Swift Vets and POWs for "Truth" v. The Truth
[Formerly Swift Boat Veterans for "Truth" v. The Truth]

Acknowledgements

NEWS - 8/31/04 
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I will acknowledge sources via initials -- unless you are fine with my using your full name.

NEW ADDITION! SBV vs. SBV
A look at how SBV members cannot keep their stories straight. Check it out.

NEWS - 8/30/04 

I'm working on something right now and hope to post it in a couple of days. In the meantime, please pay Hesiod a visit. He has been an invaluable source of fact finding for this website and he has returned briefly from hibernation to post an entry in his blog about SBV, Bush and Kerry. 

NEWS - 8/28/04 

11. [via Daily Howler]: Peddling the endlessly repeated lie that has been endlessly refuted by now, O'Neill claimed that all four "officers" present on the fateful day (of Kerry's Bronze Star incident) supported SBV's view that there was no enemy fire during Rassman's rescue (and that Kerry was therefore undeserving of the medal). I guess we should find it in our hearts to forgive him for speaking for the late Dan Droz, who was one of those four officers, and whose widow has come out and stated (among other things) that Droz "thought otherwise". Added to the Kerry Bronze Star page.

10. [via Daily Howler]: SBV's claim that Kerry's own diary shows he was 55 miles from the Cambodian border on Christmas Eve 1968 selectively omits the part that refers to Kerry having been at or near the Cambodian border the same day - thus, falsely impugning Kerry as a liar. Added to the Kerry and Cambodia page.

9. [via Salon.com]: Hunting of the President co-author and respected journalist Joe Conason continues to trace the connections between the GOP/Bush campaign and SBV. He points out that Susan Arceanaux whose name came up when looking up the registration of SBV's P.O. Box, has other interesting connections. She is the treasurer of the Majority Leader's Fund, a Republican PAC founded by Dick Armey, whose key financial supporters include SBV funder Bob Perry and the 2000 McCain attack-ad funder Sam Wyly. She is also treasurer of the PAC of "FreedomWorks" - a conservative organization (GOP front group) that was formed from a recent merger of two of the most influential national conservative organizations, "Empower America" and "Citizens for a Sound Economy". Added to the Bush Campaign and SBV page.

8. [via Campaign Desk]: The Columbia Journalism Review's (CJR's) Campaign Desk writes a must-read piece on the abysmal behavior of the media in response to the myriad false charges of SBV - not to mention the absurdity of the comparisons being made between MoveOn.org and SBV. Added to the Media's "He-Said She-Said" Game page.

7. [via Media Matters]: SBV liar William Schacte claimed to the always compliant, CIA-operative-identity-exposer Bob Novak, that he was a "political independent" who has "voted for candidates of both parties". I guess it just slipped Schacte's busy mind to let Novak know that the great majority of financial contributions he has made has been to Republicans, including George W. Bush. Or that his new law partner is Chairman of the RNC's Committee on Arrangements for the 2004 Republican National Convention. Added to the Other Lies or B.S. page.

6. [Slate via Atrios]: Ahhh! The sweet stench of Bob Dole's and the Bush campaign's compassionately conservative moral clarity and family values. Former GOP Senator Dole admitted in private (on TV) that Bush should have been ashamed about what he did to John McCain in 2000 - but attacked Kerry in public this time around, even after McCain pointed out Kerry is being subject to the same thing that he [McCain] was. Added to the GOP Attack Dogs, Inc. page.

5. [via The Oregonian]: Remember Al French? The SBV member who lied about having personal knowledge about Kerry having 'lied' and is in the hot seat, with many local veterans pushing for his resignation due to ethics violations? Well, as a prosecutor, he has now acknowledged that he lied to his boss about another unrelated matter and has been put on 30-day leave while his behavior is investigated. Added to the Other Lies or B.S. page.

