Kerry takes a sizable hit in the polls that extends to swing states, thanks largely to the Swift lies still being bandied about as news. Chris over at Do You Feel Loved ably summed up my thoughts on the controversy. I’m a cynical fellow relatively wise to “politics ain’t beanbag”-type shenanigans, but the sheer corruption of this whole GOP enterprise is somewhat staggering. What we have going on here is akin to the Kerry campaign funding a spate of backdoor ads declaring Dubya a serial wife-beater, and having the national news media ponder the charges despite all evidence to the contrary. Wait…is there evidence to the contrary? Did I mention I saw Dubya swing madly at Laura while he was on a three-day drunk in 1978? Well, yes, I was only four in 1978, but why should that matter? Dubya’s a wife-beater.
Tag: Swift Boat
Busted.
“[O]n close examination, the accounts of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth prove to be riddled with inconsistencies. In many cases, material offered as proof by these veterans is undercut by official Navy records and the men’s own statements. Several of those now declaring Mr. Kerry ‘unfit’ had lavished praise on him, some as recently as last year.” The Times ably dissects the Swift Veterans smear-job, complete with a spiffy graphic linking its moneymen to Dubya. “Records show that the group received the bulk of its initial financing from two men with ties to the president and his family – one a longtime political associate of Mr. Rove’s, the other a trustee of the foundation for Mr. Bush’s father’s presidential library.“
Follow the Puppet Strings.
“[H]ere’s what you really need to know about them. They’re funded by hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Republican contributor out of Texas. They’re a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the President won’t denounce what they’re up to tells you everything you need to know. He wants them to do his dirty work.” After remaining relatively quiet about the Swift Veteran Liars (whose falsifications are now contradicted by military records as well) in the early going, John Kerry finally returns fire at the man behind the curtain, George W. Bush. (Or would that be Karl Rove? Well, you get the picture.)
The Battle is Joined.
“It just outrages me that someone who got five deferments during Vietnam and said he had ‘other priorities’ at that time would say that…When I hear this coming from Dick Cheney, who was a coward, who would not serve during the Vietnam War, it makes my blood boil…He’ll be tough, but he’ll be tough with someone else’s kid’s blood.” Iowa Senator Tom Harkin lashes out at Cheney for the “sensitive war” bit he was banging into the ground last week. I don’t much care for the notion that not serving in Vietnam makes anybody a coward…but, then again, the veep had this coming. He should’ve known better than to push the tough guy thing so hard. After all, he’s a war profiteer, not a warrior.
Bamboozled.
“I don’t know about you, but when I hear a statement meant to inflame gratuitous resentment of white people, I prefer that it come from a black person. A white man who puts on blackface to call John Kerry’s wife a fraudulent African-American is committing so many kinds of bad faith that I scarcely know where to start.” Slate‘s Tim Noah delves into a new anti-Teresa ad running on black radio stations. Between this and Swift Veterans, it’s becoming clear that there’s no level below which the GOP will not sink this time ’round.
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.
With visions of the 2000 primary perhaps dancing in his head, John McCain asks the White House to repudiate the recent Swift Boat Veterans garbage. (Naturally, they didn’t.) The real ugliness begins.
Frontal Assault or Friendly Fire?
The Bush team start prepping their anti-Kerry ads, and, fortunately for the Dems, they’re still living in Fantasyland. “If they run ads about [the Vietnam era], they will probably focus on Kerry’s high-profile opposition to the Vietnam War and comments about U.S. atrocities that could neutralize his record as a decorated veteran.” Um, yeah, ’cause veterans are usually all for atrocities. Still, even amid all the wishful thinking, Dubya’s reps do allow themselves a moment of clarity: “Acknowledging that Bush has received major financial support from corporations, McKinnon said: ‘The issue is hypocrisy in saying you’re going to take on the special interests, not who took the most special interest money. You don’t hear the president in the Oval Office railing against the special interests.'” Well, that’s true, you don’t, but that fact hardly makes for a compelling campaign ad.