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-- McCain Condemns Anti-Kerry Ad

McCain Condemns Anti-Kerry Ad

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Updated: 03:02 PM EDT McCain Condemns Anti-Kerry Ad Republican Senator Calls Attack 'Dishonest and Dishonorable' By RON FOURNIER, AP WASHINGTON (Aug. 5) - Republican Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called an ad criticizing John Kerry's military service ''dishonest and dishonorable'' and urged the White House on Thursday to condemn it as well. The White House declined. ''It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me,'' McCain said in an interview with The Associated Press, comparing the anti-Kerry ad to tactics in his bitter Republican primary fight with President Bush. The 60-second ad features Vietnam veterans who accuse the Democratic presidential nominee of lying about his decorated Vietnam War record and betraying his fellow veterans by later opposing the conflict. ''When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry,'' one of the veterans, Larry Thurlow, says in the ad. Thurlow didn't serve on Kerry's swiftboat, but says he witnessed the events that led to Kerry winning a Bronze Star and the last of his three Purple Hearts. Kerry's crewmates support the candidate and call him a hero. The ad, scheduled to air in a few markets in Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin, was produced by Stevens, Reed, Curcio and Potham, the same team that produced McCain's ads in 2000. ''I wish they hadn't done it,'' McCain said of his former advisers. ''I don't know if they knew all the facts.'' Asked if the White House knew about the ad or helped find financing for it, McCain said, ''I hope not, but I don't know. But I think the Bush campaign should specifically condemn the ad.'' "It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me." -Sen. John McCain McCain, chairman of Bush's campaign in Arizona, later said the Bush campaign has denied any involvement and added, ''I can't believe the president would pull such a cheap stunt.'' White House spokesman Scott McClellan declined to condemn the ad. He did denounce the proliferation of spending by independent groups, such as the anti-Kerry veterans organization, that are playing on both sides of the political fence. ''The president thought he got rid of this unregulated soft money when he signed the bipartisan campaign finance reform into law,'' McClellan said. A chief sponsor of that bill, which Bush initially opposed, was McCain. In 2000, Bush's supporters sponsored a rumor campaign against McCain in the South Carolina primary, helping Bush win the primary and the nomination. McCain's supporters have never forgiven the Bush team. McCain said that's all in the past to him, but he's speaking out against the anti-Kerry ad because ''it reopens all the old wounds of the Vietnam War, which I spent the last 35 years trying to heal.'' ''I deplore this kind of politics,'' McCain said. ''I think the ad is dishonest and dishonorable. As it is, none of these individuals served on the boat (Kerry) commanded. Many of his crew have testified to his courage under fire. I think John Kerry served honorably in Vietnam. I think George Bush served honorably in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War.'' Retired Adm. Roy Hoffmann, head of the Swift Boat group, said they respected McCain's ''right to express his opinion and we hope he extends to us the same respect and courtesy, particularly since we served with John Kerry, we knew him well and Sen. McCain did not.'' McCain himself spent more than five years in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp. A bona fide war hero, McCain, like Kerry, used his war record as the foundation of his presidential campaign. The Kerry campaign has denounced the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, saying none of the men in the ad served on the boat that Kerry commanded. Three veterans on Kerry's boat that day - Jim Rassmann, who says Kerry saved his life, Gene Thorson and Del Sandusky, the driver on Kerry's boat, said the group was lying. They say Kerry was injured, and Rassmann called the group's account ''pure fabrication.'' Hoffmann said none of the 13 veterans in the commercial served on Kerry's boat but rather were in other swiftboats within 50 yards of Kerry's. The group claims that there was no gunfire on the day Kerry pulled Rassmann from a muddy river in the Mekong Delta and that Kerry's arm was not wounded, as he has claimed. 08-05-04 1328EDT Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Nasty Nastyyyyyyyyyy

Swift Boat Veterans For Truth is a "527," the very kind of group that McCain's legislation didn't bother to touch. They're the same, legally, as moveon.org, and have the same purpose. They're non-coordinated interest groups that favor a candidate for President.

If you're outraged at this ad, you should be just as outraged as the moveon.org ads. So, by all means, call Senator Kerry and have him call moveon.org and tell them to stop buying media time. As Scott McClellan said, Bush has stated an interest in curbing the influence of 527's, but will not tie his own hands with out a pledge from the other side.

