New Ad By "Swift Boat Veterans For Truth" Says Kerry Lying About War Record
A new ad challenging Sen. Kerry's war record will reportedly start airing today in the swing states of Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The ad was produced by the anti-Kerry veteran's group "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," a 527 group which, according to the New York Times, collected "$158,750 from 11 people" from April to June, "$100,000 of it from Bob J. Perry, a Houston developer who is a major contributor to Republican campaigns." Kerry's aides "circulated an 18-page packet discrediting the veterans group and linking its backers to Republicans, noting that a public-relations consultant the group paid $27,000 this spring, Merrie Spaeth, was also involved in a advertising campaign attacking Senator John McCain during his tough race against Mr. Bush in the 2000 primary in South Carolina." The Kerry campaign also "convened a conference call in which two of Mr. Kerry's crewmates, and a man he pulled from the Mekong River, defended his service."
The ad was previewed by Sean Hannity on Fox News' Hannity and Colmes. In the ad, Sen. John Edwards is shown saying, "Ask any question about what John Kerry made up and spend three minutes with the men who served with him 30 years ago." The ad ten shows Vietnam veterans saying, "John Kerry has not been honest about what happened in Vietnam," "He's lying about his record," "I know John Kerry is lying about his first Purple Heart, because I treated him for that injury," and "John Kerry lied to get his Bronze Star. I know. I was there. I saw what happened."
USA Today calls it "one of the harshest ads of the presidential campaign," the "toughest political ad since an anti-Bush spot called 'Fire Rumsfeld' (showing a hooded Statue of Liberty to remind voters of how US soldiers had abused prisoners in Iraq) was aired by the liberal group MoveOn.org in late May."
Group Publicizes Photo Highlighting Kerry's Weak Support Among Swift Boat Officers.
The Washington Times , meanwhile, reports in its "Inside Politics" column that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth "has posted a photo on its Web site, www.swiftvets.com, that shows just how little support Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry has among swift boat officers who knew him in Vietnam. Twenty officers, including Mr. Kerry, are shown in the photo, but the Web site urges viewers to touch it with their cursor to see just how many support the Massachusetts Democrat's White House bid. Suddenly, only one man is standing near Mr. Kerry. Until earlier this week, there were two, but one of them said he, too, was no supporter of Mr. Kerry."
