Posted on 08/20/2004 6:33:12 PM PDT by Maigrey
So when was the First Amendment to the Constitution abolished?
Editorial by the Gonzo News Service
As a leaf floating down the swift moving rapids of a mountain river, so to follows the little boat known as the John Kerry campaign. What they do not realize is that there have been rocks in the river, tearing out the foundation and support for his campaign, and the eventual waterfall which is known as November 2 – Election Day. And a major obstacle for the campaign is the federal filing by the Kerry campaign to silence the politically independent veterans’ group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
The majority of rocks currently cutting through the foundation of Kerry’s campaign has been a group of Navy Vietnam Veterans – who together, as part of a group protesting Kerry’s capability of his naval service. These veterans – Swift Boat Veterans for Truth – have been making political waves the last two weeks with their internet and television advertisements questioning the capability and fitness of Kerry. Their documented assertions have been published in a book Unfit for Command which this week is number 3 on the New York Times Best Seller List. Not bad for a book with minimal advertising and promotion, except through the news media and the Internet grassroots organizations.
Earlier this year, Swift Boat held a press conference making light of these allegations. At this time, there wasn’t a book, or television advertising, and certainly not hourly interviews by some of the veterans in this book. Their information was pushed to the 10-second sound bites within the day of their press conference, and within a one 24-hour news cycle, they were history. Sounds pretty quick of a news cycle that doesn’t wish to investigate too deeply into a candidate’s information. Had this been a non-Democratic candidate, there would have been hundreds of people clamoring for the information, and digging for more. This was the case of the service records of the current president. But since the Democratic National Convention, where a informal poll of media reporters, producers, and personnel, was conducted, showing the bias towards more liberal ideals, the media – namely television and certain print news organizations – have been more interested in murder cases from out of state, corrupt government officials who admit to infidelity during their marriage, and prison scandals from 9 months prior during an occupation. So maybe it would make since that they might support the Democratic Party candidate, and support him by making the coverage for him a little less biased and detached.
Since this was the reception of the veterans in question, they decided to publish a book with their accounts, with documentation accounting for their actions, along with the Democratic Candidate. These allegations are quite caustic, and considering that Kerry is basing his entire political platform on 4 months of Vietnam service, instead of his 3 years as a war protester, and 20+ in political office, there should be some investigating of this issue. How could it be that this man, who has shown as much backbone as a jellyfish, and the political stance of a Midwestern weathervane, be worried about some retired naval veterans who served with him during his four months while stationed in Vietnam? Could they actually have some information that would be politically damaging?
Since the incumbent has shown his service records, which were comprehensive at 300 plus pages, Kerry could quash this media storm with the release of his complete service records. This has not happened to date. He has released a limited number of documents, including the written citations for his Silver Star and Bronze Star, and Purple hearts. Even the citations that were released bring up questions that he has not answered, and will doubtfully answer.
However, the campaign officers for the Kerry for President group have said today, that they were going to file notice with the Federal Election Commission as well as the Federal Communications Commission saying that the Swift Boat Veterans are a front group for the Bush/Cheney campaign, and that the Kerry group has proof that there is a financial connection between the funding of the Swift Boat veterans and the Bush/Cheney Campaign. Furthermore, their filing with the FCC is to get the advertisements pulled from the airwaves, and have the funds donated to the Swift Boat veterans returned to the donors due to the funds being “illegal campaign donations” and also issuing a large fine for the Swift Boat veterans. That does not sound like refuting the allegations. It sounds like trying to attack the messenger, and not the message.
But what about refuting the allegations by these veterans, who served with Sen. Kerry? Are we, as a people, willing to settle for ad hominem attacks on men who served valiantly and with honor for their country? Why is Sen. Kerry attempting to stifle the veterans’ first amendment rights to free speech? Do their allegations and assertions have power, or could cause political damage to a candidate? However, since the Kerry campaign views this from a legal standpoint, their method of operations to rectify the situation, is to file lawsuits with federal regulators and hope that from some legal aspect, they have the right to silence the critics, so they do not have to answer the critics about these actions.
So, this brings me to a final point. If Sen. Kerry is so anxious to tackle these issues from 30 years ago, telling campaign supporters to Bring it On, then why does he run and tell someone else to silence the critics instead of answering their criticisms? Why is he so worried what others say about him?
Could it be that he can’t provide a decisive answer to silence the critics himself, or that the real answers would be political suicide?
Stay Tuned…
Ping!
Actually, I think McCain Feingold has had an interesting spin on the first amendment. 527s can organize and start saying whatever they want...
And Kerry can't touch them, especially after ignoring the President's call to Kerry to condemn the soft money 527s earlier this year.
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