Digby's Hullabaloo Posts

Compelled To Speak Out

As with Mr. Rood yesterday, via Susie, I see we have another eyewitness coming forward and disputing the swift boat lies.

Dear Editor,

This letter is in response to the new attacks on John Kerry’s war record by a group calling itself the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” As for most veterans of any war and as people who know me will testify, it is not easy for me to talk about my experiences in Vietnam. However, because of these new ads and, I understand, a new book recently published by an old Charles Colson “Enemies List” hit man, I feel compelled to speak out. Unfortunately, the veterans featured in these attacks are being used by extreme right wing Bush supporters to spread their lies and malign John Kerry.

I feel that most of these veterans who are joining this attack are against Kerry for what he did after he was home from the war than for what he did in the war. If they are against him for his stance against the Vietnam War, that certainly is their right, but to spread lies and malicious innuendos about his time on the rivers of Vietnam is not morally right and does a disservice not only to Kerry, but to all those who served and were wounded or died in that war. The people who are using these veterans for their own means obviously do not care about that. They did the same thing to Senator John McCain and Congressman Max Cleland in 2000 with no remorse or care for the consequences.

To me what is worse is that by their silence, the current administration has not, with any real meaning, disavowed itself or distanced itself in anyway from any of these scurrilous attacks, past or present. I feel that this truly shows the Bush administration for what they really are and ultimately, who is truly responsible for these attacks.

Since I happened to be along on one of the “excursions” where the boats that we were on were attacked and after which Lt. Kerry was cited for valor, I thought it appropriate to give my recollection of that event. This happened on March 13, 1969. I was assigned as Psychological Operation Officer for the Swift Boat group out of An Thoi, Vietnam, from January 1969 to October 1969. As such, I was on No. 43 boat, skippered by Don Droz who was later that year killed by enemy fire. We were second in line while exiting the river and going through the opening in a fish trap when a mine blew up under the No. 3 boat directly in front of us and we started taking small arms fire from the beach. Almost immediately, another mine went off somewhere behind us. All boats, except the one hit, immediately wheeled toward the beach that most of the fire came from (a tactic devised by Lt. Kerry, I later learned) and commenced showering the beaches with so much lead, that it could probably be now mined there. The noise was of course, deafening.

Three things that are forever pictured in my mind since that day over 30 years ago are: (1) The No. 3, 50-foot long, Swift boat getting huge, huge air; John Kerry thought it was about two feet. (He was farther away from it than I). I think it was at least four feet and probably closer to six feet; (2) All the boats turning left and letting loose at the same time like a deadly, choreographed dance and; (3) A few minutes later, John Kerry bending over his boat picking up one of the rangers that we were ferrying from out of the water. All the time we were taking small arms fire from the beach; although because of our fusillade into the jungle, I don’t think it was very accurate, thank God. Anyone who doesn’t think that we were being fired upon must have been on a different river.

The picture I have in my mind of Kerry bending over from his boat picking some hapless guy out of the river while all hell was breaking loose around us, is a picture based on fact and it cannot be disputed or changed. It’s a piece of history drawn in my mind that cannot be redrawn. Sorry, “Swift Boats Veterans for the Truth”- that is the truth.

To say that John Kerry or any of us were on that river to intentionally collect Purple Hearts really does every soldier and sailor, past and present, a disservice. We were going up those rivers (with an ongoing casualty rate of 86 percent at the time) on the orders of the same people who approved of Kerry’s medals and who are now joining in the attacks against Kerry. Unbelievable.

I would hope that the American public sees these evil extreme right wing attacks for what they really are and also pray that the veterans being used by these unpatriotic right wing extremist political operatives will divorce themselves immediately from them and speak to the real issues as to why they oppose John Kerry. I just don’t understand how anyone can align themselves with those who intentionally and gleefully painted a decorated triple amputee (Max Cleland) from Vietnam as unpatriotic. I think that this is the most disastrous, un-American thing that can be done to our servicemen and women, especially now with another unending war going on. Your ends cannot possibly justify these means. Come on!

Jim Russell

Vietnam veteran,

USN (1966-71)

I forwarded this to the usual suspects in the media and Michael Dodd at the Washington Post.

The thing about this testimony, and that of Rood yesterday, is that these people were on the scene. One of the most underreported aspect of this whole slime has been that the only “eye witnesses” have been discredited by their own past statements and every piece of the record. All the other testimony is “I believe my buddies” hearsay.

