Bush, Not Kerry, Should Face Scrutiny (on service during Vietnam)

[Martin Eden]

Linda McQuaig tears the media a new one for aiding and abetting the campaign to smear Kerry:

--snip--
With astonishing passivity, the media have allowed the Republican-driven focus on Kerry's war record to become the central issue in the campaign in the last few weeks.

In the thrust and counter-thrust of charges, many Americans may be left with nothing more than the vague sense that there must have been something amiss about Kerry's war service. Or else, why all the fuss?

Media outlets would undoubtedly insist they are being objective and even-handed, as they scrupulously give equal time to both sides in the trumped-up debate over Kerry's war record.

But in what sense is this even-handed? If someone were to charge that Kerry is a cannibal, would fair coverage involve giving equal time to those who support the cannibal allegation and those who think there's no merit to it, leaving the public to believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle — that Kerry probably at least bites people?
--snip--
Read more:
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0831-13.htm

[nini]

1. it's amazing how many people don't get this point

it's so obvious it's pathetic

[unionjack]

3. Hmmmm......

....imagine I'd have said a year ago that Kerry would find himself on the backfoot on, of all things, the issue of military service compared to GWB. I imagine you'd have said I was mad.

How in hell did things get turned round this way ?

[Screaming Lord Byron]

2. I'm obliged to plug rabble.ca, for which this was written.

A very good website for Canadian politics, and more general events.

[MrPrax]

4. More sounds of 'ripping' here...

THe Dailyhowler has a deadly analyst of the 'smear' and placing blame where it lies--the Oligarchical Media

Three Swift vets defended Kerry. But the “press” didn’t dare let you know:

"For several weeks, the corps has pretended to be deeply puzzled by a troubling factual question. Was there really enemy fire when Kerry pulled Jim Rassmann out of the drink?...And the Washington press corps has scratched its head about this deeply troubling matter. The corps has pretended to be involved in a tireless search for the actual facts. On cable, millionaire hosts have struggled hard to get to the truth of the matter."

"And then, at last! Eureka!
Starting last Sunday, three witnesses to that day’s events came forward supporting Kerry’s assertion. (Kerry’s assertion is, of course, supported by all naval records.)
Wayne Langhofer and Jim Russell were crewmen on PCF-43—the boat directly behind Kerry’s that day. And Robert Lambert was on PCF-51, where he served as radar man to Larry Thurlow, one of Kerry’s most aggressive accusers. And last week, all three vets came forward to say that there was hostile fire when Kerry saved Rassmann. Lambert had actually saved Thurlow’s life—and he said there was enemy fire.
<snip>
"...As of today, few voters know what these three men have said. Increasingly, your national “press” is a screaming joke—and so, therefore, is your democracy.

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh083004.shtml

Good read as Somerby documents how little, if NO coverage the 'GOPMedia, Inc.' gave these swiftboat guys last week...
...MSNBC, NYTs, WP...no mention of these guys

[blm]

5. No kidding. I really thought the Rood article would get mainstream media,

but it was barely mentioned.

[Karenina]

6. *corp media

is Public Enemy #1. Rood barely blipped on the radar... :argh: