Swift Boat Ad #2

Outside the Beltway

Swift Boat Ad #2

James Joyner

August 20, 2004

Comments

The Swifties have another ad out today. The video is available online here.

I can get the video but am unable to hear the audio for some reason. Mark the Pundit summarizes:

The new ad from the Swift Boat Vets is absolutely devastating in that it uses John Kerry’s own words against him. Rather than question his medals and other things, this ad simply replays John Kerry talking about how Vietnam veterans committed war crimes. A stark reminder on why so many Vietnam veterans despise John Kerry.

Mark e-mails that, “They should have run this one first.” I would have to agree, judging just by the blurbs that are highlighted on the screen. I think it’s much more powerful and much more relevant to Kerry’s qualifications for the top job than issues concerning the precise merit of various medals LT(jg) Kerry earned 35 years ago.

9 responses to “Swift Boat Ad #2”

McGehee

August 20, 2004 at 2:07 pm

I think if it had been run first it would have been ignored. This way, the Swifties have already gotten everybody’s attention, and the Kerry campaign is already in panic mode.

I’d like to think this could be a coup de grace but I don’t want to jinx it.
dw

August 20, 2004 at 2:53 pm

Thing is, out here in this “swing state” (why the hell is Washington a swing state when the margin has been between 7-9 for SIX MONTHS now?) this Swift Boat controversy has had no traction whatsoever. It made the Dubya voters feel better and emboldened the Kerry voters.

The undecideds? Well, here’s the odd thing. Most of the undecideds I’ve met are 35 or younger. They have no memories of Vietnam “seared” into their brains. In fact, they have no memories of Vietnam, period. A 35 year old would be 6 when Saigon fell, a toddler when VVATW was on its campaign.

I have met another undecided, and he was a WWII vet. He was angry that any group would denigrate a guy’s Silver Star. He was still undecided, though.

I think, ultimately, this is a campaign to demotivate the GOP defectors who are breaking to Kerry. I’ve heard a lot of anecdotes about long-time GOP voters saying they’re not voting with Kerry. Hell, my best friend is voting for Kerry, and he’s three steps to the left of the John Birch Society. He’s a little less willing to vote for Kerry, but he still won’t vote for Dubya. That’s why I’m thinking this is more a campaign to get the “traitors” to abstain on Election Day rather than crossing over.

I love how they’re saying John Kerry lost the war for us. Incompetent Pentagon leadership, you’re excused. General Westmoreland, our apologies. Weather Underground, sorry about the arrests. War protestors, you guys were just expressing your First Amendment rights. You’re all pardoned, because BY GOD WE FINALLY GOT OUR MAN!!!!!
Rich Arnone

August 20, 2004 at 3:54 pm

How Kerry got his medals 35 years ago is only pertinent to this election if he is the fraud and phoney the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth say he is. Kerry can stop his critics by releasing all of his service records. The only reason I can imagine he won’t is that those records don’t back up his “hero” personna.
McGehee

August 21, 2004 at 10:41 am

DW, polls have already been made public showing the the SwiftVets are having an impact on “Kerry-leaning” independents.

I think, ultimately, this is a campaign to demotivate the GOP defectors who are breaking to Kerry.

Don’t forget the elves and hobbits too.