Shifting the Debate

Blitzer led with the Cordier resignation (whom he calls an “advisor”) this morning on Late Edition which means that the controversy seems to have shifted a bit to Bush’s dirty tricks and the FEC complaint and away from Kerry’s alleged Machiavellian ability to get the Navy to corrupt itself at every level. Russert was all over the dirty campaigning angle this morning.

If Kerry can get the debate on to that turf he will have accomplished what he needed to do. So far today, it’s working. I’m not seeing the POW ad and I’m hearing an awful lot about rich Texas donors and McCain in 2000 and patterns of deceit.

One day at a time.

Friendly Reminder on a Saturday Night (thank you too, Julia)

This is why the Swift Boat Liars have been mobilized:

Bush on Bush

“I’m saying to myself, ‘What do I want to do?’ I think I don’t want to be an infantry guy as a private in Vietnam. What I do decide to want to do is learn to fly.”

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 1989

“I was not prepared to shoot my eardrum out with a shotgun in order to get a deferment. Nor was I willing to go to Canada. So I chose to better myself by learning how to fly airplanes.”

Dallas Morning News, Feb. 25, 1990

“I don’t want to play like I was somebody out there marching when I wasn’t. It was either Canada or the service. … Somebody said the Guard was looking for pilots. All I know is, there weren’t that many people trying to be pilots.”

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Nov. 29, 1998

The Few, the Proud, the Chickenhawk

Who Us?

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) – A Vietnam veteran who worked with President Bush (news – web sites)’s campaign has left over his appearance in a commercial by a group challenging Democratic candidate John Kerry (news – web sites)’s war record, a campaign spokesman said on Saturday.

Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said Ken Cordier was a Bush supporter during the 2000 election and served as a member of his a steering committee to help reach out to veterans during this election.

“Col. Cordier did not inform the campaign of his involvement in the advertisement being run by (Swift Boat Veterans for Truth),” Schmidt said. “Because of his involvement with this 527 (group), Col. Cordier will no longer participate” in the steering committee.

The disclosure of Cordier’s involvement came one day after White House spokesman Scott McClellan and Bush campaign chairman Marc Racicot denied the campaign coordinated with the group on the ads, which claim that Kerry lied about his Vietnam War service.

Kerry has called the ads inaccurate and accused the group of being a front for the Bush campaign. On Friday the Kerry campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (news – web sites) seeking to force the ads’ withdrawal.

New advertisements by the group are set to debut next week in states where Kerry has touted his military service. Kerry won several medals and his record is often contrasted with Bush’s service in the Texas Air National Guard during the war.

McClellan has refused to specifically condemn the ads and instead has urged Kerry to join Bush in calling for an end to all commercials funded by unrestricted donations.

U.S. advocacy groups can collect vast sums of money to run their own political advertisements but are barred from coordinating their activities with campaigns or political parties.

“There seems to be an increasing amount of evidence that the Bush campaign is behind this,” Kerry campaign spokesman Phil Singer said. “So it’s no surprise that the president refuses to condemn these scurrilous ads.”

No kidding.

Update:

I like CNN’s headline better:

Bush adviser quits after appearing in swift boat ad

Kerry has accused group of illegally working with campaign

Saturday, August 21, 2004 Posted: 11:43 PM EDT (0343 GMT)

ROANOKE, Virginia (CNN) — A volunteer adviser has quit President Bush’s re-election campaign after appearing in a veterans group’s television commercial blasting Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry’s involvement in the Vietnam-era antiwar movement.

A Bush campaign statement said it did not know that retired Air Force Col. Ken Cordier had appeared in an ad by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The Kerry campaign has accused the group of illegally working with the Bush campaign.

Shhhhh

The RNC lawyers seem to have forgotten to tell their local patriots to ixnay on the wift-boat-say on their official sites,too:

Patriotboy has a screenshot of the Collier County Republican Central Committee soliciting funds for the Swift Boat Liars.

Uh, and it’s still on their web site right now at 3:45 PDT on August 21, 2004. Check it out.

The last google cache they have is for August 10th, but they were featuring the book “Unfit For Command” and the Swift Boat ad ready for viewing right up front then, too.