4. [Boston Globe, via reader VM]: Three swift boats were involved in the incident that led to Kerry's Silver Star. Kerry led one of them. William Rood led another and his statements support the Navy record  and Kerry - as I have documented here before. The third swift boat commander Dan Droz is dead, but his wife spoke up recently - defending Kerry and stating that her husband respected Kerry and supported the award of the medals for that incident. Added to the Kerry Silver Star page.

3. [via alert reader Ted]: O'Neill, claimed that Larry Lee (a new witness who supported Kerry's Silver Star award) confirmed his (O'Neill's) claim that Kerry chased and shot a teenager in a "loincloth" (in the incident that led to Kerry's Silver Star). With O'Neill, however, the truth-o-meter never seems to go above zero though, since Larry Lee confirmed no such thing - Lee said he did not even see the man Kerry shot. A special thanks to reader Ted for catching Mr. O'Neill display his serial mendacity compassionate conservatism yet again. Added to the Kerry Silver Star page. 

2. [via Brad De Long]: In the wake of the pressure he has felt due to the SBV garbage playing out in the last few weeks, President Bush has revealed his true strength - unprincipled flip-flopping, in which he is the undisputed king (over Kerry). Brad De Long has catalogued the head-spinning flip-floppy-flippy-flop statements from Bush on the topic of campaign finance and independent groups. As I said before, I guess Bush is foragainst his own campaign finance law, foragainst 527s, and for against free speech. Added to the Bush Campaign and SBV page.

1. [via Media Matters]: William Schacte is the latest SBV member to directly step up to the plate to peddle a series of lies to the always compliant, CIA-operative-identity-exposer Bob Novak. Schacte was in full form repeating SBV's usual urban legends about Kerry's first purple heart - he was Kerry's crew for the mission, he "nicked himself" with an "M-79", he "requested a Purple Heart", etc. -  in the process contradicting SBV's own prior narrative. Added to the Kerry Purple Heart 1 page.

NEWS - 8/27/04 

8. [via Media Matters]: John O'Neill - unable to stop his pathological lying compassionate conservatism - claims ludicrously that SBV is self-funded. Added to Other Lies or B.S. page.

7. [via Media Matters and Factcheck]: O'Neill and SBV members claim falsely that Kerry "fled" while others (boats) "stayed" during the Bronze Star incident. Added to the Kerry Bronze Star page.

6. [via Media Matters]: John O'Neill claims falsely that Kerry "admits" having "fabricated" his rice incident injury. Added to Other Lies or B.S. page.

5. [via Media Matters]: John O'Neill's lying spree continues unabated with his claim that Kerry was just "horsing around" when he destroyed rice bins. Paging Wolf (Blitzer)! Added to Other Lies or B.S. page.

4. [via Media Matters]: The U.S. media provided relatively free rein to a bunch of serial liars with reams of false, unsubstantiated charges against Kerry. On the other hand, they remain relatively silent about George Bush's substantiated (AWOL) record in the National Guard and many disturbing questions about that record. Added to the Media's "He-Said She-Said" Game.

3. [Damfacrats via Corrente]: Bush Jr. refused to directly accept the letter from Max Cleland and others asking him to condemn the SBV ads and instead had his stooge Jerry Patterson hand over another letter to the Kerry camp questioning Kerry's charges in 1971 about war crimes in Vietnam and expressing hurt and offense at that. Of course, Patterson conveniently forgot that he had himself condemned the war crimes in Vietnam back in 2000. Added to the Double-Standards Game page.

2. [MSNBC and Newsweek]: Robert Lambert, a veteran who dislikes Kerry, also won a Bronze Star for his actions during the incident that led to SBV member Larry Thurlow's and Senator John Kerry's Bronze Stars. Lambert, in an interview, has now confirmed that there was enemy fire that day and Thurlow is mistaken because he was probably too distracted during the incident. Lambert's Bronze Star citation/report, which it was implausible for Kerry to have written, also mentions enemy fire. This is the latest in a mountain of evidence supporting the Navy's version of the incident, which is also Kerry's version. Added to Kerry Bronze Star page.

