Bush supporter leaves campaign over role in ad

[rawstory]

Carried first on the liberal alternative to Drudge, http://rawstory.com

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - A Vietnam veteran who worked with President Bush's campaign has left over his appearance in a commercial by a group challenging Democratic candidate John Kerry's war record, a campaign spokesman said on Saturday.

Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said Ken Cordier was a Bush supporter during the 2000 election and served as a member of his a steering committee to help reach out to veterans during this election.

"Col. Cordier did not inform the campaign of his involvement in the advertisement being run by (Swift Boat Veterans for Truth)," Schmidt said. "Because of his involvement with this 527 (group), Col. Cordier will no longer participate" in the steering committee.

The disclosure of Cordier's involvement came one day after White House spokesman Scott McClellan and Bush campaign chairman Marc Racicot denied the campaign coordinated with the group on the ads, which claim that Kerry lied about his Vietnam War service.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20040822/pl_nm/campaign_ads_dc

So, uh, the Bush campaign had no role in the ads? And we know that how?

[kikiek]

1. Yes and no doubt he will not have anymore input.

[radfringe]

58. if this gets more press - wait for the spin

if Scotty-dog is asked about it further -- the spin will be that Cordier was an over-zealous volunteer and bush* inc. didn't know

chalk another one up for the Sgt. Shultz defence - "I know nothing"

no wonder the country is "cheney'd" - this mis-administration is filled with unknown unknowns. If there ever was a "KNOW-NOTHING" mis-administration - it's this one

[hang a left]

2. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!

Busted!!!!!!! Now I hear he is going to Athens. Probably wants to wait till everything cools off here. What a chicken shit!!!

[lancdem]

6. Yep

If he does go, I wonder if any reporters will ask him about Kerry's demand for him to stop the ads? That would ruin his trip. :evilgrin:

[drscm]

7. According to Drudge *Bush may go to Athens,

for a photo op with the Iraqui Soccer Team. He freed them, after all, all by his little own self.

[Cha]

23. Photo op with the Iraqi soccer team that

hate his guts and spilled out their guts to the Sports Illustrated reporter?

That Iraqi soccer team? One of the players who said ..he didn't know how bush could meet his maker when he had killed thousands of Iraqis and that if he weren't playing soccer he would be helping the insurgents fighting the Americans?

[Occulus]

44. here's what they COULD do

Calmly accept his presence until the photo op (you know there would be one).

Then just start yelling at him, right before the camera clicks. Yelling and pointing. Then move over to the judges' booth and refuse to go anywhere but with them until they play again, or go home. What for? To keep from getting arrested the moment they get back to their rooms.

Passive. Nonviolent. And it would make Bush* out to look like Hitler if anything happened to them after.

[VolcanoJen]

67. Ken Mehlman flat-out told Tim Russert Bush was NOT going.

Mehlman, Bush's campaign manager, appeared on "Meet the Press" this morning, and Russert asked him if Bush was going to the Olympics.

"NO!" was the emphatic answer by Mehlman... but then he added, "I'm his campaign manager, not his scheduler, but I think I'd know."

:eyes:

[Paradise]

68. * may be surprised by their rejection, um uh, reception. n/t

[Tight_rope]

57. Rove got busted & is using him as scapegoat...paid vacation from Bush!

[grasswire]

3. yes!!!!!!!!!!

A disgrace!!!!!

Doesn't matter, though. The damage is done.

It's time for a formal investigation by the FEC.

[lancdem]

12. I think there's been some damage

but if this thing turns on the WH, it could be a situation where short-term pain for the Kerry campaign ultimately became a benefit.

[zuzu98]

4. Cordier bio

http://www.okbar.org/news/cordierbio.pdf

Political Involvement - During the 2000 Presidential Primary Campaign, Col. Cordier rallied fellow POWs to support George W. Bush and collected signatures from a large segment of the
POWs for a press release endorsement. Following President Bush's nomination, he was appointed as Vice Chair for the Veterans and Retired Military for Bush - Cheney National Coalition. In that capacity, he coordinated daily electronic message traffic to the Vietnam POW membership for follow-on networking. During the fall campaign, Col. Cordier carried President elect Bush's message of the need to rebuild our military and the importance of restoring support for veterans and military retirees at every public speaking opportunity.

Col. Cordier and his wife have hosted the annual dinner for the Dallas Republican Career Women in their home for the past two years. Congressman Sam Johnson was a guest speaker for this event attended by 53 members and guests.

