Reply #20: There were actually two groups

[sandnsea]

That's what most people don't get. Kerry had dealt with Sampley many times over the years, he knew their nonsense, he wasn't worried about them. He had knocked them down early in the year, no problem.

The Swiftboaters were new. Some of them were people who had stood by Kerry against the Sampley bunch. The claims were completely new, beyond belief. Who would believe anyone could get away with ridiculing purple hearts and a bronze and silver star. Who would believe the media would carry such stunning lies.

The Swiftboaters were taken seriously where the media knew Sampley was a nut for years.