Legion vets say they're tired of Vietnam controversy

AP ^ | 8-28-04

[freddiedavis]

bump TO SUPPORT THE NEW SWIFT VETS AD AND GEORGE BUSH... http://swift2.he.net/~swift2/gardner2.mpg

[snooker]

Hey, I'm getting tired of it too. All this baloney about Kerry and his puffed up chest. It's making me dizzy keeping track of which medal has to be taken off his chest next.

When do we get to John Kerry the antiwar traitor???

[Little Bill]

I am not in the Legion, VFW, and I have handed out a lot of I Support Viet Nam Veterans Against John Kerry sitckers to my Comrads. Even the socalist Greatest Generation Vets are requesting them.

[Gritty]

... they want the campaigns to focus on veteran benefits, not a tit-for-tat ad war over who did what during the Vietnam War...

In other words, forget 'character' or even the truth. The important thing about this election is "what goodies are in this for me?"!

I've seen this similar approach in several articles in my local newspaper (owned by the NYT) the past week or so - few "Swiftie" facts, lots of anecdotal blathering and puffery.

First, a misleading headline which backs up Kerry, then...

Second, quote a few "vets" - who are imploring everybody to move on to more "important" social issues (as if honest character hasn't recently been shown to be the most important attribute in a President)...

Third, come to the conclusion the writer wants, which inevitably reflects the Democrat talking points and political agenda and pronounces the attacks as unwarranted "smears"...

Fourth, conclude this entire thing is a complete non-issue to vets who care about the future or know anything about the past...

These stringer reporters are dishonest to the extreme. But they certainly are relentless in their "reporting" of their preferred versions!