Mike Fitzpatrick, how could you do it?

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Mike Fitzpatrick, how could you do it?
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:49:42 -0500
From: John Kerry <info@johnkerry.com>
Reply-To: jk4p-0033z065EH@mailer.johnkerry.com
To: xxxxxx



JohnKerry.com


Dear xxx,

What is it these Republicans who never served have against Democrats who did?

Disgustingly, Mike Fitzpatrick, the Republican incumbent in Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district, has engaged in the lowest form of smear and fear politics. It's as if he took a page right out of the George W. Bush "how to slander a veteran" playbook.

At a press conference, Fitzpatrick stood in silence as the "swift-boating" of Democratic veteran Patrick Murphy unfolded. It's the same way George Bush stood in silence while John McCain's service was questioned. Fitzpatrick watched as his surrogates tried to destroy his opponent by disparaging the service of a veteran home from Iraq. Then after waiting for the damage to be done, he announced that he personally would never question Patrick Murphy's service to our country.

You and I can't let this cowardly strategy succeed. This is where the swift-boating stops. Act now to support Patrick Murphy and three other Democratic veterans running in "make-or-break" congressional races.

SUPPORT VETERANS IN "MAKE-OR-BREAK" RACES NOW!

I know what Patrick Murphy is experiencing right now -- and I know how much it will mean to him and to the other members of our October veterans slate to know that you are standing by them at this pivotal moment.

There's only one way to stop these disgusting attacks on the military records of Democratic candidates. We've got to make the Republicans who engage in smear and fear politics pay a price on Election Day. And we've got to demonstrate our ability to rally powerful grassroots support around proud veterans who ought to be able to stand for office without having their service to our country distorted and disparaged.

With 27 days left until the Election, we're pulling out all the stops to support Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Lee Ballenger (SC-03), Mike Weaver (KY-02), and Patrick Murphy (PA-08).

Help us win these critical House races and lead America in a new direction.

SUPPORT VETERANS IN "MAKE-OR-BREAK" RACES NOW!

Leonard Boswell, the Democratic Congressman from Iowa's 3rd District and a 20-year Army veteran, is facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in attack ads from a new group with direct links back to the key funder of the Republicans' 2004 swift-boat attacks. Texas millionaire homebuilder Bob Perry has poured $5 million into a group called the Economic Freedom Fund, and EFF is pouring those millions into vicious attacks on candidates like Leonard Boswell.

Dennis Hastert, Bill Frist, and other GOP leaders have been waging a tag-team assault on Leonard's record as well. But with our help he can get his message out and pull through to victory.

So can Lee Ballenger, a Navy veteran who, among other honors, won the Navy Achievement Medal for saving a fellow shipmate's life during the Persian Gulf War. He's taking on GOP incumbent J. Gresham Barrett in South Carolina's 3rd Congressional district. Barrett is one of the best friends the oil companies have ever had, even going so far as to vote against efforts to crack down on oil and gas company price gouging.

SUPPORT VETERANS IN "MAKE-OR-BREAK" RACES NOW!

That brings me to our fourth veteran -- Colonel Mike Weaver. He joined the Army and rose from the rank of Private to Colonel, serving two combat tours of duty in Vietnam. Mike Weaver served for a decade in the Kentucky General Assembly where he distinguished himself as a champion of veterans. He helped create a Troops to Teach program, which gave veterans an opportunity to earn their teaching certificates after having served their country, and he helped create a Homeless Veterans Program in Kentucky because he believes that no one who has bravely served our country should ever be homeless.

Colonel Weaver has spoken out in favor of a timeline for the government of Iraq to train their army, assume responsibility for solving the problem between their own religious factions, establish their own democracy, and take over the defense of their country.

These four men have all acted to defend America. Now it is time for you to defend them. With Election Day fast approaching, Republican attacks on Democratic veterans are escalating every day. Now is the time to take a stand.

Stop the swift-boating. End the unfair assaults on the military records of veterans who have stood tall for America. Rush a donation right now to as many of these four candidates as you can possibly support.

And, whatever you do, act today.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

P.S. After November 7, we'll look back on this last month of the campaign as the time when we drew a line in the sand and refused to let a single unfair attack on our veteran candidates go unanswered. Let's give it everything we've got.

Paid for by Friends of John Kerry.
Authorized by Ballenger for Congress
Authorized by Boswell for Congress
Authorized by Patrick Murphy for Congress
Authorized by Weaver for Congress

:kick:

Kerry's been asking that for at least five years now, and media just won't make it into an issue, no matter how many times it's pointed out.