1. [The Oregonian via reader JL]: The Oregon State Bar and the state Election Division are reviewing the case of SBV member and prosecutor Al French to see if he violated ethics guidelines when he signed an affidavit claiming personal knowledge of Kerry having lied and then admitting he had no first hand information about Kerry's actions. Added to the Other Lies or B.S. page.

NEWS - 8/26/04 

2. [via Pandagon/Atrios]: O'Neill, who never ever stops lying, caught in yet another lie. After saying he was never within 50 miles of Cambodia, and caught having said to Nixon that he was in Cambodia, he now says he was within 100 yards of Cambodia. Tell me again why Wolf Blitzer and Faux News kept inviting this "thing" (hard to say he is a human being) back to their shows? Added to the Other Lies or B.S. page.

1. [(Louisville) Courier Journal, via reader RM]: SBV's claim that the whole Silver Star related incident was "planned" by soldiers with a view of winning medals is grossly misleading because Kerry was not part of such "discussions" - which is something the SBV member who made the claim has made clear. Indeed, the same SBV member Larry Clayton Lee who is against Kerry for his anti-war statements, has now endorsed Kerry's Silver Star as being legitimate and agrees that what Kerry did in the incident that earned him a Silver Star was a "great" and unprecedented tactic. Added to Kerry Silver Star page.

NEWS - 8/25/04 

10. [via Daily Howler]: I close tonight with another one in a long line of blatant lies from book-cooker John O'Neill - the claim that Kerry has told his Cambodia story over 50 times. Added to the Other Lies or B.S. page.

9. [via Media Matters]: Yet another Sean Hannity moment, er, John O'Neill lie -- namely, that he was not really Richard Nixon's stooge. Added to the Other Lies or B.S. page.

8. [via Media Matters]: Another John O'Neill lie -- that SBV has "no partisan ties". Added to the Other Lies or B.S. page.

7. [via David Corn]: Bush Jr. claims that Kerry's service was "noble" and something he should be "proud" of, but allows his supporters to make egregiously false statements in public, in his presence, without correcting them. Added to Appendix B: The Double-Standards Game page. 

6. [via Atrios and Jules Siegel]: Yet another Navy Report, this time written by a Task Force commanded by one of the members of SBV (Hoffman), states twice, and clearly, that enemy fire was present during the incident that led to Kerry's Bronze Star. How many time do we need to refute this egregious SBV lie? Added to the Kerry Bronze Star page. 

5. [via various sources]: Bush and his campaign claim that 527s are "shadowy" groups without accountability, even though they are not - according to the very Bill he signed into law. Perhaps he was referring to the "shadowy" 527s that financed his win over McCain in 2000 or his Florida recount campaign that same year. Added to the Bush campaign and SBV page.

4. [via Media Matters and Liberal Oasis]: SBV member John O'Neill claimed he was never in Cambodia and that Kerry could never have been in Cambodia in a swift boat and that there is no "watery border". He conveniently forgot to let us know that he had told then-President Richard Nixon that not only had he (O'Neill) been in Cambodia, he was also in a swift boat and that he worked along the border on the water. Lies and the serial lying liar that tells them, part CXVIII. Added to Kerry and Cambodia page and Other Lies or B.S. page.

3. [via Media Matters]: John O'Neill claimed he has given about thrice as much to Democratic candidates than to Republicans, despite claiming he is non-partisan. Yet the record shows quite the opposite. Added to Other Lies or B.S. page.

2. [via Media Matters]: Steve Gardner claimed to have personal knowledge about incidents that led to Kerry's war awards based on his having served "with" Kerry. However, the consummate liar failed to point out each time that he was NEVER in Kerry's boat during the incidents that led to Kerry's Purple Hearts, Bronze Star and Silver Star. Added to Other Lies or B.S. page.

1. [via Media Matters]: Former GOP Senator Bob Dole, while criticizing Kerry for advertising his war record, managed to slip in a false claim that his own 1996 campaign did not promote his military record. Added to GOP Attack Dogs, Inc. page.

