Swift Boat Smear Backfiring Among Vets

[mbali]

WOUNDS OPENED ANEW AS VIETNAM RESURFACES
New York Times
August 26, 2004

. . .

"We didn't see any rich boys out there, not any at all, and if they were they had cushy jobs," said Ambrose D'Arpino, a 57-year-old former Air Force medic from Arizona who said Mr. Bush should not be criticizing Mr. Kerry because the president did not serve in Vietnam. Mr. D'Arpino was touring the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, which has carved on it the names of the 58,245 Americans who died in the war. The Swift boat advertisements have infuriated Mr. D'Arpino, who said the candidates should focus on the issues of the day. It is a sentiment expressed by many veterans.
. . .

It is unclear how the advertisements will affect the vote of the nation's 26.5 million veterans . . . None of the veterans interviewed said the challenge by the anti-Kerry group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, had changed their minds on the election. But a handful said the attacks were making them rethink support for Mr. Bush.

"I'm a Republican - I voted for Bush last time - but I may go to Kerry this year," said Ron Ostrander, who served in the Army from 1966 to 1969 and lives in Vancouver, Wash. "To me, it's irrelevant whether Kerry's boat went into international waters or not, or how he got his medals. The fact that he served and did his duty - don't try to take that away from him."

Ralph Bozella, a 55-year-old veteran who lives in Longmont, Colo., said the more he followed the Swift boat controversy, the more he drifted into Mr. Kerry's camp. "I feel like what they did to attack his record is an affront to all veterans," said Mr. Bozella, who was an infantry soldier in Vietnam in 1971. "When you honor one veteran, you honor all veterans, so when you disgrace one veteran, you disgrace all veterans, especially a Vietnam veteran."

A Navy veteran and Republican who voted for Mr. Bush in 2000, Mike Weiss of Portland, Me., said Mr. Bush should denounce the attack advertisements. "It's very sad for me," said Mr. Weiss. "I'm not surprised, but I think Bush is playing a dangerous game, and I think he's turning a lot of people off, myself included."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/26/politics/campaign/26voices.html?pagewanted=print&position=

[JLFinch]

1. Stop John O'Neill and force accountability upon him - this is how...

John E. O'Neill
CLEMENTS O'NEILL PIERCE WILSON ET AL
1000 LOUISIANA ST STE 1800
HOUSTON, TX, 77002
phone [phone]

Bar Card Number: 1529750

John E. O'Neill, author of Unfit for Command, is an attorney licensed and practicing in Texas. Rumor has it he thinks he will be appointed a federal judge...let's not let that happen.

According to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct:

Rule 8.02 Judicial and Legal Officials (a) A lawyer shall not make a statement that the lawyer knows to be false or with reckless disregard as to its truth or falsity concerning the *qualifications or integrity* of a judge, adjudicatory official or public legal officer, or of a *candidate for election* or appointment to judicial or legal office.

Rule 8.04 Misconduct (a) A lawyer shall not: (3) engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation;

The State Bar can sanction him, suspend his license or even DISBAR him.

PLEASE WRITE, FAX, FED EX THE TEXAS STATE BAR TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THESE VIOLATIONS - including specific examples would be best:

P.O. Box 12487
Austin, Texas 78711

1414 Colorado St.
Austin, TX 78701

Fax: [phone]

Telephone Numbers --- but writing is better

Toll Free: [phone]
Local: [phone]


FEEL FREE TO POST THIS EVERYWHERE AND E-MAIL IT EVERWHERE

[merh]

7. What a great idea - would you like me to begin a thread with

this information for you so that we can provide it to all DUer's?
A bar complaint because of his ethical violations - that is the way to go.

Sorry, forgot to WELCOME YOU TO DU :hi:

I have started a thread with this, thanks for the info!

[Eurobabe]

2. yep, my uncle is pretty conservative

he was in DaNang in 68-70. He voted for Bu$h in 2000 (grumble-grumble) but he thinks this not-so-swift boat dredging stuff is counterproductive and stupid; he is NOT voting for Bu$h this time, going Kerry.

He lives in a swing state that is REALLY important (hint-hint)and wants to know about the future not the past.

[volosong]

3. Smear Boat Has Done Real Damage To Kerry

And that is precisely what Bush intended. They panicked when after the Democratic Convention Kerry seemed to be "rolling," so they are smearing him to death.

It's very effective and will likely work.

Bush stole Election 2000 and he's smearing his way in 2004.

[Blue_Roses]

4. What it WILL do

is backfire on Bush. The public is on to Rove's smear tactics.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. The damage is temporary and will be nothing compared to

the backlash headed Bush's way. Mark my words.

[lancdem]

6. I agree Kerry has been hurt

but this is far from over, and the likelihood of a backlash is very real.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

11. volosong, I'll bet you $100 Kerry is sworn in as President on January 20.

Since you are so sure we are doomed, why don't you put your money where your mouth is?

[nagbacalan]

8. Maybe among those with a triple digit IQ, but never be complacent about

the damage these ads can do among the unwashed masses with their propensity to blind obedience (loyalty) versus any notion of dissent.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

9. 100 is average

so I guess that means we are in good shape.

[mzmolly]

10. I think this could end up backfiring, we'll know in a couple weeks.

:hi: