Wall Street Journal Joins Fox's "Swift Boat" Campaign Against John Kerry

[Mass]

They're back!! Not exactly surprising, of course!

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/12/07/wall-street-journal-joins-foxs-swift-boat-campa/191736

Wall Street Journal Joins Fox's "Swift Boat" Campaign Against John Kerry

A Wall Street Journal op-ed pushed discredit smears to claim that Senator John Kerry is anti-military and not fit for a possible cabinet post.

President Obama is reportedly considering Kerry to be Secretary of State or Defense. In response, former Journal editorial board member Seth Lipsky asked in his op-ed "why in the world" the president would consider Kerry for either position. Lipsky claimed nobody did more than Kerry to "besmirch the name of the GIs who fought in Vietnam." As evidence, Lipsky cited 1971 testimony by Kerry that members of the military had committed war crimes in Vietnam. Lipsky suggested this claim was unfounded aside from the massacre at My Lai. But as FactCheck.org stated in 2004, "ample evidence of other atrocities has come to light" since Kerry's 1971 testimony.

Lipsky wrote:

In 1971 Mr. Kerry related to the Senate accusations that he said had been made by veterans testifying before an antiwar group called the Winter Soldier Investigation.

[...]

The conviction of Lt. William Calley for his role in the massacre at My Lai is a reminder that our side did commit some war crimes in Vietnam. But they were, as Mr. Obama suggested, the misdeeds of a few. According to the website wintersoldier.com, which is sympathetic to Mr. O'Neill and the Swift Vets, the allegations raised by the Winter Soldier investigation were examined by the Defense Department and either did not hold up or could not be proved and no one was ever prosecuted for the allegations made by Mr. Kerry's group. Allies of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, sponsor of the antiwar hearings at which veterans testified, dispute critics of the investigation.

...
Lipsky's piece comes weeks after Fox News, which is owned by the same corporate parent as the Journal, also used the Swift Boat campaign's smears to attack Kerry's possible nomination to a Cabinet post.

On November 14, reacting to initial reporting of a possible Kerry nomination as defense secretary, Fox anchor Megyn Kelly cited the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's challenge to "Senator Kerry's record as a war hero." On November 15, Fox's Sean Hannity hosted O'Neill and praised his organization's 2004 ads as "very effective" and "powerful."

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The righties can't seem to make up their minds -

I thought they wanted Kerry to get the job so Scott Brown would have a shot at his Senate seat. Now they don't want him because they claim he's anti-military. Does that mean they like Susan Rice now after all? Or are they just being their usual obstructionist selves?

[Mass]

2. These guys have hated Kerry since the 70s. They have been there at every step of his carrier.

Why do you think they would not have been there today, if he has a shot to be Secretary of anything?

That has nothing to do with Rice or Scott Brown. Both were kids when these guys started hating Kerry?

[karynnj]

7. Not mentioned, but it was Kerry who started the investigation into the right wing Contras,

and their American allies like RW hero Oliver North. It was in response to questions asked by Kerry that North and others committed perjury -- and would have gone to jail if GHWB would not have pardoned them.

The right wing criticism is to be expected - Kerry is an American hero who took on tasks against the right that no one else just aiming for high office would do. What is strange is how many on the left ignore that if they actually looked at things that he did and said he would be their preferred nominee.

[wisteria]

4. Differerent posts. One is Secretary of State, the other is Secretary of Defense.

I think it is the Defense post they are trying to stir up trouble about.

[Mass]

6. Actually, these idiots oppose both

They will have more opportunities to create noise if it is Defense, but they will try whatever it is, if anything.

[wisteria]

3. Same old BS, and once again they trounce out O'Neill to spread the lies.

One thing though, all these misrepresentations and lies have been around for a long time and are refuted with the truth. And, the only people listening are the RWers. You have to consider the sources stirring these things up.

[Mass]

5. Yes, we can always ignore them, as we did in 2004

The point is that these statements come back each time Kerry is rumored for a new position (it came when he was running for Congress, it came when he ran for Senate, it came back in 1996, it came when he ran for president and it comes when he is seriously rumored for a cabinet position).

Yes, it is only RWers, but we just saw how the RWers can be influential with the CRPD. So, I do not know if Kerry will be on the next cabinet, but, given the fact the WSJ and the Daily Beast are reporting on that, better be aware they are there.

[wisteria]

8. No doubt, to be aware. No offence meant.

And, I am not saying do not counter the talking points. What I am getting at is there is noting new here. We have the amunition to refute the lies, but right now, I don't see anybody but Rw's repeating these lies once again. You have to know, that I will be right out there fighting on behalf of Senator Kerry-cabinet post or not.

[mylye2222]

9. Im very very

Last edited Thu Jan 23, 2014, 01:00 PM - Edit history (1)

upset to discover ONCE AGAIN dirty trick against him. When will all thos fascist stop to try to destroy him! And no to speak to comments below every JK's video mockering him on almost every thing, including his shapes! Bloody bastards!

And now Its that minister from Israel who says hes incompetent.....

I SUPPORT YOU JK AND NEVER LISTEN TO THOSES ASSHOLES.


And I'll never stop to say that
that this guy is an inspiration of all of us, of resilience beyond all the sorrows and pains the life can sometimes provide. After having witnessing the horrors of war, beeing persecuted by Nixon and his fashist band, faced loss of dearest friends, saw his first wife divorcing from him, living almost homeless and separated from children, having his WON PRESIDENCY stolen by Bushies, his military record denigrated in the most horrible way..... he's there, standing now proudly as a wonderful SOS, claiming tiresly peace on world and commond ground.....

That's how I would define à statemena.

He should be duplicated and send to France to replace Flanby ( Francois Hollandes's nicknames, witch means that he dosn't does really ahead of this land, especialy on unemployement questions)

And sorry for my gramatical english mistakes. I try to do my best, since I'm not english speaking native