"Kerry asked for it by making Viet Nam the centerpiece of the Convention"

[kentuck]

How many times have you heard this as an explanation for the Swift Boat attacks? Then we must ask, what will be the centerpiece of the Repub Convention? No doubt, it will be the war on terrorism and the invasion of Iraq. Are they asking for it?

There are those that say we can't attack him on his "war" because Kerry voted for "it". We know better. That should not keep us or Kerry surrogates from discussing his "centerpiece". Americans are not safer. Bush invaded another country that was not a threat to our nation. We have lost almost 1000 troops in this disaster. He has created more terrorists - not less. He is despised around the world.

America has been humiliated with this clown in the White House. We are weaker because he is a weak and incompetent leader. And they want to brag that we've gone 3 years without an attack. And until George W Bush came along, we went 60 years since Pearl Harbor without an attack of similar proportion. He shouldn't be bragging about it - he and his supporters should be hanging their heads in shame.

And when they say, "but Kerry voted for it..." then, we say, 'There you go again, lying and distorting the truth..." :)

[liveoaktx]

1. Here's what Bill Maher told Tavis Smiley

Kerry Asked for it

[buycitgo]

14. thank you!

"it's what the press covers...I'm sure he talks about other things EVERY day"

duhhhh

frickin media is in BED with pugs, repeating THEIR talking points

[fujiyama]

15. Cool interview

[PROGRESSIVE1]

16. thank you!

[IndianaGreen]

18. "We should be talking about the war we are in...

not the one we were 35 years ago."

Excellent point!

[gratuitous]

2. Yeah, how DARE Kerry . . .

Mention going to Vietnam, and winning all those medals? Doesn't Kerry realize that Lil George sat out the duration in his champagne unit or dodging his responsibilities in places and pursuing activities unknown? Doesn't John Kerry know how bad Bush's record looks in comparison to his? Why in the world would he use such an obvious and favorable disparity to his own advantage???

It's just shameful, that's what it is!

[kentuck]

3. Yes! Don't mention your perceived strong points !

That wouldn't be prudent.

[gulliver]

4. Officially awarded medals can't be question for any reason.

The Swift Boat Vets went into the gutter when they questioned Kerry's medals and valor. You can't question medals. The armed forces award medals, and the time to question whether they are deserved is before they are awarded. Once awarded, they are as solid a credential as it is possible to have. To question them questions the whole basis of valor and sacrifice in the armed services. It is profoundly unpatriotic.

And of course, Kerry's story has now been borne out repeatedly while the Swift Boat Vets have been repeatedly shown to be liars and connected to the Bush administration.

[kentuck]

5. "It is profoundly unpatriotic."

Excellent point! They attack every veteran that was honored fighting for our country. It is unpatriotic.

[gulliver]

12. As others have pointed out, the Republicans have ...

... just undermined the very basis of honor and valor recognition in the armed forces. And Bush did not condemn it.

[Triana]

6. KERRY didn't make Vietnam a centerpiece...

..THE MEDIA did - firstly. Secondly, since bu$hit made Vietnam a centerpiece of his Rovian Smear Campaign against Kerry, then BU$H is asking for it, too. That means HIS (bu$hit's) Vietnam records (there are none so his service records in general) are also fair game.

That being said, the FIRST RECORD that ought to be paraded in front of Americans day in and day out, is not bu$h's Vietnam/service records (or lack thereof) but rather bu$hit's records on the economy, jobs creation, healthcare, national security, terrorism, the environment, etc. etc. etc....THOSE are the records that Kerry ought to be harping on in addition to the absence of any bu$hit records in Vietnam/service - and perhaps he should SAY that...ie:

"Well, George Bu$h wants to attack my service record and I'd attack his too, IF he had one. But, he doesn't, so instead I'll talk about Bu$h's record of the past 3-4 years on the issues that matter to Americans today: jobs, decent healthcare, fair wages, retirement, and protection of our environment..."

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Bush asked for it strutting in the flight suit: making service centerpiece

Bush asked for it when he strutted in the flight suit on the carrier deck, drawing attention to his Champagne flight line defense of Texas.

Bush asked for it when he failed to condemn the not so swift ads.

Bush asked for it when he made the wars the centerpiece of his campaign.

Cheney asked for it when he asked for five deferments.

[gulliver]

8. Kerry supported the war physically and opposed it verbally.

Bush supported the war verbally and avoided it physically.

That seems to be the difference.

[denny1958]

9. Media Matters on "Blaming the victim"

FACT: Swift Boat Vets began lying about John Kerry long before Democratic convention
False attacks by John O'Neill and others had already begun in early May, long before the Democratic Convention in late July.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200408270010

[Rose Siding]

11. I think the DNC Vietnam-a-polooza was pre-emptive loin girding

That smear was coming and it was foreseen that it would take a loud pre-position to weather it at all.

[Beetwasher]

10. So, By That Reasoning, Chimpy the "Terror Warrior" Deserves

No less than commercials that proclaim MIHOP/LIHOP loudly and the media MUST cover it...Right? Nahhhh....

[gulliver]

13. kick

This is an important RW talking point, and it exposes one of their weaknesses. They claim to support the armed services. But they want Bush so much that they are willing to countenance a veteran's medals being challenged to keep him in power. And they make this lame excuse for it.

When is it ever permissable to question the medals of a service man or woman? I thought the answer was never. I guess those ethics kind of depend on the situation, though ... at least for some Republicans.

[Ramsey]

17. What BS

I was at the convention, and I don't recall Vietnam being the centerpiece of anything. In fact, it was downplayed if anything. This is just another example of the Repuke tactic say it often enough and lies become truth.

[Sparkly]

19. If he'd said nothing about it, they'd be saying he "failed to define..."

They'd say he "didn't define himself, nobody knows who he is, he let the Republicans fill in the blanks on this issue, he's running from his Vietnam record, he hasn't introduced himself, why isn't he proud of his service," blah blah blah...