If the Swifties had come out with their real issue - that they felt that Kerry's antiwar rhetoric was disgusting - then, I think people could relate and appreciate that position. The reason that the Swifties are now feeling a backlash (and a dose of their own medicine, or should I say O'Neill's medicine, as most of the Swifties now appear to be dupes) is that people see the truth instead of the lies and smears against Kerry's war record.
I think Chris Matthews was one of the first to question their motivations straight to their faces. O'Neill denied that this was about Kerry's antiwar comments, and only about his war record. Right there, O'Neill lost the battle. As more and more of his lies and distortions are exposed, there is an increasing backlash against the vets, and Bush (who failed to distance himself properly when he had the chance).
As the lies are exposed, each subsequent ad or message from that group loses impact. Already, we see that the second group of ads, arguably much stronger in message and reality than the first, have garnered little talk and no furor. O'Neill is spent, the Swifties are spent, and the attack on Kerry's war record is spent.
The real losers in the end will be Vietnam vets. O'Neill has cast a pall over all vets, opened wounds that were healing, and called into question the heroism of all medal holders. |
