Kerry Remarks on "swift boating" of Jack Murtha

“I won’t stand for the ‘swift boating’ of Jack Murtha. It disgusts me that a bunch of guys who have never put on the uniform of their country venomously turn their guns on a Marine who came home from Vietnam with a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. No matter what J.D. Hayworth says, there is no sterner stuff than the backbone and courage that defines Jack Murtha’s character and conscience.

“You know why the Republicans are engaged in the lowest form of smear and fear politics? Because they’re afraid of actually debating a senior congressman who has advised presidents of both parties on military matters. They’re afraid to debate a decorated veteran who lives and breathes the concerns of our troops, not the empty slogans of an Administration that sent our brave troops to war without body armor. They’re terrified of actually leveling with the American people about the way they misled America into war, and admitting they have no clear plan to finish the job and get our troops home. Whether you agree with Jack Murtha’s policy or not is irrelevant. The truth is there is a better course for our troops and for America in Iraq, and I am going to keep fighting until we take that course for the good of our country.

“Instead of letting his cronies run their mouths, the President for once should stop his allies from doing to Jack Murtha what he set them loose to do to John McCain in South Carolina and Max Cleland in Georgia. The President should finally find the courage to debate the real issue instead of destroying anyone who speaks truth to power as they see it. It’s time for Americans to stand up, fight back, and make it clear it’s unacceptable to do this to any leader of any party anywhere in our country.”

Also, he will be speaking about this on the floor of the Senate today.

I love it! "the swift boating!" Has this term been entered into the dictionary yet? It will be. What a legacy for O'Neill.

The one thing that brings out the fight in Senator Kerry is for non-vets to attack a combat veteran. He probably didn't fight back as strongly against the Swifties because they were combat vets and it was against the grain for him to attack fellow combat veterans. Chickenhawks, however, are another matter entirely!

Note the list of people that he mentions - he doesn't include himself. This is a case where other highly esteemed people saying it's wrong works better than saying it yourself.

John Kerry is never so fierce as when he is defending someone. The thing that seems to set him off the most is when Teresa is attacked. There was that negative article about her early this year. He didn't like that one bit. It is so sweet when he defends his wife...not that Teresa can't defend herself.

John Kerry is a true leader because he is a protector and a defender by nature. He would have been a kind and gentle father for our nation, but he would have been a fierce protector, as well. How could anyone fail to see this?

An insight, an intelligence often under-rated.

Nice to have you here!

:patriot:

in GD or GDP? It should be. If dupes aren't allowed, a thread containing the same info in a different way would be good.

By the way, thanks for the information!

It's already on the reco list.

Somebody needs to put it there. You can copy the whole thing because it's a press release. Thanks!

was this a press release? Do you have a link? I looked on his site and didn't see it and didn't have an email from him (yet).

I got it from the Senate staff. I have it up if you want to post it somewhere else.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=1443

This is a great statement.

in JK's presence, he uses them. I think you're right, Karynnj, that it is so much easier for Kerry to defend others over himself. And also right, that he didn't want to bash veterans who had fought in Vietnam. I'm not saying he ALWAYS does the right thing, but it's just interesting that in revenge against the the SBVT and their lies, he went back to the Senate, fighting hard to . . . increasing their VA benefits!!! Who says he doesn't read the teachings of Jesus -- love thine enemy.

He's picked up on how the term has been used on the internets and in popular culture now since last year, and he's taking ownership of it. He's using it in the broader context (meaning to smear someone's reputation) and not just in the context of himself. By the time '08 rolls around, the word will have lost all meaning in regard to John Kerry - it will simply mean a smear.

On the other hand, I'm sure on a personal level the bastardization of the word Swift Boat pains Senator Kerry because he so proudly served aboard one. I think his entire way of looking at life changed while he was commanding a Swift Boat, and it's a shame the word now means something different to him and the world.

I wish he would have stood up for himself when these bullies picked on him.

Them evil, bitter man still make me mad at how they smeared Kerry last year.

someone is going to make it into the colloquial dictionary and so Kerry will have his 'revenge'.

Swiftboating is American political jargon for character assassination through distortion and innuendo, as in the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth organization's ads against Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John F. Kerry in the 2004 election campaign.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiftboating

and except for the indirect reference to "Swift Boats"...JK does NOT condemn them directly for their attacks on him. Not directly, yet he does...indirectly.

Class.

Welcome! :hi: