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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (91243)	12/18/2004 8:52:29 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793834

John O'Neill: He had last word in Vietnam debate 06:50 PM CST on Friday, December 17, 2004 The Houston telephone book lists more than 16,000 lawyers, some clearly more famous than others. Very few – perhaps only one – can credibly claim to have helped pull the hand brake on a presidential campaign. John O'Neill had his day on the national stage 33 years ago, but this year he emerged from the weeds of his comfortable anonymity because of a burning belief that John Kerry would make an awful commander in chief – and had to be stopped. In February, Mr. O'Neill rallied more than 200 fellow Vietnam vets to form Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, one of the independent political groups known as 527s made possible by campaign finance reform. The 527s, including MoveOn.org from the liberal side, played a powerful role in this year's election. None mattered more than the Swifties, who charged that Mr. Kerry had hurt Vietnam veterans with his 1971 Senate testimony about purported war crimes, had exaggerated his war record and did not deserve his war medals. Mr. O'Neill was no stranger to the argument. He had debated Mr. Kerry in 1971 on national television. More than three decades later, with his old nemesis running for president, major newspapers and networks mostly ignored Mr. O'Neill for months, until his anti-Kerry broadside Unfit for Command stormed the best-seller list. So huge was the Swifties' impact that traditional media grudgingly picked up the story, if only to challenge their claims. But the fog of political warfare they generated never quite dissipated. Mr. Kerry, a Navy vet, made his military service the centerpiece of his campaign, but the Swiftie assault stopped the Democrat's momentum cold. Mr. Kerry never fully regained his offensive footing. Love him or hate him, Mr. O'Neill turned a presidential election on its ear. For his drive, vision and influence, we name him a 2004 finalist for The Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year. Online at: dallasnews.com