Twisted

In the post below, I highlighted something that I haven’t seen anyone comment upon. This ex-POW, Kenneth Cordier, a man who has held other POW’s to account for accepting early release from the North Vietnamese as traitors, is the subject of a letter to the editor in the Dallas Morning News as follows:

“Last month, a lone bagpiper marched to the tune of “Amazing Grace” as silence fell over the distinguished guests, choir, color guard and the veterans and families who came to dedicate the Irving Veteran’s Memorial Park honoring those who gave “the last full measure of devotion” to their nation.

Unfortunately, one of the invested [sic] guests, retired Air Force Col. Ken Cordier, a decorated former Vietnam POW and experienced speaker, chose to politicize this solemn event. In an attempt at levity, he defended the pulling of ladies’ panties over the faces of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. interrogators at Abu Ghraib as preferable to beheading. His inappropriate, Limbaughistic comments detracted from the reverence and purpose of this event.

Richard A. Widener, Irving”

[THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/13/04]

Of all the people to make mock of the depravity visited upon those prisoners at Abu Ghraib, a former POW is the last one I’d expect to see doing it. I wonder if he will find it so amusing when our guys are imprisoned and sexually humiliated in the future. I suppose he will counsel the prisoners and their families to comfort themselves with the fact that “at least it wasn’t a beheading.”

30 year old bitterness and rage is a very ugly thing and I think we are seeing how it can warp some people into a twisted version of their former selves. In some ways these guys are to be pitied. That war messed them up so badly they apparently lost their humanity.

Update 8/21:

The cache has now updated to today. Here’s a link to the screen capture of the August 19 page. Thousands of others have archived it as well. In fact, I’m reliably told that Olberman showed it on his show this evening. As Cokie Roberts memorably said “It’s out there.”

Nothing To See Here

I wonder if its appropriate for Ken Cordier, a member of the Veterans For Bush-Cheney ’04 steering committee to appear in the new “unaffiliated” “independent” 527 Swift Boat Liars For Bush ad?

Of course you will only see his name if you google the cached version (linked above) of the page on the Bush-Cheney web site. Oddly, the current page doesn’t list his name.

Now I’m certain this fine gentleman who has chosen to sell out his good name and reputation by joining a filthy smear operaton like Scumbag Liars For Bush would never coordinate with the campaign just because he also served as one of the Vice-Chairs Of Veterans For Bush-Cheney National Coalition in the 2000 camapign (pdf) and then was named to Bush’s VA-POW advisory committee.

But some might think it doesn’t look quite kosher. In fact, some might think it looks downright illegal.

Update:

The campaign is already on to this and has sent out the following press release. What they didn’t have, however, was this Google cache which shows that Cordier was listed as a member of the Bush-Cheney campaign until August 19th. (And, by the way, in case it’s escaped anyone’s notice, Mr Cordier has a Frenchman in the woodpile.)

Public records reveal that two of the people in the new “Swift Boat Veterans for Bush” television ad are Republican activists, as the fact sheet below shows. This is just more proof that Bush’s Republican allies are the ones behind this disgraceful smear of John Kerry’s military record. It’s pretty clear what’s going on here. It’s no wonder the Bush campaign refuses to condemn this smear.

KENNETH CORDIER

PARTISAN: Another Texas Republican Donor

CORDIER, KENNETH

DALLAS,TX 75208

US AIR FORCE/RETIRED COLONEL

3/2/2001

$1,000

Republican Party of Dallas County

CORDIER, KENNETHW MR

DALLAS,TX 75225

SELF EMPLOYED

2/27/2002

$238

RNC/Repub National State Elections Cmte

CORDIER, KENT

DALLAS,TX 75206

RETIRED

6/30/2000

$1,000

Hutchison, Kay Bailey

2001-06-05

REPUBLICAN PARTY OF TEXAS

CORDIER, KEN

1

$100

[followthemoney.org]

PARTISAN: “Despised” LBJ

“The procession ended just before the 1968 presidential election when the United States stopped its bombing campaign. ‘I remember that was the worst day of my life’ because the POWs’ treatment worsened and they felt forgotten by their government, Col. Cordier said. He “despised” Lyndon Johnson for his war policies.” [Dallas Morning News, 11/10/03]

PARTISAN: Bush Administration Ties

He is a member of a Bush administration advisory panel on veterans’ issues.

