Democratic Senator John Kerry launched an all-out counterattack Thursday on fellow Vietnam war veterans who say he embellished his combat record, a key part of his bid for the White House. Kerry charged that those critics, who go by "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," were "a front" for US President George W. Bush and demanded that the incumbent heed calls to repudiate the group's accusations. "The fact that the president won't denounce what they're up to tells you everything you need to know: He wants them to do his dirty work," the lawmaker told a firefighters' union that was the first major labor group to endorse him. "The president keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that. Well, if he wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: Bring it on!" he said, to approving roars from the crowd.
| And in the same breath, he denounced the smear tactics of MoveOn.org and "America Coming Together". And then his lips fell off. |
Bush served in the national guard in the United States during the war -- frequently a way to avoid service in Vietnam -- but a group opposing his reelection has charged that he used family connections to dodge combat and then failed to report for duty for a months-long period. Kerry, who won three Purple Hearts for wounds received in combat, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star for bravery, has used his service as a gunboat commander to bolster his credentials on national security, a vital issue in the November 2 election. Members of his crew -- dubbed the "band of brothers" -- frequently appear at rallies to tell stories of his heroism, and are prominently featured in the candidate's television advertisements, which also use dramatic war footage.
But one Democratic pollster, who requested anonymity, recently told AFP that the commercial by "Swift Boats Veterans for Truth" showed significant power in shaping swing voters' opinion of Kerry, posing a threat to his campaign. The ad, which hit the airwaves this month, features veterans accusing Kerry of exaggerating his bravery in the war, lying to get at least one of his Purple Hearts, and lying to get his Bronze Star. The group also charges that, by testifying against the war when he returned to the United States and alleging that US soldiers had committed wartime atrocities, Kerry betrayed US forces still in Vietnam. |