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Kerry Shipmates, Dodd Come Out Strong Against Fox Nomination

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Bob Geiger Donating Member (505 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 07:17 PM
Original message
Kerry Shipmates, Dodd Come Out Strong Against Fox Nomination
It shouldn't take this much work to stand up for the truth but, just like they did in 2004, men who actually served with Senator John Kerry in Vietnam are coming forward to affirm their knowledge of the highly-decorated combat Veteran and to again go up against the smear merchants who attacked Kerry during his presidential run.

The occasion this time is the nomination of Sam Fox of St. Louis to be the new American Ambassador to Belgium. While it's sadly not unusual to have an unqualified person, who happens to be a big political donor, rewarded with a diplomatic post, Fox truly ups the ante in that arena by virtue of a whopping $50,000 donation he made to the so-called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in 2004.

"We write to urge the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to oppose the nomination of Mr. Sam Fox for United States Ambassador to Belgium," reads a letter addressed to Joe Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), the Chairman and ranking Republican, respectively, on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"As Swift Boat veterans who served together in Vietnam, we strongly believe that Mr. Fox does not deserve to be confirmed for this position. We have been frustrated to hear some suggest that the 2004 election is in the past and we should 'get over it.' Those who make that argument forget that this wasn’t just about an election; John Kerry may have been the target of the lies of the so-called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, but he wasn’t alone in having his military record falsely impugned."

Saying "for us, this is personal," the letter is signed by eleven Swift Boat sailors, including Jim Rassmann, who said Kerry saved his life in the incident for which the Massachusetts Senator was awarded the Bronze Star.

The Vietnam Veterans make it clear that their opposition to Fox is not just for how he contributed to the smear campaign against Kerry, but also for helping the "Swifties" in a sordid campaign that by extension slimed anyone who ever served on a Swift Boat in the Mekong Delta.

"The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth sullied the reputation of one of the Navy's bravest, most dedicated fighting forces. Today we see the word 'Swiftboating' used as a pejorative -- not the valiant, honorable term it was nearly 40 years ago when young men gave their lives on the Mekong Delta," the men write. "Mr. Fox was one of the largest contributors to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. He put his money to work in support of a vicious and reprehensible campaign to lie about our collective combat records."

"We know campaigns are not for the faint of heart. But one of the lessons drilled into us by the military and preserved through the memory of friends who were not lucky enough to come home from Vietnam alive, is that truth matters above all else. Lies about those who put on the uniform of our country have no place in politics."

Also stepping up to the plate to do the right thing in the vote, which will take place on Wednesday in the Foreign Relations Committee, is Chris Dodd (D-CT), the first Senator to make clear his plan to reject Fox's nomination.

"I strongly oppose the nomination of Sam Fox to be U.S. Ambassador to Belgium. U.S. Ambassadors need to be both responsible and credible, and Mr. Fox’s support for an organization known to have spread falsehoods illustrates neither," said Dodd, a candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, in a statement. “Moreover, the fact that Mr. Fox refused to apologize for his behavior during his nomination hearing reinforces my belief that he would not be an acceptable representative for the position of U.S. Ambassador.”

And leave it to the men who actually served with Kerry in Vietnam to once again point people in the right direction and, in this case, tell 21 Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee the correct way to vote tomorrow.

"In our judgment, those who finance smears and lies of combat veterans don’t deserve to represent America on the world stage. We think too highly of the country we defended in combat to trust America in the hands of someone who would so casually bankroll lies about our combat records," say Kerry's shipmates. "We can’t change history. But the Senate Foreign Relations Committee can make an important, and we hope bipartisan, statement about the truth – and make it clear that in the Senate at least, individuals are held accountable for their political contributions."

You can read more from Bob at BobGeiger.com.
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babylonsister Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 07:29 PM
Response to Original message
1. Most excellent! Nom! nt
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vankuria Donating Member (132 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 08:40 PM
Response to Reply #1
7. Thanks for sharing!
The gang of liars Mr. Fox financed helped determine a presidential election. There are no words to describe the disgust I feel, that anyone could stoop so low to attack a man's service to his country. Anyone involved in the SBVFT should become a pariah for the rest of their lives.

