The Kerry campaign has focused a lot on the Vietnam issue. With good reason, it seems, because it's something W can't hope to match.
Enter Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group of about 200 Vietnam veterans who question Kerry's abilities as a commander. In ads set to air in West Virginia, Ohio, and Wisconsin (all swing states), they say, "[w]hen the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry."
Their statements are, no surprise, false. First, not a single one of the veterans in Swift Boat Veterans for "Truth" actually served with John Kerry[1]. Somehow, they claim to know better than the people who were actually there. Every single person who actually served with Kerry, even those who didn't personally like him, had nothing but good things to say about him. For example:
October 19, 1967, evaluation from Captain Allen W. Slifer: A top notch officer in every measurable trait. Intelligent, mature, and rich in educational background and experience, ENS Kerry is one of the finest young officers I have ever met and without question one of the most promising.
September 3, 1968, evaluation from Captain E.W. Harper, Jr.: LTJG KERRY is an intelligent and competent young naval officer who has performed his duties in an excellent to outstanding manner.
December 18, 1969, evaluation from LCDR George M. Elliott: In a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action LTJG Kerry was unsurpassed. He constantly reviewed tactics and lessons learned in river operations and applied his experience at every opportunity. On one occasion while in tactical command of a three boat operation his units were taken under fire from ambush. LTJG Kerry rapidly assessed the situation and ordered his units to turn directly into the ambush. This decision resulted in routing the attackers with several enemy KIA.
LTJG Kerry emerges as the acknowledged leader in his peer group. His bearing and appearance are above reproach. He has of his own volition learned the Vietnamese language and is instrumental in the successful Vietnamese training program. During the period of this report LTJG Kerry has been awarded the Silver Star medal, the Bronze Star medal, the Purple Heart medal (2nd and 3rd awards).
Evaluation co-signed by Joseph Streuli and George M. Elliott on January 28, 1969, and March 17, 1969, respectively: ... exhibited all of the traits of an officer in a combat environment. He frequently exhibited a high sense of imagination and judgment in planning operations against the enemy in the Mekong Delta.
March 2, 1970 evaluation from Admiral Walter F. Schlech: ... one of the finest young officers with whom I have served in a long naval career.
[2]
Doesn't sound to me like there's much to attack, is there? His former crewmates even came out to support him. The only exception was one who thought Kerry was using his service for political means.[3]
One of Kerry's former commanders, Lt. Cmdr. George Elliot, signed an affidavit saying that Kerry did not deserve the Silver Star. This has been used as one of the primary arguments for a book, Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry. Now, however, he says he was wrong: "I still don't think he shot the guy in the back. It was a terrible mistake probably for me to sign the affidavit with those words. I'm the one in trouble here."[4]
It will come as no surprise to the reader, I'm sure, that this group has recieved 2/3 of it's funding from a major Republican contributor. John Perry, who contributed more than $100,000 of the approximately $158,000 that the group has raised since June 30th, was also instrumental in the smear campaign against Sen. John McCain during the 2000 Republican primaries.[5]
It's no surprise, really, that this group has some major Republican backers. They're trying to smear Kerry while keeping their own hands clean, and it's up to us not to let them get away with it.
Sources:
- 1. Vietnam Veterans Buy Ads to Attack Kerry -- New York Times
- 2. Fitness Reports, from the Official Navy Records section of John Kerry's website
- 3. Vietnam Crewmates Steady at Kerry's Side -- USA Today
- 4. Veteran Retracts Criticism of Kerry -- Boston Globe
- 5. Texan Bankrolls Anti-Kerry Vets Group -- Associated Press, via Yahoo! News
Further reading:
Smear Boat Veterans for Bush -- an in-depth look at the
political ties of those behind Swift Boat Veterans for
"Truth" -- Salon.com.
