Hopefully, my final word on the Swift Boat Vets
It seems one of the SBVs who said Kerry wasn’t in Cambodia admitted to Nixon (in 1971) to himself being in Cambodia, on a swift boat:
O’NEILL: I was in Cambodia, sir. I worked along the border on the water.
NIXON: In a swift boat?
O’NEILL: Yes, sir.
Oh dear.
To be clear, I think John Kerry’s service in Vietnam was honorable. Unlike other politicos, he went. He fought. He is not a traitor. However, I think that Kerry embellished his service considerably. Did he lie? Obviously. Did he lie with the intent to deceive or to prop up his political ambitions? Probably.
When you make your service central to your campaign, you should expect people to attack your service. When confronted with allegations about that service, you should address them outright. Don’t change the story, don’t avoid the issue, and be truthful. It makes it seem like he has something to hide. Whether that something is just little fabrications to prop up your political career or outright lies is important.
But make no mistake, Kerry should be proud for serving his country when so many other spoiled kids did not.
Update: And for the record, I don’t mean this instance makes Kerry a liar. But other instances (which can be read here – scroll down a few posts) seem to.
August 25th, 2004 at 6:00 pm
[…] ng to do right now. Apparently his top critic, John O’Neill, admitted in 1971 (h/t: Uncle) that he himself had been in Cambodia, on a Sw […]
August 26th, 2004 at 12:31 pm
[…] t 26, 2004 « Previous Post | Main | I lied |By SayUncle| Here, I said it would hopefully be my final word on […]
August 25th, 2004 at 12:52 pm
I liked the Daily Show’s assessment: “The ironically-named Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, who are apparently neither swift nor truthful…”
August 25th, 2004 at 1:23 pm
More SBVT Lies
SayUncle finds this nifty tidbit:JOHNS: Behind the scenes, Kerry’s aides were fighting the swift boat charges with unusual ferocity. They…
August 25th, 2004 at 2:00 pm
Not Too Swift
John Kerry still needs to come clean about what did or didn’t happen with his Christmas in Cambodia / Epiphany on the Cambodian border / Tet anniversary within 50 miles of Cambodia / I’m sure I went to Cambodia sometime story. Nevertheless, he’s no…
August 25th, 2004 at 6:25 pm
Pure Kerryspin. O’Neill served during the (non-covert) Cambodian incursion of 1970. Kerry didn’t, having left ‘Nam a year earlier. The Puppy Blender has the scoop.