OK, one final word about the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, I mean, for Bush.
Jim Rassmann, whose life John Kerry saved under enemy fire in Vietnam 35 years ago, had an op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal in which he tells the story of Kerry’s heroism in battle and condemns the Swiftboat hacks for their mendacity.
Rassmann, a life-long Republican and retired police officer, did an interesting thing in the piece — he took the attacks on Kerry as personal attacks against him.
Now, 35 years after the fact, some Republican-financed Swift Boat Veterans for Bush are suddenly lying about John Kerry’s service in Vietnam; they are calling him a traitor because he spoke out against the Nixon administration’s failed policies in Vietnam. Some of these Republican-sponsored veterans are the same ones who spoke out against John at the behest of the Nixon administration in 1971. But this time their attacks are more vicious, their lies cut deep and are directed not just at John Kerry, but at me and each of his crewmates as well. This hate-filled ad asserts that I was not under fire; it questions my words and Navy records. This smear campaign has been launched by people without decency, people who don’t understand the bond of those who serve in combat.
This may be the most effective response to the Swiftboat nonsense yet. Rassmann emphasizes the point that often goes unmentioned: by accusing Kerry of misstating his war record, the Swiftboat hacks are also attacking Kerry’s fellow troops, who saw his valor first-hand.
There are two obvious differences. One, Kerry’s former crewmates have no incentive to lie or exaggerate, while the SVFT obviously have a partisan axe to grind. And two, Kerry’s crew served at Kerry’s side; members of the SVFT never served a day with him.
Rassmann also does a nice job of pointing out the GOP agenda at play.
Does this strategy of attacking combat Vietnam veterans sound familiar? In 2000, a similar Republican smear campaign was launched against Sen. McCain. In fact, the very same communications group, Spaeth Communications, that placed ads against John McCain in 2000 is involved in these vicious attacks against John Kerry. Texas Republican donors with close ties to George W. Bush and Karl Rove crafted this “dishonest and dishonorable” ad. Their new charges are false; their stories are fabricated, made up by people who did not serve with Kerry in Vietnam. They insult and defame all of us who served in Vietnam.
But when the noise and fog of their distortions and lies have cleared, a man who volunteered to serve his country, a man who showed up for duty when his country called, a man to whom the United States Navy awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts, will stand tall and proud. Ultimately, the American people will judge these Swift Boat Veterans for Bush and their accusations. Americans are tired of smear campaigns against those who volunteered to wear the uniform. Swift Boat Veterans for Bush should hang their heads in shame.
In order for these guys to hang their heads in shame, they’d have to already have a conscience and some sense of decency. Since they obviously have neither, it seems unlikely.