Sen. Kerry is a great man, a wonderful leader, and I can't help but wonder what could have been, if he was elected our president.
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yardwork Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 10:29 AM
Response to Reply #7
17. I agree with you, and welcome to DU!
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vankuria Donating Member (132 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 06:37 PM
Response to Reply #17
25. Thank-you, I'm honored to be here.
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Island Blue Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 07:38 PM
Response to Original message
2. K & R. Thank you.
:patriot:
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ProSense Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 07:57 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. Loyalty.
Edited on Tue Mar-27-07 08:04 PM by ProSense
Kerry's shipmates are loyal. I suspect they, like those who have known him for many years, know that Senator Kerry is a man of integrity and will defend his honor against people like Foxie and the band of liars. It seems that many who really got to know Senator Kerry and his work during the 2004 campaign have also become loyal supporters.
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glitch Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 08:03 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. Count me in the latter group. Didn't really know much about him before 2004.
I wish he was running for President but I understand his decision.
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blm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 12:04 PM
Response to Reply #6
18. You had to dig yourself to learn - the media and the Dem party were terrible
communicators who knew little about any Democrat other than Clinton, making it so much easier to lie about any of the Dems from 2000, 2002 and 2004.
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glitch Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 12:58 PM
Response to Reply #18
21. You got that right. Same goes for Gore, who I've been following since reading his book
in 1992. You don't just have to dig deep for accurate information on them, you have to slog through endless sewers of baldfaced lies. It really is remarkable. I don't know who originally turned me on to consortiumnews.com way back when, but in case it was you, THANK YOU.
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stillcool Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 07:56 PM
Response to Original message
3. Good on them... n/t
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ProSense Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 07:58 PM
Response to Original message
5. Thanks for this excellent report. n/t
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karynnj Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 08:42 PM
Response to Original message
8. This is great -
Edited on Tue Mar-27-07 08:45 PM by karynnj
I can imagine how hard this is on those guys. They make a point that these people in attacking Kerry also attacked them - and they were more vulnerable than Kerry was. The SBVT and the complict parts of the media got what they wanted. Now they are whining that this guy might be denied a job he doesn't deserve.

I saw a video where Del S. speaking at a PTSD event in early 2006. He was absolutely livid speaking of the SBVT - saying that he, not they, served with Kerry. He credits Kerry with saving his life when he had a reoccurance of PTSD.
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emulatorloo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 11:19 PM
Response to Original message
9. kick n/t
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WillyT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Mar-27-07 11:24 PM
Response to Original message
10. And If They Need A Reminder Of GOP Mockery...


:evilfrown:
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Divernan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 07:01 AM
Response to Original message
11. Two opposing politcal/Senate traditions here.
Edited on Wed Mar-28-07 07:04 AM by Divernan
On the one hand, there is the tradition of the Senate automatically confirming such trophy ambassador appointments of totally unqualified presidential campaign big donors - social-climbing, egotistical men or women who have never visited a countrty, let alone speak its language.

But the other tradition is that of extreme courtesy to fellow Senators. That long-standing tradition fell on hard times during the GOP majority, but I hope that at least the Dem Senators will follow it and refuse to consent to this appointment because of the scurrilous lies Fox bankrolled about their fellow Senator.

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jtrockville Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 07:34 AM
Response to Original message
12. I was hoping there'd be consequences for dishonoring the honorable...
Thanks for posting about this.
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blm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 09:08 AM
Response to Original message
13. These men fought back against the swiftliars, but Media wouldn't give them the airtime
Edited on Wed Mar-28-07 09:11 AM by blm
or the consideration they gave the swifts for their lies.

Now, too many Democrats let the newsmedia OFF THE HOOK for their complicity and instead blame Kerry, completely mindless of all the countering of the swifts that WAS DONE by theses men and by Gen. Clark and Max Cleland. It WAS done, but definitely not done by bigname Dems who curiously stayed quiet and stayed away from national news shows throughout that campaign.


From DU Research Forum (live links there)


April 14, 2004 - The website for SBVT was registered under the name of Lewis Waterman, the information technology manager for Gannon International, a St. Louis company that has diversified interests, including in Vietnam. (1) (note - Gannon International does not appear to have any relationship to Jeff Gannon/Guckert, the fake reporter.)

