US Media/Fox lies exposed by Media Matters for America re:Swift Boat

[papau]

PR Release-Media Matters for America re:Swift Boat Veterans for Truth lies


To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Naomi Seligman of Media Matters for America, 202-756-4108

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Media Matters for America (MMFA) has exposed today the media's omission and distortion of key facts surrounding the Aug. 5 release of a new ad by anti- Kerry group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The Aug. 4 editions of FOX News Channel's Hannity & Colmes and MSNBC's Scarborough Country both dedicated coverage and free airtime for the ad but failed to point out the ad's misrepresentations.

-- Despite the ad's claim, members of the group did not serve with Senator John Kerry on his swift boat in Vietnam. Not only did the programs ignore that fact, but FOX News Channel hosts Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes went so far as to call them Kerry's "fellow crewmates."

-- The FOX show also ignored the group's Republican ties. John O'Neill, the group's founder, was first courted by the Nixon administration to counter Vietnam protesters. The group is represented by public relations consultant and Texas Republican operative Merrie Spaeth.

-- Both shows failed to note that group member Dr. Louis Letson, who is featured in the ad, was not the medical official who signed Kerry's medical records documenting his treatment.

"To dedicate free airtime to a distorted and misleading political ad, while failing to offer the proper context and truth about the ad, is an outright disservice to those who seek honesty and accuracy from our media," said David Brock, President and CEO of Media Matters for America.

MMFA also posted on August 5 an item detailing FOX News Channel host and radio host Bill O'Reilly's claim that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have "not been featured in a national way" and are "off the radar," despite the fact that four cable news networks, two broadcast networks, and numerous national print outlets have reported extensively on the group.

On July 29, MMFA debunked the discredited charge by Internet gossip Matt Drudge that Senator John Kerry filmed reenacted combat scenes for his future political career. Drudge cited a book by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth founder John O'Neill to make the charge.

On June 5, MMFA documented the reporting of various news outlets that exposed the inconsistencies of the anti-Kerry group's statements. FOX News Channel chief political correspondent Carl Cameron reported on May 4 that Kerry critics and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth members Lt. Commander Grant Hibbard and Lt. Commander George Elliott previously spoke favorably of Kerry's service. FOX News Channel's Hannity & Colmes co-host Alan Colmes raised these inconsistencies with Swift Boat Vets leader O'Neill and noted that O'Neill did not serve in Vietnam with Kerry.

On June 2, MMFA also documented Colmes's confrontation of the group's chairperson, Rear Admiral Roy Hoffmann. Colmes challenged the notion that the group was a nonpartisan effort, revealing that the group's spokesperson, Merrie Spaeth, is "a Republican operative." Colmes also reported the assertion by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Hoffman "had no firsthand knowledge to discredit Kerry's claims to valor and said that although Kerry was under his command he really didn't know Kerry much personally."

On May 6, MMFA reported the New York Post's omission of a critical fact regarding the statements of Swift Boat Veteran for Truth member Dr. Louis Letson, who claims to have treated Kerry in Vietnam. The Post failed to note that, as The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times reported, according to the Kerry campaign, Letson was not the medical official who signed Kerry's medical records for his treatment.

And on May 4, MMFA documented the partisan ties of Swift Boat Vets leader John O'Neill, who first emerged as a Nixon administration ally in countering the efforts of Vietnam protesters.

More analyses of conservative misinformation can be found at Media Matters for America's Web site: http://www.mediamatters.org .

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Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media. Media Matters for America is the first organization to systematically monitor the media for conservative misinformation -- every day, in real time -- in 2004 and beyond. For more information, log on to http://www.mediamatters.org .


http://www.usnewswire.com /

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[sam sarrha]

1. i read this morning that Kerrys comanding officer that sided with O'neils

lackies... admitted that he never personally knew of or heard before about any of the Swift Boaters for Truth.. info first hand, he just agreed it was true because so many SBT'rs said it was true.. never heard before that Kerry shot a teenager in the back for his silver metal.. etc etc...

he concluded that 'if it wasnt true it was the biggest conspiracy he ever heard of...' ,.... or maybe that he was personally PART of..:tinfoilhat:

[papau]

2. Getting old can take down the best of folks - I cut him slack and Welcome

him back to the Kerry Team!

:party:

:toast:

:-)