[MODemocrat]

31. Col Cordier you are a disgrace to the uniform you wore

Why would the Colonel be selective about the veterans and military retirees he supposedly supports? Shame on all of you people are degrading the brave men who fought in Vietnam. What did that no good George W. Bush do for his country? I'll tell you what he did: He put the screws to this country by not even serving his time. As president, he has taken this country so far backwards he has all but ruined it. His bloody war, and the killing and maiming our military and civilians. Colonel Cordier, you support a chicken-shit; shame on you. :puke: :thumbsdown:

[dansolo]

43. So I guess he had no problem with Bush's attack on McCain

I don't see how any POW could support Bush after the slanderous attacks against McCain, basically implying that he wasn't completely stable after his POW experience.

[Cush]

5. didn't inform them my ass

they knew

[havocmom]

11. You bet they knew. The only reason he is leaving the campaign is cuz

they are getting busted for collusion with the Swift Boat Liars. They never do the correct thing unless they have been caught outright. Gonna tell the FEC every thing's OK now, no need to investigate further.

Rat bastards*

*{my apologies to any rats in the audience}

[Jackpine Radical]

42. Jeez, they probly assigned him to it. He didn't HAVE to

inform them of what they already knew.

[alcuno]

8. They saw him in the ad at least two weeks ago.

Why no response until now? Why didn't they give him the boot right away? Did they think no one would notice?

[lancdem]

15. Hubris

These guys think they can get away with anything. Rules only apply to Democrats.

[KittyWampus]

9. Please Take Second To Rate This Story

[rawstory]

18. Thanks for reminding -- does anyone know what this does?

Does this rating raise the profile of the story in any way, or is it just some arbitrary thing Yahoo! puts in to make people click some otherwhere and see more ads?

[Doosh]

40. done

[NWHarkness]

10. The Swiftboat Scam is hurting Bush more than Kerry

I hope people will remember that the next time they start to feel panicky.

[alcuno]

13. Not yet. Most people don't know about it.

[lancdem]

17. A few talking heads, like David Gergen, have said that

We'll have to see. But this is the third straight day the Kerry camp has gone after Bush, and more damning evidence is emerging by the hour. I have no idea how many people will see or hear this story, because it's a weekend, but it makes the WH look bad.

[Stew225]

14. Nice web site. First time I've

sampled it.

I gotta wonder how many meds Scotty McClellan is on! That little shit has one hell of a job, eh?

[tlcandie]

37. Welcome Stew225!

:hi:

[ruggerson]

16. COVERUP

They only asked him to leave AFTER it was all over the net. They were FIRST busted and THEN they had to erase his position in the campaign.

I'm telling you, if a first rate reporter gets on this one, it's CampaignGate.

[ruggerson]

21. And Olbermann broke this nationally BEFORE...

this story/press release was generated by the Bush/Cheney campaign.

Yahoo should rewrite this to say essentially "Bush/Cheney campaign, embarrassed by exposure of close ties with SwiftBoat 527, forced to try to publicly disassociate itself with key veteran."

That's the truth of the story.

The way Yahoo has it written now, it's a press release regurgitating Bush/Cheney spin and damage control.

[Cha]

24. Yeah, swiftcampaigngate!

[Stephanie]

41. CampaignGate!

Welcome to DU, ruggerson!

Excellent coinage! Jump in!

[Tight_rope]

59. Welcome to DU ruggerson!

[MO_Dem]

19. This should be huge!

I wonder if any "Sabbath Gasbags" will mention it tomorrow? Bushie's are as much as admitting that they are guilty as charged.

[flordehinojos]

22. Don't expect Leslie Blitzer or any of the rest to say anything!!!!

}(

[MO_Dem]

29. I agree

And if it gets to be big enough story that Leslie can't ignore it, I can already hear him asking every "guest", "But, but, but, but, how can you say there's anything wrong when we all know that George Bush couldn't have known anything about this?"

[flordehinojos]

53. You got ole Leslie nailed to a tee!

}(

[NNN0LHI]

63. I have had CNN on for a couple of hours now this morning and they have...

...mentioned this and the Roon story 4 or 5 times already.Lets hope it keeps up.

Don

[havocmom]

20. Fantastic catch, rawstory!

way to go :toast:

[ruggerson]

25. The activist Freepers are very worried over this

To: Deb
This could be a problem because he was a member of the Bush campaign when he did the ad. He resigned today from the campaign after the ad was released. Someone didn't do their due diligence.



29 posted on 08/21/2004 7:41:16 PM PDT by kristinn
------------------------------------------------------


"kristinn" is the head of one of their ridiculous "chapters", the DC one, I think. He's the asshole who confronted Bob Kerrey. They dress up in bizarre costumes and do intelligent things like heckle public officials.