May 3, 2004 - "Kerry campaign announced a major advertising push to introduce 'John Kerry's lifetime of service and strength to the American people.' Kerry's four month Vietnam experience figures prominently in the ads." (2)

May 4, 2004 - The Swift Liars, beginning their lies by calling themselves "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth", went public at a news conference organized by Merrie Spaeth at the National Press Club. (1)

May 4, 2004 - "The Kerry campaign held a press conference directly after the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" event...The campaign provided an information package which raised significant questions about 'Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.' " (3)


May 4, 2004 - Aug. 5, 2004 - No public activity by Swift Liars (?) Wikipedia entry (7) notes "When the press conference garnered little attention, the organization decided to produce television advertisements." (Ed. note - were there any public info or announcements, other than talk on blogs? Was there anything going on publicly? Did the campaign have reason to foresee what was coming - note that they must have, see the reactions to each ad).

Jul. 26, 2004 - Jul. 29, 2004 - Democratic National Convention held in Boston. John Kerry's military experience is highlighted.

Aug. 5, 2004 - The Swift Liars' first television ad began airing a one-minute television spot in three states. (7)

Aug. 5, 2004 - "the General Counsels to the DNC and the Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign faxed a letter to station managers at the relevant stations stating that the ad is 'an inflammatory, outrageous lie" and requesting that they "act immediately to prevent broadcast of this advertisement and deny any future sale of time. " ' " (4)

Aug. 10, 2004 - Democracy 21, The Campaign Legal Center and The Center for Responsive Politics filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) charging that the Swift Liars were illegally raising and spending soft money on ads to influence the 2004 presidential elections. (4)

Aug. 17, 2004 - the campaign held a press conference at which Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.), Adm. Stansfield Turner (ret.), and several swift boat veterans rebutted the charges. (4)

Aug. 19, 2004 - the Kerry-Edwards campaign announced its own ad "Rassmann." (4)

Aug. 20, 2004 - The Swift Liars' second television ad began airing. This ad selectively excerpted Kerry's statements to the SFRC on 4/22/1971. (7)

Aug. 22, 2004 - the Kerry-Edwards campaign announced another ad "Issues" which addressed the Swift Boat group's attacks.

Aug. 25, 2004 - The Kerry-Edwards campaign ... dispatched former Sen. Max Cleland and Jim Rassmann, to Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas to deliver to the President a letter signed by Democratic Senators who are veterans. (The letter was not accepted.) (4)

Aug. 26, 2004 - The Swift Liars' third television ad began airing. This ad attacked Kerry's claim to have been in Cambodia in 1968. (7)

August 26, 2004 - Mary Beth Cahill sends letter to Ken Mehlman detailing the "Web of Connections" between the Swift Liars and the Bush Administration, and demanding that Bush denounce the smear campaign. (5)

August 26, 2004 - Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) submits FOIA request "with the White House asking it to detail its contacts with individuals connected to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT)." (6)

Aug. 27, 2004 - The DNC ran a full page ad in the Aug. 27, 2004 New York Times terming the Swift Boat campaign a smear. (4)

Aug. 31, 2004 - - The Swift Liars' fourth television ad began airing. This ad attacked Kerry's participation in the medal-throwing protest on 4/23/1971. (7)

References:
* (1) SourceWatch article on SBVT

* (2) (2004) Democracy in Action / Eric M. Appleman, Democracy in Action / Eric M. Appleman

* (3) (2004) Democracy in Action / Eric M. Appleman, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth: Kerry Campaign Response

* (4) (Sept. 8, 2004) Eric M. Appleman (apparently) Some Responses to the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" Ad

* (5) August 26, 2004 letter from Mary Beth Cahill to Ken Mehlman

* (6) Press Release (US Newswire): CREW FOIAs White House Contacts with Swift Boat Veterans Group

* (7) Wikipedia entry, Swift Vets and POWs for Truth



MH1 - This topic is to create a timeline of the response of the K/E04 campaign to the Swift Liars' smears. There is an RW-encouraged myth that K/E04 "didn't respond." As the timeline, once completed, will show, that is not true. Effectiveness of the response may be debated - that is subjective - the purpose of this thread is to collect the facts of the events.




On Aug. 19, 2004 Kerry himself responded directly in a speech to the International Association of Firefighters' Convention in Boston. (from prepared remarks)
...And more than thirty years ago, I learned an important lesson—when you're under attack, the best thing to do is turn your boat into the attacker. That's what I intend to do today.

