Posted 9:40am, Friday, August 6, 2004

Folding under questioning

If you haven't already read it, start with my post from last night (below or link). Here's a swift boat update:

Looks like this brotherhood is crumbling. I guess some of veterans finally figured out they might be "outed" in their flip-flopping because one of them flip-flopped again this morning.

Yesterday, a key figure in the anti-Kerry campaign, Kerry's former commanding officer, backed off one of the key contentions. Lieutenant Commander George Elliott said in an interview that he had made a ''terrible mistake" in signing an affidavit that suggests Kerry did not deserve the Silver Star -- one of the main allegations in the book. The affidavit was given to The Boston Globe by the anti-Kerry group to justify assertions in their ad and book.

Elliott is quoted as saying that Kerry ''lied about what occurred in Vietnam.... for example, in connection with his Silver Star, I was never informed that he had simply shot a wounded, fleeing Viet Cong in the back.

The statement refers to an episode in which Kerry killed a Viet Cong soldier who had been carrying a rocket launcher, part of a chain of events that formed the basis of his Silver Star. Over time, some Kerry critics have questioned whether the soldier posed a danger to Kerry's crew. Crew members have said Kerry's actions saved their lives.

Yesterday, reached at his home, Elliott said he regretted signing the affidavit and said he still thinks Kerry deserved the Silver Star.

ABC News is also picking up on these flip-flopping veterans.

And who will first get to Lonsdale, who, in 1996, quite easily praised Kerry for the same conduct he is now criticizing him for in an ad?

"As far as I was concerned, the war was won over there in that part for that period. And it was mainly won because of the bravado and the courage of the young officers that ran the boats, the SWIFT boats and the Coast Guard cutters and Senator Kerry was no exception. He was among the finest of those," he said in 1996.

CNN This Morning interviewed another one of the "outraged" swift boat veterans against Kerry:

Elder said his gripe with Kerry was not only his betrayal that followed the Vietnam War, but also the way he "grossly exaggerated and lied" to get his first Purple Heart — an honor, Elder said, that did not meet the military's requirements for the award, which is that it come from hostile fire.

Asked if he was there that day, Elder said, "No."

First the Jack Ryan scandal in Illinois, now this embarrassment for the GOP.

---

And hey, how about the anemic jobs report this morning? Only 32,000 new jobs in July. The administration originally predicted over 230,000.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised their June numbers downward, from 112,000 to 78,000.

Let's see how Bush spins this one. I know Kerry will run with it.

::Permalink::

 

Posted 9:30pm, Thursday, August 5, 2004

Swift Liars

The so-called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth started airing a commercial today claiming that John Kerry is lying about his service in Vietnam, saying he lied to get his Purple Hearts and his Bronze Star.

John McCain is the only Republican to rush to Kerry's defense. He knows all about these smear tactics. After all, they're the same ones Bush used in 2000 when he beat McCain in the primaries.

"Republican Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called an ad criticizing John Kerry's military service "dishonest and dishonorable" and urged the White House on Thursday to condemn it as well.

The White House declined.

"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me," McCain said in an interview with The Associated Press, comparing the anti-Kerry ad to tactics in his bitter Republican primary fight with President Bush."

A cursory search of the WHOIS reveals the domain for the swift boat group to be owned by Weymouth D. Symmes. A Google search of Mr. Symmes reveals a well-funded right-wing organization who's only purpose is smearing Kerry.

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's biggest contributor is Bob J. Perry, a resident of Houston, Texas. Google his name and you'll find Perry to be a huge contributor to the Republican party. In 2002 alone, he gave close to $3 million to Republican interests in Texas, including the governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, congressmen, senators, railroad commissioner, commissioner of public lands, and of course, the Republican Party of Texas.

That year, Perry also contributed $200,000 to the Republican Party of Louisiana and $50,000 to the Republican Party of Arkansas. Figures for 2003 are not available, but I’m willing to bet he threw a few million towards Bush’s way.

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth are also touting a book by Vietnam vet John O'Neill called "Unfit for Command" which calls into question Kerry's wartime service. Oh, by the way, O’Neill contributed $25,000 of his own money to the swift boat crew, so it’s no surprise that they would herald his book as gospel.

O'Neill is hardly a reliable, non-partisan individual either. In 1971, the Nixon administration tapped him to start an organization called Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace.

A young John Kerry was speaking to Congress about the wartime atrocities he experienced and was granted instant credibility by the public and the media as a spokesman against the war. He was educated and articulate and the Nixon folks were panicking that he would derail their plans in Vietnam.