At least having a debate from both sides is a hell of a lot better than the fascist legal tactics that the Democrats are trying to use to get the Swift Boat ads off of the air. The Republicans didn't stoop that low to get the "Bush Lied" ads off of the air. See below, letter faxed to news outlets today by the legal counsel for the Kerry Campaign.

http://humaneventsonline.com.edgesu.../unfit_pdf.html

FYI, here was the response to McCain by RADM Roy Hoffman, who actually has spoken out against Kerry, ever since he started running for Senate.

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"Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has more than 250 members, many of whom were wounded or highly decorated in Vietnam. We purchased with our blood and service the right to be heard, to set the record straight about our unit, and to tell the truth about John Kerry's military service record. We respect Senator McCain's right to express his opinion and we hope he extends to us the same respect and courtesy, particularly since we served with John Kerry, we knew him well and Senator McCain did not." Rear Admiral Roy Hoffmann (ret.), Founder and Chairman of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

Even the Bush campaign spokesman has had to come out and say that the "Swiftboat Veterans for Truth" is not at their behest, it's simple political lowballing and any American who knows about the subject can see that, it has all the handyworks of a political smear tactic. The Swiftboat ads should be off the air, unless we want to look at someone who did serve in Vietnam and say that he cannot question the war while being courageous while serving in the conflict. The most powerful for me is the fact that he saved the life of a fellow soldier and that cannot be denied by anyone, so much for not giving a damn about his fellow soldiers. These "Swiftboat Veterans for Truth" are individuals with a serious axe to grind wonder if they felt that way about Kerry before or after he criticized the war in Vietnam.

Its amazing to me that these individuals cannot offer up one critic of Kerry while he was in Vietnam instead they criticize him as being anti-war and lying yet I don't get why Kerry's own swiftboat compatriots would lie, for what purpose. I doubt that you would lie that someone saved your life and allow yourself to be used under fallacious reasons

a shame that the Bush administration stooped to the low level that the liberals operate at.

>JM<

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Originally posted by JM a shame that the Bush administration stooped to the low level that the liberals operate at. >JM<

The Bush administration had nothing to do with this ad. The group that ran the ad has no connection to the Bush administration.

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Originally posted by JM a shame that the Bush administration stooped to the low level that the liberals operate at. >JM<

LoL, damm its been almost a year since you last stopped posting stuff like this..hahahaha

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Originally posted by NYCTrancefan The Swiftboat ads should be off the air,

No, they should have the freedom to state their opinion. It's freedom of speech, just because you don't like the content is not reason to ban it.

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Originally posted by FuzzyGreen The Bush administration had nothing to do with this ad. The group that ran the ad has no connection to the Bush administration.

According to the article, the white house did not comment on the matter.

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Originally posted by FuzzyGreen No, they should have the freedom to state their opinion. It's freedom of speech, just because you don't like the content is not reason to ban it.

Actually, you dont see any ads questioning Bush's AWOL right?

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Originally posted by LiquidX According to the article, the white house did not comment on the matter.

According to the ad itself (which I actually listened to) states the sponsor of the ad and the group does not have ties to the Bush administration. It was privately funded by a group of vietnam vets.

But I do agree that the whitehouse should condeme the ad for publicity sake.

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Originally posted by LiquidX Actually, you dont see any ads questioning Bush's AWOL right?

Actually I did, that ad was funded by moveon.org.

That's irrelevent anyway.

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Originally posted by FuzzyGreen According to the ad itself (which I actually listened to) states the sponsor of the ad and the group does not have ties to the Bush administration. It was privately funded by a group of vietnam vets. But I do agree that the whitehouse should condeme the ad for publicity sake.

Ah you saw it then, glad to know the Bush administration didnt get to that point.. though people that will see it, will think it comes from Bush, it could backstab him.. very sensitive issue to get into.

oh my god politicians are dishonest and dishonorable?

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Originally posted by FuzzyGreen No, they should have the freedom to state their opinion. It's freedom of speech, just because you don't like the content is not reason to ban it.