Over the last week or so, a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has been attacking me. Of course, this group isn’t interested in the truth – and they're not telling the truth. They didn't even exist until I won the nomination for president.

But here'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.

Thirty years ago, official Navy reports documented my service in Vietnam and awarded me the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. Thirty years ago, this was the plain truth. It still is. And I still carry the shrapnel in my leg from a wound in Vietnam.

As firefighters you risk your lives everyday. You know what it’s like to see the truth in the moment. You're proud of what you’ve done—and so am I.

Of course, the President keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that. Well, if he wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: "Bring it on."

I'm not going to let anyone question my commitment to defending America—then, now, or ever. And I'm not going to let anyone attack the sacrifice and courage of the men who saw battle with me.

And let me make this commitment today: their lies about my record will not stop me from fighting for jobs, health care, and our security – the issues that really matter to the American people...



Kerry defends war record
Aug. 19: John Kerry responds directly to attacks on his Vietnam military service Thursday, accusing President Bush of relying on front groups to challenge his war record.

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=40a0d9b1-0386-41ef-bc...



May 4, 2004. The Kerry campaign held a press conference directly after the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" event. (Above are, r-l, Wade Sanders, Del Sandusky and Drew Whitlow). Senior Advisor Michael Meehan said, "The Nixon White House attempted to do this to Kerry, and the Bush folks are following the same plan." "We're not going to let them make false claims about Kerry and go unanswered," Meehan said. He said his first instinct was to hold a press conference with an empty room where veterans could testify to their time spent in the military with George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

The campaign provided an information package which raised significant questions about "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." Spaeth Communications, which hosted the event, "is a Republican headed firm from Texas which has contributed to Bush's campaign and has very close ties to the Bush Administration." Lead organizer John O'Neill, a Republican from Texas, "was a pawn of the Nixon White House in 1971." Further some of the people now speaking against Kerry had praised him in their evaluation reports in Vietnam.

John Dibble, who served on a swift boat in 1970, after Kerry had left, was one of the veterans at the Kerry event. He said of Kerry's anti-war activities that at the time, "I didn't like what he was doing." In retrospect, however, Dibble said, "I probably should have been doing the same thing...probably more of us should have been doing that." He said that might have meant fewer names on the Vietnam Memorial and that Kerry's anti-war activities were "a very gutsy thing to do."

http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/interestg/swift050404c....



Kerry campaign's quick response to Swift boat vets
By Marie Horrigan
UPI Deputy Americas Editor
Washington, DC, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The campaign for Democratic Party presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts issued an exhaustively researched and extensively sourced 36-page refutation Thursday of allegations Kerry lied about events during his service in Vietnam, including how and why he received medals, and had fled the scene of a battle.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040805-012143...



Kerry: Bush lets attack ads do 'dirty work'
McClellan points out criticism by anti-Bush group
Friday, August 20, 2004 Posted: 2:37 PM EDT (1837 GMT)
BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry accused President Bush on Thursday of letting front groups "do his dirty work" in questioning his military service during the Vietnam War.

"The president keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that," Kerry told a firefighters' union conference in his hometown of Boston.

"Well, if he wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: Bring it on."

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/19/kerry.attacka... /


http://www.johnkerry.com/petition/oldtricks.php




August 5, 2004

VIA FACSIMILE

Re: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

Dear Station Manager:

We are counsel to the Democratic National Committee and John Kerry, respectively. It has been brought to our attention that a group calling itself "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" has bought time, or may seek to buy time, on your station to air an advertisement that attacks Senator Kerry. The advertisement contains statements by men who purport to have served on Senator Kerry's SWIFT Boat in Vietnam, and one statement by a man pretending to be the doctor who treated Senator Kerry for one of his injuries. In fact, not a single one of the men who pretend to have served with Senator Kerry was actually a crewmate of Senator Kerry's and the man pretending to be his doctor was not. The entire advertisement, therefore is an inflammatory, outrageous lie.

"Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" styles itself as a group of individuals who personally served with John Kerry in the United States Navy in the Vietnam War. In truth the group is a sham organization spearheaded by a Texas corporate media consultant. It has been financed largely with funds from a Houston homebuilder. See Slater, Dallas Morning News, July 23, 2004.

In this group's advertisement, twelve men appear to make statements about Senator Kerry's service in Vietnam. Not a single one of these men served on either of Senator Kerry's two SWIFT Boats (PCF 44 & PCF94).