[“VA Announces Membership of POW Advisory Committee,” PR Newswire, 4/17/02;

PARTISAN: Open About His Conservative Political Views

“Col. Cordier (pronounced core-dee-AY) still wears his conservatism on his sleeve and doesn’t hold back in his appraisals of more liberal approaches “[Dallas Morning News, 11/10/03]

JUDGEMENT: Defending Abu Gharib Abuses?

” Inappropriate remarks: Last month, a lone bagpiper marched to the tune of “Amazing Grace” as silence fell over the distinguished guests, choir, color guard and the veterans and families who came to dedicate the Irving Veteran’s Memorial Park honoring those who gave “the last full measure of devotion” to their nation. Unfortunately, one of the invested guests, retired Air Force Col. Ken Cordier, a decorated former Vietnam POW and experienced speaker, chose to politicize this solemn event. In an attempt at levity, he defended the pulling of ladies’ panties over the faces of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. interrogators at Abu Ghraib as preferable to beheading. His inappropriate, Limbaughistic comments detracted from the reverence and purpose of this event. Richard A. Widener, Irving” [THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/13/04]

JUDGEMENT: Said Fellow POW Was “A Traitor”

Talking about POWs who were released early: “According to Cordier, Low ‘is a traitor to the other prisoners of war” for accepting premature release on July 18, 1968.’” [Air Force Times, 11/3/03]

INCONSISTENCY: Doesn’t Remember Kerry Being Invoked In Vietnam

“Cordier, now living in Texas, doesn’t recall Kerry’s name specifically being used in interrogations, propaganda broadcasts by Hanoi Hannah (Radio Vietnam) or during “attitude checks” — political indoctrination sessions — since Kerry was then not a household name. But he said he does remember the North Vietnamese using the so-called Winter Soldier investigations and photographs of war veterans, both real and imposters, throwing military medals over the White House fence.” [UPI, 8/3/04]

PARTISAN: Questioned Normalization Under Clinton And Wished Bush Would Win

“Said he questioned the president’s motives and the appropriateness of the visit at this time. He predicts that the next administration, which he presumes will be headed by Texas Gov. George W. Bush, will engage more in “carrot and stick diplomacy” with the Vietnamese government, offering “generous rewards” for concessions” [Dallas Morning News, 11/19/00]

PAUL GALANTI

JUDGEMENT: Wanted To Ban Draft Dodgers From Public Colleges

“A House of Delegates committee yesterday killed a bill sponsored by Del. Warren E. Barry (R-Fairfax) that would have directed Virginia’s state colleges not to admit any young man who failed to register for the draft. Barry appeared before the Education Committee along with a former Navy flier, Paul Galanti of Richmond, who had spent seven years as a North Vietnamese prisoner of war, but the panel nonetheless killed his idea for the second year in a row, this time by a vote of 12 to 8.” [Washington Post, 2/5/83]

JUDGEMENT: Called Conservative Christians “Sheep”

“They probably called their little followers. They vote on that one issue. They call them sheep. That’s exactly what they are.” -Paul Galanti, McCain’s Virginia campaign co-chairman, on the backlash by Virginia’s conservative Christian voters after McCain’s attacks Monday on the Rev. Jerry Falwell and Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson. AP, 2/29/00

JUDGEMENT: Insulting Disabled Vets?

“Life has a way of throwing curve balls and John [Hager] got beaned by one when he acquired polio as an adult and lost the use of his legs. He would have been forgiven for tossing in the towel, drifting over to the VA hospital and spending the rest of his life feeling sorry for himself.” [Richmond Times Dispatch, 6/2/01]

JUDGEMENT: On Critics Of The Vietnam War: “Communist Sympathizers”

“It caused me to question anything I hear from Communists or their many sympathizers or copycats or dupes in America who tended then – and still tend – to distort the truth for their personal gain, or even (gasp) to lie if that will achieve the desired end.” [Richmond Times Dispatch, 6/17/01]

PARTISAN: Carter-Basher

“I had a great final three years in the Navy despite the devastation Carter’s policies had wrought on the military. My last Navy year was under one of the finest-ever Commanders-in-Chief, who led the country out of Jimmy Carter’s unlamented and self-caused “malaise.”” [Richmond Times Dispatch, 6/17/01]

TBOGG

It just doesn’t get any better than this:

Well it was a meeting of the minds (loosely speaking) on Rush today when the drug-addled, tripled divorced, didn’t-go-to-Vietnam-because-of-a-pimple-on-his-fat-ass Rush Limbaugh had Michelle “If I wanted to be publicly humiliated I would have signed on for a bukkake video instead of going on Hardball” Malkin on.

