Swiftboat veterans ad on john kerry sellout 2004 youtube. Findlaw vietnam swift boat veteran john oneill has picked up just where he left off in his 1971 debate with presidential candidate sen. In the book, kerry basically libeled hoffman, saying officer in charge of the swiftboat mission, had a genuine taste for the more unsavory aspects of warfare and sought splashy victories in. John kerrys service in vietnam, americans have heard from kerry, from the crew of the navy swift boats he commanded and from other swift boat. Aug 18, 2004 in the history of swift boats in vietnam, all military personnel served a tour of duty of at least one year unless seriously wounded. To set the record straight is the inside story of how an ad hoc collection of veterans and political activists overcame their opponents efforts to silence and marginalize them, and delivered the explosive truth about john kerry s past to the public during the 2004 presidential campaign. Rood, right, at the swift boat base at an thoi shortly after the action which kerry was awarded the silver star. Neill, a lawyer and swift boat veteran, and corsi, an expert on vietnam antiwar movements, argue that kerry misrepresented his wartime exploits and is therefore incompetent to serve as commander in chief.
Called swift boat veterans for truth, the group has a website, airs tv ads running in key battleground states, and has published a book. Corsi simon and schuster, aug 25, 2004 political science 256 pages. Swift boat veterans for truth the election of 2004. The swifties, as they became known, produced an antikerry television ad, promoted the antikerry statements of several veterans who also served on swift boat crews in vietnam, and became the springboard for a book about kerry titled unfit for command and coauthored by john e. Swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry oneill. Swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry by john e oneill and jerome r. In the book, oneill and corsi said kerry chased down a young viet cong in a loincloth. Buttigieg needs to be very careful with this because his former co may come out with a statement of his behavior in the military.
Mar 17, 2015 the swifties, as they became known, produced an antikerry television ad, promoted the antikerry statements of several veterans who also served on swift boat crews in vietnam, and became the springboard for a book about kerry titled unfit for command and coauthored by john e. Kerrys memoir recounts his swift boat service and the controversy it. But this time, oneill is interested in a different kind of debate. John kerry and john edwards at a campaign rally in cleveland, ohio, july 7, 2004.
Oneill one of the authors of the forthcoming regnery book unfit for command. A bestseller upon its release in august 2004, 45 it criticized kerrys judgment in battle, his truthfulness, his entitlement to certain medals, and his later antiwar activities. John kerrys 2004 presidential campaign included focus on his service in the u. John forbes kerry born december 11, 1943 is an american politician who served as the 68th united states secretary of state from 20 to 2017. This is a sbvt ad used against john kerry in the 2004 election. Almost simultaneously, a new book, unfit for command. Swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry john e. Among the few exceptions was john kerry, who requested to. John kerry was on active duty in the united states navy from august 1966 until january 1970. Rear admiral roy hoffmann, usn retired swift boat veterans for truth press conference washington, d. The author, john oneill, had been a public critic of kerrys since his testimony to the senate foreign relations committee.
Despite kerrys official honorable military record, the organization contended that kerry had conducted himself dishonorably during his vietnam service, and was therefore unfit for command. Washington times, by ben wolfgang original article. During the 2004 presidential campaign, john kerry s heroism under fire as a swift boat commander in vietnam was a centerpiece of his campaign. Jennifer siegel, controversial envoy to belgium vows more campaign giving, forward, april 2007.
Vietnam swift boat veteran john oneill has picked up just where he left off in his 1971 debate with presidential candidate senator john kerry. John kerry, a decorated naval veteran, first found fame as spokesman for. Now when i went there right after tet, i was restricted in my movements. Sep 01, 2004 vietnam swift boat veteran john oneill has picked up just where he left off in his 1971 debate with presidential candidate sen. Swift boat veterans for truths irs report of contributions and expenditures for april 23june 30, 2004 pdf. In the history of swift boats in vietnam, all military personnel served a tour of duty of at least one year unless seriously wounded. The battle that lies at the heart of this book is the decadesold feud between. The term swift boat itself refers to a class of united states navy vessel used during the vietnam war. The election of 2004 swift boat veterans for truth. He continued to serve in the naval reserve until february 1978. Hoffman and several sailors campaigned against kerry. It is a story of justice and vindication long delayed, of. May 04, 2004 there are other veterans groups opposing kerry too such as vietnam veterans against john kerry and vietnam special forces against kerry.
