I've noticed most of the conservative, usually Christian, blogs I frequent have not said much about the new Swift Boat book and ensuing controversy, if they've said anything at all. Hopefully you won't mind me breaking the silence to share a few thoughts on it. I think we can draw a correlation between Moore's attacks in Fahrenheit 9/11 and the Swift Boat Veteran's attacks, particularly in Unfit for Command. Content aside, looking only at strategy, methods, and positions, we may be able to look at both of these as extreme personal attacks on the candidates from opposite polarities. Many people were turned off by Moore's abuse of documentary filmmaking and accusations, and I think many are turned off by the Veteran's attacking Kerry's Vietnam record. The appropriate thing to do, whether the attacks are justified or not, is to separate the campaigns from the attackers. These people, on each side, are typically not going to interest moderate America, and if affiliated with a party, will push the moderate voters in the opposing direction. The problem for the Democrat's is that they embraced their extreme left and made it the core of their party. Michael Moore was repeatedly honored during the Democratic Convention, and was sat next to former President Jimmy Carter. There was a report in June, which I don't think has been verified, that the DNC is purchasing a half-million DVDs of the film to fundraise with. The extreme personal attacks of the left have become the platform of the Democratic Party. Contrast to the right. There is no connection between the Republican Party and the Swift Boat Veterans. Most Conservatives have taken an attitude of, "If they want to attack his Vietnam record that's fine, I'll stay out of it since I'm a civilian." And this is the party line of the Republican Party. In an interview on Hugh Hewitt's show earlier this week, Vice President Dick Cheney said, "we have never said anything negative about Senator Kerry's record in Vietnam, and I think anybody who served over there deserves the thanks of the American people, and with respect to the details of what did or didn't happen while he was there, I'll leave that to others." On one hand, as civilians, many of us should respect Kerry's service in Vietnam and the veterans work out those details. On the other, Kerry's Vietnam record has been the central feature of his campaign. Somehow, if we see what he did for 4 months in Vietnam, we will see that he has all the answers to today's problems. Newt Gingrich pointed out that it's as though Kerry just woke up from a coma, or has amnesia. The last thing he remembers is Vietnam, and he just came back to the States. In fact, he landed at the Democratic Convention and "reported for duty." If he really wants us to ignore everything he's done since Vietnam, shouldn't we have the right to criticize his Vietnam record? Enter the Swift Boat Veterans. Can we trust them? What if they're lying? Those questions we can't answer until the book hits the shelves, but much has been said about the one chapter that's been released as a preview. It calls into question how Kerry got his medals. That is something I'd prefer to stay away from. They may be right that he shouldn't have gotten the medals, but he has them, and I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on that unless he says otherwise. There's another part of the chapter, however, that I think is appropriate for us to deal with. John Kerry has claimed, on numerous occasions, that he was in Cambodia Christmas Eve of 1968, by order of President Nixon. He said that this memory is "seared-seared in my mind," and that it was the turning point of his life. He's told this story countless times since Vietnam, but now he's "corrected the record."
"On Wednesday, the Kerry campaign acknowledged that John Kerry probably was not in Cambodia on Christmas 1968, contrary to the senator's decades-old assertion. Speaking on Fox News' "Fox and Friends," Kerry campaign aide Jeh Johnson said, "John Kerry has said on the record that he had a mistaken recollection earlier. He talked about a combat situation on Christmas Eve 1968 which at one point he said occurred in Cambodia. He has since corrected the record to say it was some place on a river near Cambodia and he is certain that at some point subsequent to that he was in Cambodia. My understanding is that he is not certain about that date." Recall that this is the date that Mr. Kerry, speaking on the Senate floor in 1986, said was "seared" into him. " (Washington Post.)
Kerry was “mistaken” about a story he’s been telling for 30 years, and has “corrected the record” to account for the fact that this live changing event “seared” in him never actually took place. If he lied about this important event, then what else has he lied about regarding his Vietnam service? If we are suppose to understand Kerry’s plans for presidency through understanding his Vietnam record, then we must understand that he will be a fraud, will pander to special interest groups, and will be a perpetual insult to Veterans and the active military. To quote a Vietnam veteran who works for my client, “he’s an @$$.”How is using this different from the Dems embracing Michael Moore? Kerry has now admitted his "mistake." It's open game for everyone, not just the Swift Boat Veterans. We can utilize these facts without aligning the Republican Party with the Veterans, whether they're right about everything or not.