Further, the "doctor" who appears in the ad, Louis Letson, was not a crewmate of Senator Kerry's and was not the doctor who actually signed Senator Kerry's sick call sheet. In fact, another physician actually signed Senator Kerry's sick call sheet. Letson is not listed on any document as having treated Senator Kerry after the December 2, 1968 firefight. Moreover, according to news accounts, Letson did not record his "memories" of that incident until after Senator Kerry became a candidate for President in 2003. (National Review Online, May 4, 2004).

The statements made by the phony "crewmates" and "doctor" who appear in the advertisement are also totally, demonstrably and unequivocally false, and libelous. In parrticular, the advertisement charges that Senator Kerry "lied to get his Bronze Star." Just as falsely, it states that "he lied before the Senate." These are serious allegations of actual crimes -- specifically, of lying to the United States Government in the conduct of its official business. The events for which the Senator was awarded the Bronze Star have been documented repeatedly and in detail and are set out in the official citation signed by the Secretary of the Navy and the Commander of U.S. Forces in Vietnam. And yet these reckless charges of criminal conduct are offered without support or authentication, by fake "witnesses" speaking on behalf of a phony organization.

Your station is not obligated to accept this advertisement for broadcast nor is it required to account in any way for its decision to reject such an advertisement. Columbia Broadcasting System v. Democratic National Committee, 412 U.S. 94 (1973), You Can't Afford Dodd Committee, 81 FCC2d 579 (1980). The so-called "Swift Boat Veterans" organization is not a federal candidate or candidate committee. Repeated efforts by organizations that are not candidate committees to obtain a private right of access have been consistently rejected by the FCC. See e.g., National Conservative Political Action Committee, 89 FCC2d 626 (1982).

Thus, your station my freely refuse this advertisement. Because your station has this freedom, and because it is not a "use" of your facilities by a clearly identified candidate, your station is responsible for the false and libelous charges made by this sponsor.

Moreover, as a licensee, you have an overriding duty "to protect the public from false, misleading or deceptive advertising." Licensee Responsibility With Respect to the Broadcast of False, Misleading or Deceptive Advertising, 74 F.C.D.2d 623 (1961). Your station normally must take "reasonable steps" to satisfy itself "as to the reliability and reputation of every prospective advertiser." In re Complaint by Consumers Assocation of District of Columbia, 32 F.C.C.2d 400, 405 (1971).

Under these circumstances, your station may not responsibly air this advertisement. We request that your station act immmediately to prevent broadcasts of this advertisement and deny andy future sale of time. Knowing that the advertisement is false, and possessing the legal authority to refuse to run it, your station should exercise that authority in the public interest.


Please contact us promptly at either of the phone numbers below to advise us regarding the status of this advertisement.

Sincerely yours,
Marc Elias
Perkins Coie
607 14th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005


General Counsel
Kerry-Edwards 2004 Joseph Sandler
Sandler, Reiff & Young
50 E Street, S.E. #300
Washington, D.C. 20003


General Counsel
Democratic National Committee


http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/ads04/dem080504ltrswift...




From the transcript of the Aug. 5, 2004 White House Press Briefing with Scott McClellan:

Q Do you -- does the President repudiate this 527 ad that calls Kerry a liar on Vietnam?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President deplores all the unregulated soft money activity. We have been very clear in stating that, you know, we will not -- and we have not and we will not question Senator Kerry's service in Vietnam. I think that this is another example of the problem with the unregulated soft money activity that is going on. The President thought he put an end -- or the President thought he got rid of this kind of unregulated soft money when he signed the bipartisan campaign finance reforms into law. And, you know, the President has been on the receiving end of more than $62 million in negative attacks from shadowy groups.

* * *

In the days after the release of the ad a host of major newspapers published editorials condemning it including the Arizona Republic ("Campaign Non-Starter," August 6), Los Angeles Times ("It's Not All Fair Game," August 6), Plain Dealer ("Ad Says Kerry Lied; Record Says Otherwise," August 8), St. Petersburg Times ("An Ugly Attack," August 9), Las Vegas Sun ("Ad's Smear Should Be Condemned," August 9), Oregonian ("Now It Gets Nasty," August 11), and Washington Post ("Swift Boat Smears," August 12).