Does anyone even agree that what these guys are laying claim to is factual or legitimate. How many people do you believe will see this ad in the particular states and believe it is pure facts. You are correct this is America everyone has the right to freedom of speech, what they don't have the right to is irresponsible claims and statements on such an issue as John Kerry and his role in the Vietnam War. I ask once again why the discrepancy between the men who were under John Kerry and these particular individuals. These guys like you said seem to be giving more opinion than facts, that to me certainly raises questions about their motivations. They present no sound facts as to their claims, but generic statements branding Kerry as unfit for leadership and questioning third purple hearts, Cmon where's the meat and potatoes.

i have never questioned Kerry's war record for the sole reason that i was not in the Mekong Delta as much as i was in the Texas Air National Guard in 1969.

with that said, it is Kerry's sole decision to make his Vietnam record the cornerstone of, not just his national convention, but his entire campaign as opposed to his record of 30 years in the senate. it was his choice, just like it was his choice to run for the presidency.

no one, including the men that served with him and around him, gave two shits whether he was an anonymous career senator from taxechusettes or an anti-war activist until he made the decision to become one step away from the office of the leader of the free world.

all of us here can only be so critical of the character of the man Kerry.
let the men who fought the war beside him, be critical of the character of the man that decided to make his character during that war a contention.

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May 4, 2004 Senator Kerry, We write from our common heritage as veterans of duty aboard Swift Boats in the Vietnam War. Indeed, you should note that a substantial number of those men who served directly with you during your four month tour in Vietnam have signed this letter. It is our collective judgment that, upon your return from Vietnam, you grossly and knowingly distorted the conduct of the American soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen of that war (including a betrayal of many of us, without regard for the danger your actions caused us). Further, we believe that you have withheld and/or distorted material facts as to your own conduct in this war. We believe you continue this conduct today, albeit by changing from an anti-war to a "war hero" status. You now seek to clad yourself in the very medals that you disdainfully threw away in the early years of your political career. In the process, we believe you continue a deception as to your own conduct through such tactics as the disclosure of only carefully screened portions of your military records. Both then and now, we have concluded that you have deceived the public, and in the process have betrayed honorable men, to further your personal political goals. Your conduct is such as to raise substantive concerns as to your honesty and your ability to serve, as you currently seek, as Commander-in-Chief of the military services. It is vital that the American public have as much information as possible about candidates for President of the United States. In various ways, you have rightly called upon President Bush to be fully accountable and to provide full disclosure. In the same spirit, now that you are the presumptive nominee of your Party, we believe it is incumbent upon you to make your total military record open to the American people. Specifically, we the undersigned formally request that you authorize the Department of the Navy to independently release your military records (through your execution of Standard Form 180), complete and unaltered, including your military medical records. Further, we call upon you to correct the misconceptions your campaign seeks to create as to your conduct while in Vietnam. Permit the American public the opportunity to assess your military performance upon the record, and not upon campaign rhetoric. Senator Kerry, we were there. We know the truth. We have been silent long enough. The stakes are too great, not only for America in general but, most importantly, for those who have followed us into service in Iraq and Afghanistan. We call upon you to provide a full, accurate accounting of your conduct in Vietnam. Respectfully, Rear Admiral Roy Hoffmann, USN Captain Charley Plumly, USN (ret) Mr. Alvin A. Horne Mr. Bill Lannom Mr. John O'Neill Mr. Wey Symmes Mr. William W. Franke

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Originally posted by JM a shame that the Bush administration stooped to the low level that the liberals operate at. >JM<

Out of curiosity, who are "the liberals" that you're referring to? Furthermore, do you know what the word liberal actually means?

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Originally posted by imokruok If you're outraged at this ad, you should be just as outraged as the moveon.org ads. So, by all means, call Senator Kerry and have him call moveon.org and tell them to stop buying media time. As Scott McClellan said, Bush has stated an interest in curbing the influence of 527's, but will not tie his own hands with out a pledge from the other side.

Legally, yes � but it should be pointed out that legalities aren�t what people are alluding to when they criticize this particular ad. People are annoyed at the content rather than the fact that a 527 is running an anti-Kerry ad.

As for the 'call Senator Kerry' idea, quite frankly I doubt that they'd stop running the ads even if he asked them to.

anyone listen to Michael Savage radio program? they had the machinegunner from john kerrys swiftboat on the show... he had alot of nasty things to say about this traitor who is representing democrats

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Originally posted by rainbow_marble anyone listen to Michael Savage radio program? they had the machinegunner from john kerrys swiftboat on the show... he had alot of nasty things to say about this traitor who is representing democrats

I'm sorry I missed it.

Did Savage burn crosses in a black person's yard after the show?

That's what he does in his free time correct?

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