(…) After all, as everyone from John Edwards to Max Cleland to Bill Clinton has assured us, being a Swift boat commander for four months is the indispensable qualification for being president. When Hillary runs in 2008, no doubt she’ll be leaning heavily on her four months running a Swift boat up and down the Shatt al-Arab during the Iraq war.
Bwah ha ha…
But hang on, most of these fellows in the anti-Kerry ad – the ones talking about how he can’t be trusted, etc – are also Swift boat commanders? If being a Swiftee is the most important thing in American life, why are all these “Swift Boat Veterans For Truth” less entitled to be heard than John Kerry?
Well, because they’re part of the “Republican smear machine”. Apparently, it’s the GOP’s fault that only one of the 22 surviving Swift boat officers who served with Mr. Kerry is willing to support him, and that a big bunch of the remaining Swiftees feel strongly enough about his conduct 35 years ago to appear in one of the most remarkable political ads ever seen.
Had enough of Vietnam yet?
Thirty years ago, Mark.
Read (as they say) the whole thing.