McCain Condemns Anti-Kerry Ad

gldstwmn · #1 08-05-2004, 11:54 AM

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...9327026.htm?1c

RON FOURNIER

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called an ad criticizing John Kerry's military service "dishonest and dishonorable" and urged the White House on Thursday to condemn it as well.

"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me," McCain said in an interview with The Associated Press, referring to his bitter Republican primary fight with President Bush.

The 60-second ad features Vietnam veterans who accuse the Democratic presidential nominee of lying about his decorated Vietnam War record and betraying his fellow veterans by later opposing the conflict.

"When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry," one of the veterans, Larry Thurlow, says in the ad. Thurlow didn't serve on Kerry's swiftboat, but says he witnessed the events that led to Kerry winning a Bronze Star and the last of his three Purple Hearts. Kerry's crewmates support the candidate and call him a hero.

The ad, scheduled to air in a few markets in Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin, was produced by Stevens, Reed, Curcio and Potham, the same team that produced McCain's ads in 2000.

"I wish they hadn't done it," McCain said of his former advisers. "I don't know if they knew all the facts."

Asked if the White House knew about the ad or helped find financing for it, McCain said, "I hope not, but I don't know. But I think the Bush campaign should specifically condemn the ad."

Later, McCain said the Bush campaign has denied any involvement and added, "I can't believe the president would pull such a cheap stunt."

The White House and Bush-Cheney campaign did not address McCain's call that they repudiate the spot, though a Bush spokesman said the campaign does not question Kerry's highly decorated war service. McCain is co-chair of Bush's campaign in Arizona.

In 2000, Bush's supporters sponsored a rumor campaign against McCain in the South Carolina primary, helping Bush win the primary and the nomination. McCain's supporters have never forgiven the Bush team.

McCain said that's all in the past to him, but he's speaking out against the anti-Kerry ad because "it reopens all the old wounds of the Vietnam War, which I spent the last 35 years trying to heal."

"I deplore this kind of politics," McCain said. "I think the ad is dishonest and dishonorable. As it is, none of these individuals served on the boat (Kerry) commanded. Many of his crew have testified to his courage under fire. I think John Kerry served honorably in Vietnam. I think George Bush served honorably in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War."

McCain himself spent more than five years in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp. A bona fide war hero, McCain, like Kerry, used his war record as the foundation of his presidential campaign.

The Kerry campaign has denounced the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, saying none of the men in the ad served on the boat that Kerry commanded. Three veterans on Kerry's boat that day - Jim Rassmann, who says Kerry saved his life, Gene Thorson and Del Sandusky, the driver on Kerry's boat, said the group was lying on all fronts.

They say Kerry was injured, and Rassmann called the group's account "pure fabrication."

The leader of the group, retired Adm. Roy Hoffmann, said none of the 13 veterans in the commercial served on Kerry's boat but rather were in other swiftboats within 50 yards of Kerry's. The group claims that there was no gunfire on the day Kerry pulled Rassmann from a muddy river in the Mekong Delta and that Kerry's arm was not wounded, as he has claimed.

"What we have is a fabrication that led to Kerry getting his Bronze Star and his last Purple Heart," said Thurlow, who said he commanded a swiftboat near Kerry's.

dissention · #2 08-05-2004, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...9327026.htm?1c

"When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry," one of the veterans, Larry Thurlow, says in the ad. Thurlow didn't serve on Kerry's swiftboat, but says he witnessed the events that led to Kerry winning a Bronze Star and the last of his three Purple Hearts. Kerry's crewmates support the candidate and call him a hero.

The leader of the group, retired Adm. Roy Hoffmann, said none of the 13 veterans in the commercial served on Kerry's boat but rather were in other swiftboats within 50 yards of Kerry's. The group claims that there was no gunfire on the day Kerry pulled Rassmann from a muddy river in the Mekong Delta and that Kerry's arm was not wounded, as he has claimed.

That says it all. They did not serve with John Kerry and have no reliability.

I don't like McCain much, but good for him. He knows utter **** when he smells it.

DeeGeMe · #3 08-05-2004, 12:31 PM

This is beneath contempt.

strandinthewind · #4 08-05-2004, 12:36 PM

Nothing the R machine does surprises me. They had the GALL to call Max Cleland a non-patriotic coward during the interim elections here in GA. They called him this because he was a D and he did not support all of W's post 9/11 legislation. It cast him the election. For those who do not know, Max Cleland lost both arms and a leg while serving his country in Vietnam. I hope the R's responsible for that rot in Hell.

dissention · #5 08-05-2004, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Nothing the R machine does surprises me. They had the GALL to call Max Cleland a non-patriotic coward during the interim elections here in GA. They called him this because he was a D and he did not support all of W's post 9/11 legislation. It cast him the election. For those who do not know, Max Cleland lost both arms and a leg while serving his country in Vietnam. I hope the R's responsible for that rot in Hell.

Did you see Coultergeist's column about Cleland during the elections? It was evil.