Nixon's chief counsel, Chuck Colson later said of Kerry:

"He was a thorn in our flesh. He was very articulate, a credible leader of the opposition. He forced us to create a counterfoil. We found a vet named John O'Neill and formed a group called Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace. We had O'Neill meet the President, and we did everything we could do to boost his group." - The New Yorker, 1/5/04

From the Houston Chronicle, 3/31/04 (link not available):

"In a series of memos, Nixon aide Colson, who later went to prison for his role in the Watergate scandal, referred to the administration's efforts to promote O'Neill and to challenge Kerry to debate him. ‘Let's destroy this young demagogue before he becomes another Ralph Nader,’ Colson wrote about Kerry."

Do a little digging on O'Neill's law firm and you'll find out that he clerked under Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist in the 70's.

The swift boat group’s PR agency is Spaeth Communications in Dallas, run by Merrie Spaeth, a well-known Texas Republican activist. She also happens to be the widow of Tex Lezar, another partner in O’Neill’s law firm.

Furthermore, one of his firm's partners, Margaret Wilson served as general counsel to George W. Bush from 1998-2000. But I’m sure O’Neill or his frim hold no personal grudges against Kerry.

Hot damn! I feel like a journalist!

---

Analyzing the swift boat group's commercial, I noticed a couple bits of odd revisionist history.

In the spot, one of the veterans, a Lieutenent Commander named George Elliot proclaims,

"John Kerry has not been honest about what happened in Vietnam."

If Elliot feels that way, then why does his signature appear on the REPORT ON THE FITNESS OF OFFICERS document dated March 26, 1969:

"LTJG KERRY was assigned to this division for only a short time but during that time exhibited all of the traits desired of an officer in a combat environment. He frequently exhibited a high sense of imagination and judgement in planning operations against the enemy in the Mekong Delta. Involved in several enemy initiated fire fights, including an ambush during the Christmas truce, he effectively suppressed enemy fire and is unofficially credited with 20 enemy killed in action. Though relatively new to the PCF he is thoroughly knowledgeable of all aspects of his boat and PCF operations. He was instrumental in planning of highly successful Sea Lords Operations. He was cited for his performance during action against the enemy by Commander Task Force in his message 080807Z JAN 69."

According to the header of that document, the report was based on "close observation". You'll find Kerry's complete service records on his site.

When the Boston Globe called him on his flip-flop in April, Elliot said, "I just don't remember it."

The Globe article goes on to report:

"'In a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action LTJG Kerry was unsurpassed,' wrote one of Kerry's commanding officers, Lieutenant Commander George Elliott. 'He constantly reviewed tactics and lessons learned in river operations and applied his experience at every opportunity.... LTJG Kerry emerges as the acknowledged leader in his peer group. His bearing and appearance are above reproach.'"

Another one of the veterans appearing in the swift boat commercial, Commander Adrian Lonsdale claims, "He lacks the capacity to lead."

If that's the case, why did he also flip-flop and tell South Coast Today on November 4, 1996:

"Adrian Lonsdale remembers a young John F. Kerry as a naval officer who was a good debater, even back in his days in Vietnam. 'He and I and others used to have long discussions at the officers club,' said Mr. Lonsdale of Mattapoisett, a former Coast Guard officer who commanded a division in which the Massachusetts senator was attached back in 1969. 'They were very spirited discussions about the war and the politics back home. He was opposed to the war but it didn't make any difference in his performance,' said the former owner and still instructor at Northeast Maritime Institute in New Bedford. 'He was a very good officer.'"

Yet another veteran in the swift boat commercial, Lieutenent Commander Grant Hibberd says of Kerry, "He betrayed all his shipmates. He lied before the Senate."

The Globe discredits Hibbard as well:

Hibbard's evaluation was brief and incomplete because Hibbard oversaw Kerry's service for only about two weeks. Kerry's duty under Hibbard included 'counter infiltration operations against Viet Cong forces. Engaged in combat operations.' Hibbard marked a few performance categories, noting that Kerry's initiative, cooperation, and bearing ranked among the top few. But unlike other evaluators who wrote about specific actions by Kerry, Hibbard did not do so, providing this explanation: 'The short period LTJG Kerry was attached to Coast Division 14 prevents further evaluation.'"

Hmmmm. Maybe these old guys are just getting a bit foggy. I mean, I know this stuff happened over 30 years ago. I'm sure the GOP helped jog their memory, right?

The internet is a bitch. With Google's help, you can dig up every skeleton. If I can do it, let's hope the mainstream media follows suit.

::Permalink::