You have commented 358 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Home Front: Politix
Kerry ad hits back at veterans group running spot questioning Democrat’s war record
2004-08-19
A veteran who served with John Kerry in Vietnam testifies that the Democrat "risked his life to save mine" in a television ad his presidential campaign rolled out Thursday to counter a spot that claims Kerry lied about his war record. "All these Viet Cong were shooting at me," says Jim Rassmann, who was thrown off of the swift boat Kerry was manning.
SEXIST!!! Personning perhaps, but NOT manning.
"I expected I'd be shot. When he pulled me out of the river, he risked his life to save mine." The 30-second ad argues that the Navy documented Kerry's "heroism and awarded him the Bronze Star but won't release all the records about it or Kerry's service." It also accuses Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which ran commercials in West Virginia, Ohio and Wisconsin, of being funded by President Bush's "big money supporters." The group is funded in part by Houston homebuilder Bob J. Perry, a GOP donor. Kerry aides said the ads would run in the same three states. However, as of early Thursday, the campaign had not bought airtime. By running ads this month, Kerry is deviating from his decision to forgo advertising until September to save money. Spending any now is a risk for Kerry, who must make his $75 million general election government check stretch five weeks longer than Bush, whose spending isn't limited until he accepts his party nomination. However, letting the attacks go unanswered in West Virginia, Ohio and Wisconsin could be even more costly for Kerry. The states are three of the most competitive and are home to socially conservative Democrats. An affiliate of liberal interest group MoveOn.org, which is funded in part by wealthy Democrats whose identities must remain secret, hit back with its own ads criticizing the veterans' claims in the three states. However, with his own ads, Kerry can precisely control the message of a surrogate because he is afraid to speak directly to the charges.
Kerry is taking what ought to be a supporting strength of having served his country and turning it into the central focus of the campaign as a chance for everybody to refight Vietnam. It's starting to get under his skin, if he's ready to spend money on ads in the middle of August. Next the MSM will start to ask questions. This one has legs.
Posted by:Mrs. Davis

#12  Great pic, Fred!

I think that Kerry has created a Quagmire™ for himself. He should have pencilled this one out before he played it. Some things just get legs, run around, and bite you in the ass.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2004-08-19 9:31:39 PM  

#11  
Posted by: Fred   2004-08-19 9:24:22 PM  

#10  release the records, Senator! Oh, and your bank wife's tax records as well!
Posted by: Frank G   2004-08-19 9:03:58 PM  

#9  He has to spend limited campaign funds defending himself against an unlimited 527 group. I'm guessing Rove is laughing all the way to the bank.
Posted by: john   2004-08-19 8:53:35 PM  

#8  The release of this ad is an admission that the Swiftvets hit the target. The media now has to explain why this ad is in response to a story they have deliberately ignored. BWAhahahah!
Posted by: john   2004-08-19 8:47:34 PM  

#7  Jen - Ever heard of Baron von Munchausen?

We have Johann von Kerrhausen!
Posted by: BigEd   2004-08-19 3:37:36 PM  

#6  Dotcom, that RULES!
I've loved that since 2000 and the Sore-Loserman sign, too!
Not only is "Unfit for Command" at Number 1 both at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, but I pre-ordered the book 2 weeks ago and it's on backorder because so many of us can't wait to read it!
And I gave the Swift Vets $25 to keep running their ad.
Kerry's a liar and traitor who shouldn't get any closer to the Oval Office than a White House tour and even then, he should be watched by the Secret Service!
(And I thought the "shrapnel" was rice grains in his ass!)
Why tell a worse lie to cover up another lie?
The guy is PSYCHO.
Posted by: GreatestJeneration   2004-08-19 3:14:17 PM  

#5  Shrapnel in his leg? Oh, get serious! We don't need an x-ray, just walk him through a blinkin' airport metal detector.

Arrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
Posted by: Steve White   2004-08-19 3:03:18 PM  

#4  Did JFK get Donna Rice in the as too?
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-08-19 2:53:56 PM  

#3  According to the book Unfit for Command Kerry and Rassmann blew up some bails of rice and Kerry received a kernel of rice in his ass as a result because he couldn't get out of the way fast enough.

Kerry could prove a lot if he would belly up to the bar and open his military records like Bush did.

I hear the SwiftVets ads is starting to have an impact :).
Posted by: CrazyFool   2004-08-19 2:42:46 PM  

#2  Rush just played the Kerry ad. They are now claiming that Kerry was wounded during that action and "He still carries a piece of shrapnel in his leg". Now, that should be easy to prove, eh Senator. Let's see the x-ray.
Posted by: Steve   2004-08-19 2:37:30 PM  

#1  I am a war hero, gosh darnit! You can't question me! You can't challenge me, sniff! I arranged everything! I planned for years and milked the system for the last 40! Sniff! I earned this! I wanna be President! Now! I'm supposed to be the President! It's all arranged! Waaaaaaaa!
Posted by: .com   2004-08-19 2:32:39 PM  

00:00