Cleland knew that this barrage of lies about Kerry would happen

[JohnKleeb]

but Kerry told him he had to run, the friendship of Max Cleland and John Kerry is one of the most nicest stories Ive read in a while. John and Max refer to each other as "brother", and Kerry will be though we wont always agree with him but one thing is for sure he'll fight hard for the people who risk their lives for the country, that is firefighters, cops, and servicepeople. Read a great deal about Kerry and Cleland's friendship in "The Candiate".

[RobertSeattle]

1. This attack was coming, no matter what

It is a RW canard that they are "only doing this because Kerry brought it up during the DNC". Right. The whole DNC could have been about Tiddly Winks and these SwiftVet liars would have gone on the attack - probably accusing Kerry of cheating at Tiddly Winks too!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. The Not-so-Swift Boat Vets organization was formed and funded in April

[JohnKleeb]

6. thats true

the attacks we see on Kerry now are as I said, unique only to Kerry, they couldnt attack the others for their roles VVAW, because Kerry was the only one there, etc. Thats all my point was. I agree totally that the attacks were coming no matter who the nominee is.

[Larkspur]

2. B.S. Most on DU predicted this would happen years ago.

Only Kerry fanatics failed to see it coming. All one had to do was look at what the Repukes did to Gore in 2000 to see what they'd do to the Dem nominee in 2004. Only the naieve didn't see it coming.

[jjmalonejr]

7. I'm a Kerry supporter and you're wrong that I didn't see this coming.

It has happened to Kerry everytime he's run for re-election. It's always BS and it's always smacked down.

You're worrying too much. The voters Kerry is targeting will see the smear for what it is, believe me.

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. I think virtually all Kerry backers saw this coming

So did the Clark backers. After the McCain and Cleland smears who could hold illusions? Still military service this election cycle is a strong net asset to bring to the table, like it or not, and that influenced the choices a lot of us made regarding who to back earlier this year.

[JohnKleeb]

9. of course they saw it coming

After having the press ridicule their campaign as near dead, believe me I wasnt an original Kerry supporter but I do know that his supporters knew what it was like to get attacked and saw this coming, I think being able to relate your personal experiences in general, yes like the military is a strong asset in general. I didnt say I didnt see it coming, I just said Cleland knew they would do this to Kerry, and they are slamming him in the ways, they have slammed his service in Vietnam by saying his wounds were self inflicted or scratches, insutling his family, they go after Teresa all the time, his record, Kerry doesnt care about the tropps etc.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. Thank you Tom, we are not clueless greenhorns- far from it.

Bush is sowing the seeds of his defeat. The veterans' vote is tilting our way quickly.

[JohnKleeb]

11. and I think personally only a guy like Kerry or Clark

could really make inroads with the veteran voters. After all, he is proposing a military family bill of rights and he doesnt hide from his past as a navy man.

[Nicholas_J]

12. Firstly

These attacks can only be specific to Kerry, as Kerry is one if the only members of COngress to have taken part in VVAW.

Second. there is absolutely nothing unusual about Republicans attacking democrats, at all times and under all circumstances. Predicting the obvious is not prediction.

Third, the author of the post in question was hardly a Kerry fanatic, in fact, Kerry, of all the candidates inspired few, if ANY who's support could be considered fanatical. Everyone who supports Kerry saw it coming. AS it has continually been used in one form or other

Fourth utilizing the term fanatic regarding the supporters of any particular candidate...pot meet kettle.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

13. We even saw similar attacks on Kerry right here at DU

often taking the form of accusing him of war crimes.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=67771

[JohnKleeb]

14. it happened that early on? jeez lousie

I knew it happened but jeez. Whatever happened to punkingal anyhow? She used to help me from losing my cool when I got pissed at irrationalism.

[Walt Starr]

3. There would have been a viscious reichwing smear campaign

regardless of the candidate.

[JohnKleeb]

4. right but the attacks on military service are what they would only do

to Kerry I think. I mean, you know attacks on military service, his family, etc. Of course they would attack other candiates but I am just saying Cleland foresaw that they would attack him in the same way that they attacked him. Not saying the others would be invincible, just the attacks would be different.

[DaveSZ]

15. This is how the rw operates

They can't win on real issues like the economy, so they must use character assassination instead.

It's a reflexive response I've noticed of many wingnuts.