Unfortunately, though, I have more contempt for the voters who bought what the Republican spin machine said about Cleland than I do for the Republicans who said those things.

strandinthewind · #6 08-05-2004, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

Did you see Coultergeist's column about Cleland during the elections? It was evil.

Unfortunately, though, I have more contempt for the voters who bought what the Republican spin machine said about Cleland than I do for the Republicans who said those things.

I kind of disagree. I think people were scared. This was after 9/11. I think the R knew that and preyed on those fears. I think the R party is to blame more so than the herd mentality of the public in general.

CarneVaca · #7 08-05-2004, 01:17 PM

Unfortunately this kind of thing works. Good for McCain for stepping up.

dissention · #8 08-05-2004, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I kind of disagree. I think people were scared. This was after 9/11. I think the R knew that and preyed on those fears. I think the R party is to blame more so than the herd mentality of the public in general.

I disagree.

I understand that people were fearful, but people who vote need to educate themselves. Fear is not an excuse, in my book, and they had years of Cleland to know what the man was about. It was their own ignorance about Cleland's record that made the Rethuglican tactics work.

Patti · #9 08-05-2004, 03:14 PM

While I don't agree with his politics, McCain is a stand-up guy and he is a pretty straight shooter, for a politician.

Good for him for speaking up.

dissention · #10 08-06-2004, 04:41 PM

Here are some choice quotes from Jerome Corsi, the ringleader of the Swift Boat Veterans attack:

On Hillary Clinton: "Anybody ask why Hillary couldn't keep BJ Bill satisfied? Not lesbo or anything, is she?"
"Boy buggering in both Islam and Catholicism is okay with the Pope as long as it isn't reported by the liberal press"
"After he married Teresa, didn't John Kerry begin practicing Judiasm? He also has paternal grandparents that were Jewish. What religion is John Kerry?"
On Muslims: "Ragheads are Boy-Bumpers as clearly as they are Women-Haters -- it all goes together"

Sweet man.

FYI- he posts on the Free Republic under the screename "jrlc".

Hawkeye · #11 08-06-2004, 10:33 PM

John Mcain has always been my favorite politician (wella t least for like the post year

) what is it you don't like about him. He's like the only guy who isn't nailed to his party. He's republican but it doesn't mean crap to him, he just does whatever.

DeeGeMe · #12 08-07-2004, 07:47 AM

I live in South Carolina and know what the Bush campaign did in this state when it looked like John McCain might win the Republican primary here 4 years ago. It was nothing short of character assassination, which is why it totally amazed me to see McCain doing campaign ads for Bush this time around. I know he can't possibly be a fan of this administration, but I guess in the end, he's still a Repug. Still, he's one of my favorite Republicans because he at least has the guts to speak out against the Republicans every now and then. I think that when it comes down to doing what's right and what's decent-that's what McCain does and that earns him kudos (some of the time) from me. Still, I don't understand why he's shilling for ShrubCo.

strandinthewind · #13 08-07-2004, 09:21 AM

W has no successful recond with as Gov. or now as Pres. to run on. He certainly cannot bring up OBL. He canot bring up Iraq - except to say that the transfer of power on paper happened. But, everyone knows Iraq is still a LONG way from being over and everyone knows he, and I will be kind here, made, at the least, a HORRIBLE mistake based on bogus intelligence. The economy is getting better, but there are still no jobs. He could cite the tax cuts, which provided the initial stimulus they are designed to cause, but W spent/borrowed so much money that Greenspan has said we are in trouble. His medicare and education reforms are a joke (but the D's participated in these so this is somewhat of a moot point)

So, Karl Rove (who is a jerk, but is VERY smart and effective) knows there are two things to run on:

1. Kerry's liberalism which they define and which they will use to their advantage which will mean character assasinations au plenty

2. The lingering feeling of patriotism in the country. Most know the rush to war with Iraq was a mistake. Most think we should not have gone or that going there was not worth it. But, apparently many of those people either think Kerry is too weak on defense or they buy into the whole it is wrong to condemn the Commander in Chief in a time of war - to do so is to say we do not support the troops. I think the two are sep., but many cannot think that and Rove knows it - just look at what he did in the interim elections.

Such is the sate of politics today.

Edit: I forgot to add that Rove is not above using religion to put a wedge in between voters. This fits under cat. 1 above. Kerry is portrayed as an abortionist, gay sympathizing, free love liberal - which Rove and others get a significant number of Churches to demonize from the pulpit.

dissention · #14 08-08-2004, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

So, Karl Rove (who is a jerk, but is VERY smart and effective) knows there are two things to run on:

Care to correct that statement? Rove's days are numbered, he's lost it as of alte. None of his tactics have worked in over a year, it's over.

dissention · #15 08-08-2004, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

John Mcain has always been my favorite politician (wella t least for like the post year

) what is it you don't like about him. He's like the only guy who isn't nailed to his party. He's republican but it doesn't mean crap to him, he just does whatever.

He's a whore for the Republican party and Dubya. Dubya's campaign slandered McCain and his family mercilessly, yet McCain campaigns for the guy every once and awhile. He sold his soul.