* * *

On Aug. 10, 2004 Democracy 21, the Campaign Legal Center and the Center for Responsive Politics filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) charging that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is illegally raising and spending soft money on ads to influence the 2004 presidential elections.

* * *

From the transcript of Bush's Aug. 12, 2004 appearance on CNN'S Larry King Live:


KING: In view of that, do you think that it's fair, for the record, John Kerry's service record, to be an issue at all? I know that Senator McCain...
G. BUSH: You know, I think it is an issue, because he views it as honorable service, and so do I. I mean...
KING: Oh, so it is. But, I mean, Senator McCain has asked to be condemned, the attack on his service. What do you say to that?
G. BUSH: Well, I say they ought to get rid of all those 527s, independent expenditures that have flooded the airwaves.
There have been millions of dollars spent up until this point in time. I signed a law that I thought would get rid of
those, and I called on the senator to -- let's just get anybody who feels like they got to run to not do so.
KING: Do you condemn the statements made about his...
G. BUSH: Well, I haven't seen the ad, but what I do condemn is these unregulated, soft-money expenditures by very wealthy people, and they've said some bad things about me. I guess they're saying bad things about him. And what I think we ought to do is not have them on the air. I think there ought to be full disclosure. The campaign funding law I signed I thought was going to get rid of that. But evidently the Federal Election Commission had a different view...

Kerry spokesman Chad Clanton's response to Bush's Aug. 12, 2004 appearance:
"Tonight President Bush called Kerry's service in Vietnam 'noble.' But in the same breath refused to heed Senator McCain's call to condemn the dirty work being done by the 'Swift Boat Vets for Bush.' Once again, the President side-stepped responsibility and refused to do the right thing. His credibility is running out as fast as his time in the White House."

* * *

On Aug. 17, 2004 the campaign held a press conference at which Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.), Adm. Stansfield Turner (ret.), and several swift boat veterans rebutted the charges.

* * *

DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe issued a statement on Aug. 18, 2004:

"By saying nothing at all George W. Bush is a complicit contributor to the slanderous, lie-filled attack ads that have been launched on John Kerry on Bush's behalf. Instead of stepping up and taking the high road, George Bush's response has been evasion, avoidance, everything but disavowal.

"Larry King asked George Bush to 'condemn' it. He refused. Reporters asked the President's Press Secretary if he'd 'repudiate' it. He ducked. They can try to blame it on the rules or whoever else they want, but the blame belongs squarely on the Republicans. They wrote it. They produced it. They placed it. They paid for it. And now it is time for George W. Bush to stand up and say, 'enough.'

"This is not debate, Mr. President, and this unfounded attack on Senator Kerry has crossed the line of decency. I call on you today to condemn this ad, the men who put their lies behind it, and the donors who paid for it. It's time."

http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/ads04/swiftadresponse.h...



Altercation Book Club: Lapdogs by Eric Boehlert
Relatively early on in the August coverage of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth story, ABC's Nightline devoted an entire episode to the allegations and reported, "The Kerry campaign calls the charges wrong, offensive and politically motivated. And points to Naval records that seemingly contradict the charges." (Emphasis added.) Seemingly? A more accurate phrasing would have been that Navy records "completely" or "thoroughly" contradicted the Swifty. In late August, CNN's scrawl across the bottom of the screen read, "Several Vietnam veterans are backing Kerry's version of events." Again, a more factual phrasing would have been "Crewmembers have always backed Kerry's version of events." But that would have meant not only having to stand up a well-funded Republican campaign attack machine, but also casting doubt on television news' hottest political story of the summer.

When the discussion did occasionally turn to the facts behind the Swift Boat allegations, reporters and pundits seemed too spooked to address the obvious—that the charges made no sense and there was little credible evidence to support them.. Substituting as host of "Meet the Press," Andrea Mitchell on Aug. 15 pressed Boston Globe reporter Anne Kornblut about the facts surrounding Kerry's combat service: "Well, Anne, you've covered him for many years, John Kerry. What is the truth of his record?" Instead of mentioning some of the glaring inconsistencies in the Swifties' allegation, such as George Elliott and Adrian Lonsdale 's embarrassing flip-flops, Kornblut ducked the question, suggesting the truth was "subjective": "The truth of his record, the criticism that's coming from the Swift Boat ads, is that he betrayed his fellow veterans. Well, that's a subjective question, that he came back from the war and then protested it. So, I mean, that is truly something that's subjective." Ten days later Kornblut scored a sit-down interview with O'Neill. In her 1,200-word story she politely declined to press O'Neill about a single factual inconsistency surrounding the Swifties' allegations, thereby keeping her Globe readers in the dark about the Swift Boat farce. (It was not until Bush was safely re-elected that that Kornblut, appearing on MSNBC, conceded the Swift Boast ads were clearly inaccurate.)

Hosting an Aug. 28 discussion on CNBC with Newsweek's Jon Meacham and Time's Jay Carney, NBC's Tim Russert finally, after weeks of overheated Swifty coverage, got around to asking the pertinent question: "Based on everything you have heard, seen, reported, in terms of the actual charges, the content of the book, is there any validity to any of it?" Carney conceded the charges did not have any validity, but did it oh, so gently: "I think it's hard to say that any one of them is by any standard that we measure these things has been substantiated." Apparently Carney forgot to pass the word along to editors at Time magazine, which is read by significantly more news consumers than Russert's weekly cable chat show on CNBC. Because it wasn't until its Sept. 20 2004 issue, well after the Swift Boat controversy had peaked, that the Time news team managed enough courage to tentatively announce the charges levied against Kerry and his combat service were "reckless and unfair." (Better late than never; Time's competitor Newsweek waited until after the election to report the Swift Boat charges were "misleading," but "very effective.") But even then, Time didn't hold the Swifties responsible for their "reckless and unfair" charges. Instead, Time celebrated them. Typing up an election postscript in November, Time toasted the Swift Boat's O'Neill as one of the campaign's "Winners," while remaining dutifully silent about the group's fraudulent charges.

That kind of Beltway media group self-censorship was evident throughout the Swift Boat story, as the perimeters of acceptable reporting were quickly established. Witness the MSM reaction to Wayne Langhofer, Jim Russell and Robert Lambert. All three men served with Kerry in Vietnam and all three men were witnesses to the disputed March 13, 1969 event in which Kerry rescued Green Beret Jim Rassmann, winning a Bronze Star and his third Purple Heart. The Swifties, after 35 years of silence, insisted Kerry did nothing special that day, and that he certainly did not come under enemy fire when he plucked Rassmann out of the drink. Therefore, Kerry did not deserve his honors.

It's true every person on Kerry's boat, along with the thankful Rassmann, insisted they were under fire, and so did the official Navy citation for Kerry's Bronze Star. Still, Swifties held to their unlikely story, and the press pretended to be confused about the stand-off. Then during the last week in August three more eyewitnesses, all backing the Navy's version of events that there had been hostile gun fire, stepped forward. They were Langhofer, Russell and Lambert.

Russell wrote an indignant letter to his local Telluride Daily Planet to dispute the Swifties' claim: "Forever pictured in my mind since that day over 30 years ago John Kerry bending over his boat picking up one of the rangers that we were ferrying from out of the water. All the time we were taking small arms fire from the beach; although because of our fusillade into the jungle, I don't think it was very accurate, thank God. Anyone who doesn't think that we were being fired upon must have been on a different river."

The number of times Russell was subsequently mentioned on CNN: 1. On Fox News: 1. MSNBC: 0. ABC: 1. On CBS: 0. On NBC: 0.

Like Russell, Langhofer also remembered strong enemy gunfire that day. An Aug. 22 article in the Washington Post laid out the details: "Until now, eyewitness evidence supporting Kerry's version had come only from his own crewmen. But yesterday, The Post independently contacted a participant who has not spoken out so far in favor of either camp who remembers coming under enemy fire. “There was a lot of firing going on, and it came from both sides of the river,” said Wayne D. Langhofer, who manned a machine gun aboard PCF-43, the boat that was directly behind Kerry’s. Langhofer said he distinctly remembered the “clack, clack, clack” of enemy AK-47s, as well as muzzle flashes from the riverbanks." (For some strange reason the Post buried its Langhofer scoop in the 50th paragraph of the story.)

The number of times Langhofer was subsequently mentioned on CNN: 0. On Fox News: 0. On MSNBC: 0. On ABC: 0. CBS: 0. NBC: 0.