ARCHIVES : 8/17/04 - 8/24/04

INTRODUCTION to Swiftvets.eRiposte.Com 
(email: feedback-at-eriposte-dot-com)

Welcome! This website (a sub-domain to eRiposte.com) is dedicated to revealing the real truth behind the so-called "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" (SBV for short), more appropriately referred to as Swift Boat Veterans Who Have a Major Problem With The Truth. (On the blogosphere you will find other, equally appropriate names for SBV - such as Swift Boat Veteran Flip-Floppers for Bush or Smear Boat Veterans for Bush or Swift Boat Liars for Bush). Pick the name you like. I'll stick with SBV.

Many media outlets (see below) have been providing a relatively easy opening for SBV (at least until 8/19/04) - sometimes parading these folks before viewers (or readers), often without critically examining the full breadth and depth of their egregiously false charges against Senator John Kerry (some media, "journalists", and serial liars are far worse than others on this). SBV has also permeated their misleading and false attacks through a book titled "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry". In an attempt to correct the lack of balance in the media's treatment of this group and to refute the false allegations that form the basis of the book, this website explores SBV's charges in detail and shows you the truth behind the so-called "truth". 

What will become clear when you review the material here is that SBV has major ultra-right-wing, partisan, Bush supporters and Kerry haters and GOP slime operators who are merely kicking off Part II of "The Hunting of the President" - while creating the appearance of being an "independent" group.

What is even more remarkable is that SBV's hate-filled mendacity is nothing other than a direct attack on the integrity of the American Armed Forces - something that Republicans like them claim to hold dear. 

As Digby has eloquently noted:

It has struck me lately what a terrible indictment of the military these charges are and how once again the Republicans have absolutely no limits in terms of how fully they are willing to trash the American institutions they allegedly love in order to win. What these people are saying is that the US Navy awarded some of its highest medals for bravery to a coward. The many officers who signed those glowing fitness reports and awarded those citations are either liars or they are incompetent. The word of his shipmates, even the man whose life he saved, are worth nothing. You can't believe military documentary evidence. It was all bullshit, every last piece of it.
And because of this it can now be said that all medals awarded for bravery are suspect. A superior military record is no longer a recommendation. Who can ever believe the government on this issue, now?
...
The conservative attack on the military is, on the other hand, so small minded, so parochial. For puny, partisan reasons they are accusing the military of widespread corruption --- merely to excuse the behavior of their less than stellar candidate.
...
Too bad for the men and women who are risking their necks as we speak for Junior's Big Adventure. Any act of bravery on which the military might bestow a medal is now subject to interpretation. Nothing is sacred to these people.

Some veterans agree:

As was shamefully done previously against decorated veterans like John McCain and Max Cleland, extreme right-wing groups such as the so-called 'Swift-Boat Veterans for Truth' are again spreading lies meant to discredit a decorated veteran. A veteran who volunteered for combat, who was brave enough not only to withstand the rigors of battle but then the equally difficult struggle to speak the truth about war's inevitable dark side: savagery, stupidity, recklessness, maiming, and death. These are the truths of every war -- those necessary and those avoidable; those just and those unjust.

"The slander about John Kerry's Purple Hearts and courage in command is fallacious at best and spuriously shameful. More, the attacks against Kerry's post-discharge protest of Vietnam represent a concerted attempt to prevent others from speaking the necessary truth of their experience by those too cowardly to admit their own share in our flawed humanity...
...
If they succeed, hundreds of thousands of young soldiers and Marines will find it that much more difficult to tell their difficult stories -- whether heroic, tragic, barbaric, or all three -- when they return from Iraq and Afghanistan. So that another generation of veterans will not be rent by the difficult choice between living with a lie and feeling shamed for telling the truth, we ask you: do not listen to those who would distort a brave man's struggle.

Please select one of the menu options at the top of this page to see the facts.