A Swift Shift in Stories

[Rose Siding]

By Dana Milbank
Tuesday, August 31, 2004; Page A19

This is a story about Swift boats and FastShip.

Four days ago, retired naval Rear Adm. William L. Schachte Jr. seconded accusations made by the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth seeking to discredit Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry's record in Vietnam. But since then, Democrats have discovered that Schachte is also a long-standing supporter of President Bush and a lobbyist whose client FastShip Inc. recently won a $40 million grant from the federal government.

On Aug. 27, Schachte issued a statement saying that after he "avoided talking to media" for months, he was reluctantly stepping forward to challenge Kerry's award of one of his Purple Hearts on Dec. 2, 1968. "Kerry had himself in charge of the operation, and I was not mentioned at all," he said. "He also claimed that he was wounded by hostile fire. None of this is accurate. I know, because I was not only in the boat, but I was in command of the mission."

Kerry has said Schachte was not on the boat that night, adding another mystery to the disputed events of 36 years ago. But other events are not in dispute. According to a March 18 legal filing by Schachte's firm, Blank Rome, Schachte was one of the lobbyists working for FastShip on issues such as the effort to win funding for a new marine cargo terminal. On Feb. 2, Philadelphia-based FastShip announced that it would receive $40 million in federal funding for the project.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47542-2004Aug30.html

[NMDemDist2]

1. ahh the ol payola

:mad:

[saigon68]

2. Follow the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

These Mother Fuckers have no SHAME.

[klook]

3. Switfboat Veterans for Loot

Swiftboat, FastShip...pretty amusing, eh?

Great reporting by the Washington Post to come up with this. Hope this story gets some attention.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

4. Has anyone seen my jaw? It just hit the floor and I can't find it.

:mad:

[0007]

13. I heard it drop, but I don't see it!

[fearnobush]

5. This so fucked up. So fucked up, what they do to the press to control

your mind. I really hope things can change soon with out violence i.e. election.

[fearnobush]

6. This so fucked up. So fucked up, what they do to the press to control

your mind. I really hope things can change soon with out violence i.e. election.

[Alpharetta]

7. Partners in crime

It's so patriotic these days to rip off the taxpayers and send their kids to Iraq.

[Toots]

8. It is the commanding officer that gets debriefed and writes the

reports. If he was in command he would have written the reports. Since Kerry was the one writing the report it stands to reason that Kerry was the commanding officer. This one should be an easy one to debunk.

[Alpharetta]

9. The moral: go along with the plan and you'll get rich too. n/t

[Inland]

11. Nobody ever went broke siding with the crony capitalists that

are looting our government in exchange for support. Nobody.

[Inland]

10. $40 Million in FREE money--that's Halliburton size graft

Anyone want me to say I was on Kerry's boat when I was eight years old? Bidding starts at $4000, but saying that he committed war crimes costs extra.

[jefferson_dem]

12. Hell, unless i get a hefty sum from chimpy-boy, i just may

recall how he and i twisted up some mean herb and enjoyed a few other controlled substances back in AL, Jan 1973.

Payola talks!

[roseBudd]

19. do tell!

[UTUSN]

14. Well, Ahrighty Then, Let's Hear It for That Old Time Investigative reproti

[TahitiNut]

15. When they say it's not about the money, you can be sure ...

... it's about the money. (That fella was probably doin' "around the world" with a mamasan in his hooch - with an imperial quart of Seagram's Blue Label Vodka for $1.25.)

[LynnTheDem]

16. Long past time

for bushCartel to be rotting in jail.

[struggle4progress]

17. kick

:kick:

[Octafish]

18. Gee. Was this mentioned on ABCNNBCBSRNCFOX?

I don't think it made my local dailies (co-joined by a Joint Operating Agreement) or the suburban papes. I wish it would.

[David Zephyr]

20. Kick!

I wish someone would comeup with a hierachy chart of the swiftboaters, with their photo, name and a caption under each where they have been discredited.