Posted on 02/26/2008 12:46:25 PM PST by Interesting Times
One of the core charges that John Kerry’s media-aided campaign made in 2004 and since to delegitimize the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is that its leader John O’Neill, who had opposed Kerry in 1971, was a creation of Richard Nixon’s White House.
I was there, and know better. Until now, the central purported prop for the charge went unrebutted. Charles “Chuck” Colson has now spoken up. It’s time for reputable media, and even Kerry’s advocates if they have any integrity, to cease this charge. Like a dime-novel legend, based on little, this charge has been frequently repeated and embellished by Swiftee critics.
The charge of being a Nixon White House creation is based upon an article that Joe Klein published in the December 2, 2002 New Yorker magazine. Joe Klein passes from Kerry’s speech to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in April, 1971:
He was an immediate celebrity. He was also an immediate target of the Nixon Administration. Years later, Chuck Colson-who was Nixon's political enforcer-told me, "He was a thorn in our flesh. He was very articulate, a credible leader of the opposition. He forced us to create a counterfoil. We found a vet named John O'Neill and formed a group called Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace. We had O'Neill meet the President, and we did everything we could do to boost his group."
Actually, in 1971 I formed Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace (VVJP), which John O’Neill joined, to oppose Kerry. Neither Colson nor the White House “formed” VVJP nor “found” John O’Neill.
In 2004, I contacted Joe Klein and Chuck Colson, to rebut this charge. Neither replied.
Klein has not revealed his interview notes or recording (if there was one) with Colson, so it’s unknown if the quote of Colson is accurate or if it is out of context.
Colson didn’t reply, trying to stay out of the 2004 Vietnam vets taking on Kerry, as he didn’t want to distract from his prison ministry.
Now, Colson has replied, rebutting Klein.
Vietnam veteran Bruce Obermeyer, physics undergrad, MBA, who has worked in aerospace safety at Boeing for decades, wrote to Charles Colson inquiring about the charge: “Can Mr. Colson please clear up the confusion about his involvement with VVJP and the alleged quote.” (Obermeyer has written me, “Unlike John Kerry, I stayed the full year of my tour, and unlike John Kerry, I actually was inside Cambodia, flying missions in the skies over it for a longer period of time than John Kerry's entire tour.”)
This is the reply Obermeyer received February 25, 2008 from Colson’s spokesman:
[W]e forwarded your email to Mr.Colson for his review. He has since read your email and has asked me to reply with his comments:
"No, I have never taken credit for trying to organize something called the Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace. I discovered Mr. O'Neil, who had just come out of the Navy, and brought him into the White House and worked with him and gave him some encouragement. A lot of people charged that this was really a Nixon front-group that I had started. That's untrue. I hope this helps." - Chuck Colson
See much more, below the fold...
Clearing John O’Neill’s name ping.
God Bless, John O’Neill. He is a true American Hero. We will need more and more citizens to straighten out the historical myths the left propagates. We will need more citizens to destroy the historical amnesia of the voters.
‘Swiftboating’ means telling the truth.
BTTT
......Countering leftist agitprop requires persistence....
I expect it will go on long after we’re gone. The whole Vietnam era mindset is thrown off track by the Swifties. The attack on the settled history must absolutely not be allowed to stand.
The only way to actually end it is to obtain by hook or by crook the actual military records of Senator Kerry including all the murky discharge details.
Yes. Thank God.
John O’Neill and the other Swift Boaters are TRUE HEROES for going up against the Establishment to tell the TRUTH!!~ God Bless Them!
Although the media would have us believe otherwise, ‘swiftboating’ is telling the truth that the media wants to cover up! I remember John Kerry from the early 70’s and I remember him as a betrayer of America.
Unfortunately, I think it's too late. The leftists have redefined the term for the populace, and they now use it to hit conservatives over the head. I don't think any amount of redefinition will help. To the average American, "swiftboating" now means "lies that the Republicans told about John Kerry". We have to be better at maintaining control over terms.
You can help. Feel free to pass this around:
BTTT
...It’s time for reputable media ...
“Reputable media?”
Tonk Memorial Bump
We’ll have to scratch around to find some.
Personally I like #3, from urbandictionary.com:
1. swiftboat 338 up, 138 down
to attack an anti-war politician on the basis of their military service record
“Man, did they swiftboat Murtha.”
2. swiftboat 255 up, 120 down
to distort history for political purposes, especially in a vicious personal attack
The upcoming ABC documentary ‘The Path to 9/11’ is expected to swiftboat the Clinton administration, accusing it of ignoring the terrorist threat.
3. swiftboat 138 up, 326 down
To bravely expose the lies and manipulations of a powerful person seeking to achieve self promotion based on a falsified personal history and thereby prevent the success of his or her deception.
It took a lot of guts to go up against the lying billionaire, but they were able to swiftboat his dreams of taking over the country.
Sign your 180 John Kerry, and reveal it to the world, not just three selected friendly journalists.
Exactly! And while you're at it sKerry, have Jimmy Carter announce it to the press that you signed it.
Swiftboat has two definitions depending on whether or not you’re riding in the boat or under it...
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