Fri Dec 7, 2012, 12:49 PM

Mass (24,629 posts)

Wall Street Journal Joins Fox's "Swift Boat" Campaign Against John Kerry

They're back!! Not exactly surprising, of course!

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/12/07/wall-street-journal-joins-foxs-swift-boat-campa/191736

Wall Street Journal Joins Fox's "Swift Boat" Campaign Against John Kerry

A Wall Street Journal op-ed pushed discredit smears to claim that Senator John Kerry is anti-military and not fit for a possible cabinet post.

President Obama is reportedly considering Kerry to be Secretary of State or Defense. In response, former Journal editorial board member Seth Lipsky asked in his op-ed "why in the world" the president would consider Kerry for either position. Lipsky claimed nobody did more than Kerry to "besmirch the name of the GIs who fought in Vietnam." As evidence, Lipsky cited 1971 testimony by Kerry that members of the military had committed war crimes in Vietnam. Lipsky suggested this claim was unfounded aside from the massacre at My Lai. But as FactCheck.org stated in 2004, "ample evidence of other atrocities has come to light" since Kerry's 1971 testimony.

Lipsky wrote:

In 1971 Mr. Kerry related to the Senate accusations that he said had been made by veterans testifying before an antiwar group called the Winter Soldier Investigation.

The conviction of Lt. William Calley for his role in the massacre at My Lai is a reminder that our side did commit some war crimes in Vietnam. But they were, as Mr. Obama suggested, the misdeeds of a few. According to the website wintersoldier.com, which is sympathetic to Mr. O'Neill and the Swift Vets, the allegations raised by the Winter Soldier investigation were examined by the Defense Department and either did not hold up or could not be proved and no one was ever prosecuted for the allegations made by Mr. Kerry's group. Allies of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, sponsor of the antiwar hearings at which veterans testified, dispute critics of the investigation.

...
Lipsky's piece comes weeks after Fox News, which is owned by the same corporate parent as the Journal, also used the Swift Boat campaign's smears to attack Kerry's possible nomination to a Cabinet post.

On November 14, reacting to initial reporting of a possible Kerry nomination as defense secretary, Fox anchor Megyn Kelly cited the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's challenge to "Senator Kerry's record as a war hero." On November 15, Fox's Sean Hannity hosted O'Neill and praised his organization's 2004 ads as "very effective" and "powerful."

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8 replies	Author	Time	Post
Wall Street Journal Joins Fox's "Swift Boat" Campaign Against John Kerry (Original post)	Mass	Dec 2012	OP
The righties can't seem to make up their minds -	The Velveteen Ocelot	Dec 2012	#1
These guys have hated Kerry since the 70s. They have been there at every step of his carrier.	Mass	Dec 2012	#2
Not mentioned, but it was Kerry who started the investigation into the right wing Contras,	karynnj	Dec 2012	#7
Differerent posts. One is Secretary of State, the other is Secretary of Defense.	wisteria	Dec 2012	#4
Actually, these idiots oppose both	Mass	Dec 2012	#6
Same old BS, and once again they trounce out O'Neill to spread the lies.	wisteria	Dec 2012	#3
Yes, we can always ignore them, as we did in 2004	Mass	Dec 2012	#5
No doubt, to be aware. No offence meant.	wisteria	Dec 2012	#8

Response to Mass (Original post)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 12:54 PM

The Velveteen Ocelot (34,708 posts)

1. The righties can't seem to make up their minds -

I thought they wanted Kerry to get the job so Scott Brown would have a shot at his Senate seat. Now they don't want him because they claim he's anti-military. Does that mean they like Susan Rice now after all? Or are they just being their usual obstructionist selves?

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Response to The Velveteen Ocelot (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 01:02 PM

Mass (24,629 posts)

2. These guys have hated Kerry since the 70s. They have been there at every step of his carrier.

Last edited Fri Dec 7, 2012, 01:03 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Why do you think they would not have been there today, if he has a shot to be Secretary of anything?

That has nothing to do with Rice or Scott Brown. Both were kids when these guys started hating Kerry?

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Response to Mass (Reply #2)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 09:25 PM

karynnj (46,670 posts)

7. Not mentioned, but it was Kerry who started the investigation into the right wing Contras,

and their American allies like RW hero Oliver North. It was in response to questions asked by Kerry that North and others committed perjury -- and would have gone to jail if GHWB would not have pardoned them.

The right wing criticism is to be expected - Kerry is an American hero who took on tasks against the right that no one else just aiming for high office would do. What is strange is how many on the left ignore that if they actually looked at things that he did and said he would be their preferred nominee.

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Response to The Velveteen Ocelot (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 05:20 PM

wisteria (18,355 posts)

4. Differerent posts. One is Secretary of State, the other is Secretary of Defense.

I think it is the Defense post they are trying to stir up trouble about.

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Response to wisteria (Reply #4)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 07:46 PM

Mass (24,629 posts)

6. Actually, these idiots oppose both

Last edited Fri Dec 7, 2012, 07:47 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

They will have more opportunities to create noise if it is Defense, but they will try whatever it is, if anything.

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Response to Mass (Original post)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 05:18 PM

wisteria (18,355 posts)

3. Same old BS, and once again they trounce out O'Neill to spread the lies.

One thing though, all these misrepresentations and lies have been around for a long time and are refuted with the truth. And, the only people listening are the RWers. You have to consider the sources stirring these things up.

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Response to wisteria (Reply #3)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 07:45 PM

Mass (24,629 posts)

5. Yes, we can always ignore them, as we did in 2004

The point is that these statements come back each time Kerry is rumored for a new position (it came when he was running for Congress, it came when he ran for Senate, it came back in 1996, it came when he ran for president and it comes when he is seriously rumored for a cabinet position).

Yes, it is only RWers, but we just saw how the RWers can be influential with the CRPD. So, I do not know if Kerry will be on the next cabinet, but, given the fact the WSJ and the Daily Beast are reporting on that, better be aware they are there.

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Response to Mass (Reply #5)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 09:26 PM

wisteria (18,355 posts)

8. No doubt, to be aware. No offence meant.

And, I am not saying do not counter the talking points. What I am getting at is there is noting new here. We have the amunition to refute the lies, but right now, I don't see anybody but Rw's repeating these lies once again. You have to know, that I will be right out there fighting on behalf of Senator Kerry-cabinet post or not.

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