As for Lambert, The Nation magazine uncovered the official citation for the Bronze Medal he won that same day and it too reported the flotilla of five U.S. boats "came under small-arms and automatic weapons fire from the river banks."

The number of times Lambert was mentioned on. On Fox News: 1. On CNN: 0. On MSNBC: 0. ABC: 1 On CBS: 0. On NBC: 0.

Additionally, the Washington Post's Michael Dobbs, who served as the paper's point person on the Swifty scandal, was asked during an Aug. 30, 2004, online chat with readers why the paper hadn't reported more aggressively on the public statements of Langhofer, Russell and Lambert. Dobbs insisted, "I hope to return to this subject at some point to update readers." But he never did. Post readers, who were deluged with Swifty reporting, received just the sketchiest of facts about Langhofer, Russell and Lambert.

If that doesn't represent a concerted effort by the press to look the other way, than what does?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12799378/#060518



Please use this information as a guideline for 2006 and 2008 campaigns. What the media edits out of our campaigns is CRUCIAL to public perception.

Even many Democrats are unaware of the real fight that occurred in 2004 and are buying wholesale the corporate media spin which conveniently protects the corporate media who failed to give honest coverage of Kerry's defense against the lies of the swift vets and their Republican handlers.

Not recognizing the extent of the corporate media's duplicity is a danger for all Democratic candidates in 2006 and 2008.

This can and WILL happen to any Democratic candidate.

This CAN and WILL happen to ANY Democratic candidate. FIGHT THE MYTHS.
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beachmom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 10:11 AM
Response to Reply #13
15. You are right, BLM. I was thoroughly convinced that there was
nothing to the charges by several news articles in PRINT MEDIA that showed how the liars were running in circles trying to prove their lies. But casual observers of Cable or historical revision like in the Election 2004 Newsweek book would come to a different conclusion. "he said, he said" -- was the biggest lie of all and it came from corp. media.
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IWantAChange Donating Member (974 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 10:05 AM
Response to Original message
14. Wrote Sen Biden - this is a great example of GOP 'moral values' where ..
contibutions are higher on the list than integrity and truth
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beachmom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 10:15 AM
Response to Original message
16. I called Sen. Webb's office today -- and he still had no position
on how he would vote in committee. Nevertheless, the lady took down my zip code and my position on the matter, so I urge everyone to call their senator who is on the SFRC.

Per Bob's previous post:

http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2007/03/does-major-swift-boat-donor-become.html

I've received no confirmation as of this morning on how the committee's Democratic Senators intend to vote, but if you would like to give them a verbal nudge on why we shouldn’t approve scumbags to be diplomats, you can call the Capitol toll-free at 800-862-5530 and ask to speak to the staff of one or more of these Senators:

Joseph R. Biden
Chris Dodd

John F. Kerry
Russell D. Feingold
Barbara Boxer
Bill Nelson
Barack Obama
Robert Menendez
Benjamin L. Cardin
Robert P. Casey Jr.
Jim Webb

You might also want to give Republican Chuck Hagel a buzz and ask whether or not his own experience as a decorated combat Veteran allows him to vote for someone like Fox based purely on party loyalty.


The hearing is coming soon, so please call now.

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iilana X Donating Member (250 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 12:26 PM
Response to Original message
19. Victory!
Chalk one up for the good guys! :woohoo:
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YvonneCa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 12:34 PM
Response to Original message
20. Fantastic...
...there is still some justice in this crazy world we are living in. I plan to take this as a sign that the huge aircraft carrier that is the United States of America is finally turning itself around (with a lot of help from people like JK and THK and those here) and is changing course to once again become "America' again. LET AMERICA BE AMERICA AGAIN.
:patriot:
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vanboggie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 05:59 PM
Response to Original message
22. Kicking for President Kerry
and everyone else hurt by these liars.

:kick:
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YvonneCa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 06:59 PM
Response to Reply #22
26. Yes...for President Kerry...
... :)
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kerstin Donating Member (519 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 06:08 PM
Response to Original message
23. Kick for Kerry and Dodd. n/t
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rodeodance Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 06:20 PM
Response to Original message
24. WH withdrew his nomination today
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Coexist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 07:06 PM
Response to Reply #24
27. nice.
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bigwillq Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Mar-28-07 07:22 PM
Response to Original message
28. Thank you Sen. Dodd
:bounce:
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