A smear campaign against John McCain is underway...

[The Night Owl]

McCain is target of 'dirty tricks campaign'

By Alex Spillius in Columbia, South Carolina
Last Updated: 2:27am GMT 17/01/2008

John McCain, the Republican presidential hopeful, has been accused of betraying fellow prisoners of war in Vietnam in what his aides say is a dirty tricks campaign.

A leaflet circulating in South Carolina, where the next Republican primary contest takes place on Saturday, raised the spectre of the "Swift Boat" campaign that helped to defeat John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election by questioning his courage in Vietnam.

It also served as a reminder of the vicious campaign Mr McCain faced in the same southern state before George W Bush defeated him in the 2000 primary, when shadowy groups claimed he had fathered an illegitimate black child and slandered his daughter.

...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/17/wuspols117.xml

I hope that these clowns who are trying to smear John McCain get sued.

[Wretched Excess]

I live in SC, and not only will it not work here, it will backfire. 

[The Night Owl]

I live in SC, and not only will it not work here, it will backfire. 

Apparently, you are correct. The last time I checked the polls, I saw that Mr. McCain is leading in SC. Good for him.

[Chris_]

I live in SC, and not only will it not work here, it will backfire. 

The writer doesn't understand what happened with the Swift Boats.  They told THE TRUTH and Kerry could have very easily proven them wrong if that wasn't the case.

This is just dirty slander/libel since everything about McCain's ordeal as a POW is quite well known and documented.  I will never forgive him for the McCain/Feingold Remove American Liberty act, but I have great respect for what he did for this country when young.

[DaSaintFan]

I'm just wondering if there's some screw up in the story saying "swift boats"  (SBVT) when he appears to be with Vietnam Veterans against John Kerry.

Story says it's the SBVT group that sent it out.. and I can't see that being the case.

[Wretched Excess]

I live in SC, and not only will it not work here, it will backfire. 

The writer doesn't understand what happened with the Swift Boats.  They told THE TRUTH and Kerry could have very easily proven them wrong if that wasn't the case.

This is just dirty slander/libel since everything about McCain's ordeal as a POW is quite well known and documented.  I will never forgive him for the McCain/Feingold Remove American Liberty act, but I have great respect for what he did for this country when young.

he isn't my favorite candidate, and certainly not my favorite republican, either.  but the "POW rat" angle is beneath despicable.  if they play that up, and it hits the MSM, it will get him votes in SC.  mark my words.

[Chris_]

I'm just wondering if there's some screw up in the story saying "swift boats"  (SBVT) when he appears to be with Vietnam Veterans against John Kerry.

Story says it's the SBVT group that sent it out.. and I can't see that being the case.

I think you mis-read it:

raised the spectre of the "Swift Boat" campaign

The Liberal use "Swift Boating" every time someone tries to smear someone else.  They think if they repeat the meme enough times, people will retroactively think the SBVT weren't telling the truth.

[Lord Undies]

I'm just wondering if there's some screw up in the story saying "swift boats"  (SBVT) when he appears to be with Vietnam Veterans against John Kerry.

Story says it's the SBVT group that sent it out.. and I can't see that being the case.

I think you mis-read it:

raised the spectre of the "Swift Boat" campaign

The Liberal use "Swift Boating" every time someone tries to smear someone else.  They think if they repeat the meme enough times, people will retroactively think the SBVT weren't telling the truth.

Still, it is dishonest to link the Swiftboat Vets to anything like this.  It doesn't "raise the spectre" at all.  If it does, then McCain is getting what he deserves, just like Kerry did.   

[Chris_]

I'm just wondering if there's some screw up in the story saying "swift boats"  (SBVT) when he appears to be with Vietnam Veterans against John Kerry.

Story says it's the SBVT group that sent it out.. and I can't see that being the case.

I think you mis-read it:

raised the spectre of the "Swift Boat" campaign

The Liberal use "Swift Boating" every time someone tries to smear someone else.  They think if they repeat the meme enough times, people will retroactively think the SBVT weren't telling the truth.

Still, it is dishonest to link the Swiftboat Vets to anything like this.  It doesn't "raise the spectre" at all.  If it does, then McCain is getting what he deserves, just like Kerry did.   

I totally agree.  Like I said, this is 2 smears in one.  The MSM gets to both pretend to be shocked and tsk tsk about this while suggesting that the Swift Boaters were anything less that truthful.

[DaSaintFan]

whoops.. i did misread part of it (but not the part that i was referring to:)

Supporters of the Republican frontrunner issued a strong rebuttal of the leaflet, which was distributed by a group calling itself Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain but was also stamped "Swift Boat Vets for Truth" with a PO Box address in North Carolina.

So .. dishonesty on the part  of Kiley?  Or partial agreement by the SBVT?

I'm leaning toward the first, but haven't heard anything from the SBVT group to confirm/deny.

[Chris_]

whoops.. i did misread part of it (but not the part that i was referring to:)

Supporters of the Republican frontrunner issued a strong rebuttal of the leaflet, which was distributed by a group calling itself Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain but was also stamped "Swift Boat Vets for Truth" with a PO Box address in North Carolina.

So .. dishonesty on the part  of Kiley?  Or partial agreement by the SBVT?

I'm leaning toward the first, but haven't heard anything from the SBVT group to confirm/deny.

It is clearly a smear on the Swift Boaters.

[Crazy Horse]

whoops.. i did misread part of it (but not the part that i was referring to:)

Supporters of the Republican frontrunner issued a strong rebuttal of the leaflet, which was distributed by a group calling itself Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain but was also stamped "Swift Boat Vets for Truth" with a PO Box address in North Carolina.