[ruggerson]

26. Cordier was part of the campaign when he shot the commercial

Doesn't matter that he was forced out when they were busted on it.

THe mantra to the press should be: Cordier was part of the campaign when he shot the commercial.

The jig is up, Bushies.

[progressivebydesign]

27. Barn door, meet horse's ass.. N/T

[David Zephyr]

28. How Do You Say: A-F-T-E-R T-H-E F-A-C-T.

Rove and gang are REACTING after the fact.

They have screwed up.

This little denial will not fly.

There are just WAY TOO MANY of these swiftboat liars to keep the connection between the GOP and this group a secret.

Loose lips sink ships.

The GOP broke the law.

[Doosh]

30. bad news bushies

:)

[djg21]

32. Too Little, Too Late

I wonder if ShrubCo will still challenge the FEC complaint not that it has conceded that it was involved in the Smearboat ads? Slam dunk! I wish I was prosecuting this.

[Geo55]

33. Wanna bet they don't get screwed on it?

Guess I'm just gettin' jaded....they get by with so much crap.

[NNN0LHI]

64. How much you got to lose? n/t

[Geo55]

66. my sanity n/t

[Beetwasher]

34. I Can NOT BELIEVE HOW FUCKING STOOOOOPID THEY ARE!!!

Anyone still think Rove is a jeenyus?

Flagrant coordination and violation of federal law.

[Tight_rope]

60. Karl Rove is a street thug....he knows nothing & cares about the law!

[splat]

35. sbvs using bush for his money

freeper:

The press is going to dig up everything they can. I say again the wrong fight was picked here, at least at the wrong time. When all the media turn their guns on unskilled politicians like the Swifites, who have made some contradicting statements over the years, it gets ugly. Bush will be the one slimed by this. Kerry will keep the focus on his "war hero" image, the only thing he's got. Vietnam must not be the issue to decide this election - stupid, stupid, stupid

That's nice, but nobody asked you, and this isn't your fight. The vets aren't trying to win a popularity contest, and they are not trying to get G.W. re-elected.

(Expanded a few posts later)

Well I saw a interview with John O`Neill last week on FOx, and he was asked that very question, "Don`t you think this will hurt Bush more than help him?" And O`Neill actually said "Tough, I don`t care about that. We`re are not doing this for Bush. This is between us and John Kerry." So I guess that settles that, I don`t think they are going to stop no matter what.

So Bush will end up "collateral damage."

Kerry's war record will stand, and next the country will replay the early '70s. Can he honorably embody the antiwar movement too?

[Tight_rope]

62. Tuff..Bush was riding on the "Swiftboat" coat tail...Now he will slide off

Bush was knowningly smelling the shit the swiftboaters were sending off and he was right beside them thinking that Kerry was behind them and it was hit him in the face. Well the swiftboaters were force to take a sharp turn and the shit landed right in the face of BUSH...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....Bush needs more shit thrown in his face. Irrogant, ignorant, incompetent son-of-a-bitch.

[Beetwasher]

36. Dupe

[DU GrovelBot]

38. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

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This week is our third quarter 2004 fund drive. Democratic
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your support.

[goforit]

39. Lying scum bags running from their own shadows!!!!

Caught red handed!!!

[truthisfreedom]

45. ma, are they stupid. they have flyers in their Texas offices, guy involved

in both their campaign and the commercial, and Kerry is making hay out of this now. it's a new launching point for his heroism in Veitnam, and all he has to do is keep it up until every last one of those liars is outed and every last connection to rove and bush is exposed... it will scare the crap out of rove to ever do anything like that to Kerry again!

[antigone382]

48. Don't forget flyers in their Alachua, FL campaign office as well

You can go to the front page of DU and see the flyer (though you have to scroll way down to get to the story). It's for a "Pro-America" rally, and in the little box saying what groups will be there, the first listed is the Swift Boat Vets for Bush...further down is the Alachua Bush/Cheney Committee.

Also on the front page, check out photos taken by DU poster DoYouEverWonder of the same flyer posted on a bulletin board inside the Alachua office. Vewy Intewesting....

A Message from me to the Bush Campaign: Gentlemen, we have you by the balls :7

[truthisfreedom]

49. here's an excellent chart w/the involvement of bushco in the swiftboat ads

from the NYT

[0007]

52. I love it! You can see the flyers coming out of junior's ass.

[Fridays Child]

46. Cordier's name is taken off the site 8/19, McClellan issues denial 8/20...

...and Cordier resigns 8/21, with the WH saying, "We didn't know."

Really? Then why was his name taken off the site on 8/19? That's consciousness of guilt, in my book.

[krkaufman]

47. "Col. Cordier will no longer participate"

Ummm... "cows are already out of the barn" comes to mind. Isn't this like someone holding up a liquor store, getting caught, and then saying they won't do it anymore -- and so shouldn't be prosecuted?

[Nordic]

50. 1:00 a.m. it's now the lead story on CNN.COM

Hope it stays there a while.

Hope people "get it".

[SKKY]

51. This crap really ticks me off...

Why isn't this bigger than it is? It's like the news is afraid to criticize Bush. I don't get it. He doesn't have the war record Kerry does, so he gets some of his buddies who just happen to steer a 527 to run some mud-slingin' adds, tarnish Kerry's record so it makes his look less pathetic. This all seems so obvious to me, why isn't this a bigger deal that it's appearing to be. This is the connection between Bush and the Swift Boat Vets we've been waiting/hoping for.

[TankLV]

71. What ticks me off - this should be a comparisons of what bush* did when

Kerry was off fighting for his country.

The whore media is making this a comparison of the 527 groups or the negative ads of "both" sides.

This should be opening the door to a new round of questions about bunkerboy's lies and missing records, and records that so far PROVE he was at best AWOL!

This really disgusts me.

It's like they have a wall that they will not go thru - discuss EVERYTHING about Kerry's heroic war record - of which there are volumes of corroborating evidence that Kerry was the hero others have claimed he is (Kerry has yet to toot his own horn) - but they won't do the corrilary - disect bunkeboy's LACK of honerable service, LACK of any medals, LACK of service in Vietnam, LACK of any records in spite of their claims, PLENTY of evidence that SUPPORTS claims that he was AWOL/a DESERTER.

[SoCalDem]

54. Tribune...via yahoo story on CNN HOMEPAGE 8/22/02 11:43 PM EDT

Bush adviser quits after appearing in swift boat ad
Kerry has accused group of illegally working with campaign
Saturday, August 21, 2004 Posted: 11:43 PM EDT (0343 GMT)


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=2&u=/ap/20040822/ap_on_el_pr/tribune_editor_kerry

ROANOKE, Virginia (CNN) -- A volunteer adviser has quit President Bush's re-election campaign after appearing in a veterans group's television commercial blasting Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's involvement in the Vietnam-era antiwar movement.

A Bush campaign statement said it did not know that retired Air Force Col. Ken Cordier had appeared in an ad by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The Kerry campaign has accused the group of illegally working with the Bush campaign.

As a so-called 527 group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is barred from coordinating efforts with an election campaign.

Kerry's camp calls it a front for the Bush campaign and has urged the Federal Election Commission to cite the group, the Bush campaign and the Republican National Committee for violating federal election laws.


snip

[leftchick]

55. Gotta love the photo they printed with the Article......

Hmm... let's see... what was chimpass* carrying around in that year besides a bong?





Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites), left, and William B. Rood, right, are shown in this undated photo at the Swift boat base at An Thoi shortly after the action for which Kerry was awarded the Silver Star and Rood was awarded the Bronze Star in early 1969 during his service in Vietnam. Both men are holding weapons captured in the mission. Rood, a night city editor with the Chicago Tribune, who served with Kerry during the Vietnam War as the commander of a Navy swift boat on the 1969 mission ischallenging the attacks on Kerry's account of the incident. (AP Photo/Chicago Tribune, Courtesy William B. Rood)

[Tight_rope]

56. Oh! Oh! Bush kicked his ass out after because we were sniffing him out!

[devinsgram]

61. Like they really didn't know

We weren't born yesterday. Please give us some credit.

[Catfight]

65. The ADS should be PULLED regardless!! Then the TRUTH ADS

should be put in place, free of charge to Kerry!

[OilemFirchen]

69. The "volunteer" meme

The * camp is dismissing allegations of collusion by suggesting that Cordier was a mere "volunteer" - thereby acting on his own. Note that the press has picked up the meme.

Too bad for them it simply ain't true. Per the bio posted above:

"Following President Bush's nomination, he was appointed as Vice Chair for the Veterans and Retired Military for Bush - Cheney National Coalition. In that capacity, he coordinated daily electronic message traffic to the Vietnam POW membership for follow-on networking. During the fall campaign, Col. Cordier carried President elect Bush's message of the need to rebuild our military and the importance of restoring support for veterans and military retirees at every public speaking opportunity."

[MallRat]

70. Two words: Smoking. Gun.

And there'll be more to come, I'm sure. Phone calls, memos, emails... the links between SBV and Rove's office are going to be many and various.

-MR