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Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Start to Sink
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Editorial by Shane Cory
August 6, 2004
(Note: Here's a quick update that takes into account the events that have occurred since this editorial was written. After reading the column below, click here.)
For the last few weeks, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have been ramping up their media operations for the release of their attack ad on John Kerry. This television ad coincides with a book by one of the SwiftVet founders, John O'Neill.
I personally received a few e-mails as the managing editor of the Washington Dispatch. One such e-mail from Tom Mortensen included the following:
"He [Kerry] recommended himself for 2 of his Purple Hearts for minor scratches that were probably self-inflicted and, more importantly, for the Silver Star. The events surrounds the award of the Bronze Star are also questionable as will be revealed in a soon to be released book, “Unfit to Command”, currently #2 in sales at Amazon.com."
This was part of my response:
"Do you have solid evidence that Kerry’s wounds were self-inflicted? If you do bring facts to light and if they’re for real then I’ll give you a column. There is also the risk that if they are not for real or you don’t have any evidence to support your claims, you’ll get a column anyway, just not what you expected."
Tom responded with:
"The facts will [be] out over the next several weeks via testamentary evidence from officers who participated in the actions in question"
I should have called "b.s" at that very moment but I held off due to the chance that they could have some hard, credible evidence against John Kerry. Yet, I strongly felt that someone cannot make that type of accusation without backing it up, no matter what their media plans may be.
I didn't call it then, but I'll call it now. Bullshit!
After looking into the formation of this group which was funded by Republican donors and put together within the past four months, something looked odd. Combine the Republican money with a communications operative known to be "well connected" within the RNC, and you have a Republican hit squad that's willing to slither below James Carville's moral threshold. That's pretty low.
Yesterday afternoon, the first hole appeared in the hull of the Swift Boat Veterans' ship of lies. A key figure in the SwiftVets' attack against John Kerry admitted that he made a "terrible mistake" in an interview with the Boston Globe. George Elliott, Kerry's former commanding officer admitted that he was given an affidavit to sign by the SwiftVets that attacked Kerry's nomination for the Silver Star. He admitted to feeling pressured into signing the affidavit due to the approaching deadline of the book by John O'Neill. Elliott admitted the mistake and feels that John Kerry deserved his Silver Star.
John O'Neill, the author of the soon to be released book that attacks John Kerry's Vietnam service, never even served on a swift boat at the same time as John Kerry. Kerry was back home in the United States by the time O'Neill took command of his first unit! O'Neill did not even know John Kerry until he was tapped by Richard Nixon. Huh, what was that? Yes, this story gets even more interesting.
Back in 1971, Richard Nixon needed a plan to counter anti-war groups such as Vietnam Veterans Against the War of which John Kerry was a member. He tasked Chuck Colson (of Watergate infamy) to form a group around the young John O'Neill. Yes, this is an old, bitter fight.
The first round of Kerry v. O'Neill occurred in June of 1971 on the Dick Cavett Show. O'Neill takes pride in displaying this "debate" on the website of the Swift Board Veterans for Truth.
The second round occurred this week when O'Neill and his cohorts released this ad against Kerry. Unfortunately for John O'Neill, he knocked himself out with a self-inflicted flurry of lies and stupidity. Instead of taking advantage of non-political veterans by preparing affidavits for their signature and pressuring them to sign them, maybe O'Neill should have dedicated time passing out fliers for Bush's reelection campaign.
Obviously, O'Neill has held a grudge against John Kerry for over three decades. Now backed by Republican money and at least one false affidavit, he may have thought that he had a chance against Kerry. Thankfully, with men like George Elliott coming forward, the truth will prevail.
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