So .. dishonesty on the part  of Kiley?  Or partial agreement by the SBVT?

I'm leaning toward the first, but haven't heard anything from the SBVT group to confirm/deny.

It is clearly a smear on the Swift Boaters.

Kiley's partner is from NC, and this is clearly a smear of the SBVT

[DaSaintFan]

Kiley's partner is from NC, and this is clearly a smear of the SBVT

If that's the case, then I'm gonna say "yep, its a double smear job".

[Lauri]

i heard some interesting things about McCain today. he is not my favorite candidate either, but he has never, in his entire career taken earmarks or voted to raise taxes.

that impresses me... and i dont know a lot about vietnam, but he seems like an unimpeachable source in that arena. im going to cut the guy a lot of slack for having any opinion he wants on it. he took bayonettes to his private area... unless he's lied about any of it.. then i would hope people leave his service alone.

[Lord Undies]

i heard some interesting things about McCain today. he is not my favorite candidate either, but he has never, in his entire career taken earmarks or voted to raise taxes.

that impresses me... and i dont know a lot about vietnam, but he seems like an unimpeachable source in that arena. im going to cut the guy a lot of slack for having any opinion he wants on it. he took bayonettes to his private area... unless he's lied about any of it.. then i would hope people leave his service alone.

http://votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270

Votesmart.org has a lot of information going back to 1996.  One has to wonder why the Paultards weren't giving McCain lap dances before they discovered Ron Paul. 

[Lauri]

i heard some interesting things about McCain today. he is not my favorite candidate either, but he has never, in his entire career taken earmarks or voted to raise taxes.

that impresses me... and i dont know a lot about vietnam, but he seems like an unimpeachable source in that arena. im going to cut the guy a lot of slack for having any opinion he wants on it. he took bayonettes to his private area... unless he's lied about any of it.. then i would hope people leave his service alone.

http://votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270

Votesmart.org has a lot of information going back to 1996.  One has to wonder why the Paultards weren't giving McCain lap dances before they discovered Ron Paul. 

good point... McCain apparently was so pissed after 2000 that he lost to GW he almost switched to independant. thats why he's called a RINO often enough.. he was always going against Bush and crossing the aisle to vote with Dems on certain things...

he's kind of a kook.. but he's our kook..

[NHSparky]

I hope that these clowns who are trying to smear John McCain get sued.

Hmmmm...wonder who's doing this one--Romney or Huckabee?

[Lauri]

I hope that these clowns who are trying to smear John McCain get sued.

Hmmmm...wonder who's doing this one--Romney or Huckabee?

hmm .. who benefits most by McCain dropping out?

[NHSparky]

Overall?  Probably Romney.  Plus this is about his speed.

[Lauri]

Overall?  Probably Romney.  Plus this is about his speed.

i have a leftie brother in law who is in Mass... I will ask him what he thinks .. he does like McCain, cant stand Romney

[NHSparky]

It's very telling that he couldn't even win in NH...land of ex-pat Massholes.

Thank God most of them don't get up this far.

[Jack Pott]

McCain is target of 'dirty tricks campaign'

By Alex Spillius in Columbia, South Carolina
Last Updated: 2:27am GMT 17/01/2008

John McCain, the Republican presidential hopeful, has been accused of betraying fellow prisoners of war in Vietnam in what his aides say is a dirty tricks campaign.

A leaflet circulating in South Carolina, where the next Republican primary contest takes place on Saturday, raised the spectre of the "Swift Boat" campaign that helped to defeat John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election by questioning his courage in Vietnam.

It also served as a reminder of the vicious campaign Mr McCain faced in the same southern state before George W Bush defeated him in the 2000 primary, when shadowy groups claimed he had fathered an illegitimate black child and slandered his daughter.

...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/17/wuspols117.xml

I hope that these clowns who are trying to smear John McCain get sued.

I can't believe those Swifties are trying to smear McCain again. It doesn't really matter whether you support McCain or not. What those SBVT do is pathetic. The article said the group is called "Veterans Against John McCain". Well, according to the article, the allegations against McCain came from one veteran. One vet isn't exactly a group...

We all remember the kind of trash John Kerry got from the SBVT in 2004. The allegations against him were made in "Unfit for Command". The author of that book (John O'Neill) was caught lying about being in Cambodia (He told Nixon that he was in Cambodia but later admitted he wasn't and accused Kerry of lying about being in Cambodia). O'Neill was also the leader of the group. So, if the leader of the group was caught lying, what does that tell us about the group...?   

I can understand why the SBVT hate Kerry because of his anti-war activities in the 1970s, but why are they so eager to smear McCain? He didn't hang out with Jane Fonda, did he?

[NHSparky]

Uh, Jack?  I'd be amazed if the SBVT are behind this at all.  It's a two-fer.

[formerlurker]

It's very telling that he couldn't even win in NH...land of ex-pat Massholes.

Thank God most of them don't get up this far.

Who Romney?  That would be because they think McCain is a moderate, not a conservative.  You know that MA Republicans are primarily moderates.

That said I think Romney will win Massachusetts.   

I also would like to remind you that MA is full of NH folks also.   NE is rather small so you get transplants in every state.

[formerlurker]

We all remember the kind of trash John Kerry got from the SBVT in 2004. The allegations against him were made in "Unfit for Command". The author of that book (John O'Neill) was caught lying about being in Cambodia (He told Nixon that he was in Cambodia but later admitted he wasn't and accused Kerry of lying about being in Cambodia). O'Neill was also the leader of the group. So, if the leader of the group was caught lying, what does that tell us about the group...?   

John Kerry is a total POS opportunist who deserved every single word that the Swifties wrote/said about him.