considered accusing my father of lying/planting ANYTHING. your little paragraph on my dad does not mention the fact that he holds a masters in political science, has traveled extensively, was a successful businessman (spending over a quarter century working for IBM, much of that overseas). what qualifications do you have to judge anybody? especially an honest man like my father? i resent you, and your stupid allegations. should you ever be anywhere near cochran georgia, look my clinic up, i've got a little something for you.
Bill Shilling, M.D.