Jesus, I’m cryin’ here.

Where Do They Come Up With This Stuff?

After Malkin’s little meltdown on Hardball last night, we all ought to forward old Chris this exchange from August 13th.

Q On behalf of Vietnam veterans — and I served six tours over there — we do support the President. I only have one concern, and that’s on the Purple Heart, and that is, is that there are over 200,000 Vietnam vets that died from Agent Orange and were never — no Purple Heart has ever been awarded to a Vietnam veteran because of Agent Orange because it’s never been changed in the regulations. Yet, we’ve got a candidate for President out here with two self-inflicted scratches, and I take that as an insult. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you for your service. Six tours? Whew. That’s a lot of tours. Let’s see, who’ve we got here? You got a question?

If Chris wonders where the smear about self inflicted wounds is coming from he should probably ask the people who pre-screen the questions at the GOP only “Ask Bush” events. Obviously, they will have the names.

Funny, the president doesn’t seem too concerned about this toxic swill being bandied about in his presence. In fact, he says “he appreciates it.”

Another One Down (and one more)

Via Pacific Views:

A Clackamas County prosecutor and decorated Vietnam veteran who appears in an ad attacking Democratic presidential contender John F. Kerry’s war record said he did not witness the events in question and is relying on the accounts of his friends who served with the senator.

The 60-second ad, which aired for seven days this month in Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin, features 13 Vietnam veterans, including Alfred French, 58, a senior deputy district attorney in Clackamas County.

In the ad, French says: “I served with John Kerry. . . . He is lying about his record.”

[…]

French, in an interview Thursday, said Kerry lied about the circumstances that led to one of his Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. Kerry received a Bronze Star, a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts commanding a Swift boat in Vietnam.

French said he is relying on the accounts of three other veterans who were friends of his at the time. A fourth veteran with whom French was acquainted corroborated their accounts.

“I was not a witness to these events but my friends were,” said French, who was awarded two Bronze Stars during the war. “I believe these people. These are people I served with.”

One of the men is Larry Thurlow, a leader of the veterans group and one of Kerry’s most vocal critics. Thurlow, who served alongside Kerry, has disputed Kerry’s claim that the senator’s boat was under fire in March 1969 when he pulled Lt. Jim Rassmann out of the water.

But according to Thurlow’s military records, obtained this week by The Washington Post, the five-boat flotilla was under enemy fire that day.

French — relying on friends’ accounts — said Rassmann would have been picked up by another boat if Kerry had not helped. And French said any shots that were fired came from U.S. soldiers providing cover as Rassmann and two others were rescued.

“It’s not like he wouldn’t have been saved if Kerry had not been there,” French said. “I don’t believe they were under any fire when that happened. None of the other boats were damaged.”

He said Rassmann’s rescue did not merit a special honor.

“Somebody fell off your boat and you go back and pick him up,” French said. “It’s not worthy of a Bronze Star in my opinion.”

Rassmann, who lives in Florence and is campaigning for Kerry, said the ad is motivated in part by some veterans’ anger over Kerry’s antiwar stance upon returning home — a charge French acknowledges. Rassmann said the group’s claims are completely false.

“To come back 35 years later and conjure up fabricated stories is the lowest form of politics,” said Rassmann, who said he does not know French.

“I honor these guys for their service,” Rassmann said. “I know they were very courageous, along with John Kerry, and it saddens me that they are all at one another’s throats.”

French, a registered Republican, said he was reluctant at first to take part in the ad but ultimately “decided it was something I needed to do.”

French said his one-year tour of duty in Vietnam overlapped Kerry’s by two months. He said they served together in the same unit in January and February 1969. He said he did not know Kerry well during that time.

This scumbag not only lied about “serving” with John Kerry, he wasn’t even anywhere around and is just repeating his friends lies.

And, I’m hoping that somebody is working hard to verify where that asshole William Schachte really was on the day he claimed he was on Kerry’s skimmer and nobody on the boat remembers him being there. It’s probable that we’ll later find out that he was actually on R&R in Bangkok on that day but he later heard from a friend of a friend who channeled a Vietnamese fisherman that Kerry cynically launched a grenade in his skivvies so he could run for president in 30 years.

This has now entered the realm of the absurd. These guys have thrown themselves into the sewer for that petulant little cheerleader. Jesus.