We resent very deeply the false war crimes charges he made coming back from vietnam in 1971 and repeated in the book tour of duty. Senator, secretary of state, and presidential candidate, john kerry d. Kerry emphasized his experience as a military veteran, his four months of service in the vietnam war, his 3 purple hearts, the bronze star, and the silver star. Some people believe that john kerry s military record from some thirtyfive years ago makes no difference as he runs for president in 2004. To set the record straight is the inside story of how an ad hoc collection of veterans and political activists overcame their opponents efforts to silence and marginalize them, and delivered the explosive truth about john kerrys past to the public during the 2004 presidential campaign. Sep 18, 2004 nicholas d kristof oped column assesses sen john kerry s service record in vietnam. In the book, kerry basically libeled hoffman, saying officer in charge of the swiftboat mission, had a genuine taste for the more unsavory aspects of warfare and sought splashy victories in the. Ready for his closeup, was, i believe, the first mention of kerrys possible presidential bid in the magazine. In the book, kerry basically libeled hoffman, saying officer in charge of the swift boat mission, had a genuine taste for the more unsavory aspects of warfare and sought splashy victories in. When john kerry considers houston, his thoughts go to recovery efforts. The term swiftboating also swift boating or swift boating is a pejorative american neologism used to describe an unfair or untrue political attack. John oneill is cofounder of swift boat veterans for truth, the group that sponsored the ad against kerry. Swift boat veterans for truth swift boat veterans for truth was launched on may 4, 2004 at a press conference at the national press club in washington. To understand what is at his core, start with unfit for command, swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry.
Nov 08, 2006 swiftboat veterans for truth ad on john kerry sellout. Setting the record straight on the swift boat veterans. Swift vets and pows for truth, formerly known as the swift boat veterans for truth sbvt, was a political group of united states swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the vietnam war, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign for the purpose of opposing john kerry s candidacy for the presidency. Sep 14, 2006 this is a sbvt ad used against john kerry in the 2004 election. John kerry refuses to let trump swift boat joe biden. John kerrys new memoir, like its author, is reserved and idealistic and reassuringly dull, for long stretches, in its statesmanlike carriage. Swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry, published by regnery publishing. A member of the democratic party, he previously served as a united states senator from massachusetts from 1985 until 20.
Exposing john kerrys lies about his time in vietnam. John kerry defends vietnam war record pbs newshour. Kerry was assigned to swift boats and commanded a swift boat. Aug 31, 2004 vietnam swift boat veteran john oneill has picked up just where he left off in his 1971 debate with presidential candidate senator john kerry. Bush, they revived attacks on kerry s opposition to the vietnam war and suggested that he was lying about details of his military service. Corsi appears to have written part ii, antiwar protester. Oneill is now a leader of swift boat veterans for truth. Swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry is divided into two parts, each with five chapters. A number of vietnam veterans who had served on swift boats formed a 527 organization called swift boat veterans for truth later renamed swift vets and pows for truth or svpt. The swift boat veterans for truth emerged as a legend of presidential campaign politics in the summer of 2004 when, with the backing of allies of george w. Some people believe that john kerrys military record from some thirtyfive years ago makes no difference as he runs for president in 2004.
Aug 22, 2004 oneill is now a leader of swift boat veterans for truth. Oct 04, 2018 john kerry, who served in vietnam, walks with sen. Oneill has joined with some of his former navy comrades to oppose kerrys candidacy. Kerry spends nearly an entire chapter denouncing the swift boat vets for truth ads, but recalls that someone. Swift boat quotes about john kerry during the vietnam war i was task force commander at an thoi, and my tour of duty was months, from the end of tet to the beginning of the vietnamization of.
What sort of combination of hypocrite and paradox is john kerry. John kerry recounts a life full of incident and a few. Accusations against john kerry from former navy swift boat. John kerry the antiamerican communist subversive news. A number of vietnam veterans who had served on swift boats formed a 527 organization called swift boat veterans for truth later renamed. Truth and unfit for command john kerrys vietnam medals.
Swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry is a 2004 book about then u. Jul 26, 20 kerry earned the bronze star by pulling another lieutenant out of the water after the latters swift boat had hit a mine. Swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry oneill, john e. He was the democratic nominee in the 2004 presidential election, losing to republican incumbent president george w. Swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry the thesis of the book is that john f.
Kerry in viet nam and the second concerned with john f. John kerry autobiography reveals john edwards pick was a. He also wrote unfit for command, a book critical of john kerrys service in vietnam. Presidential candidate john kerry by john oneill and. John oneill and jerome corsis book unfit for command. Aug 31, 2004 vietnam swift boat veteran john oneill has picked up just where he left off in his 1971 debate with presidential candidate sen. Buttressed by interviews with navy veterans who patrolled vietnam. Navy in vietnam where he served as an officer in command of a navy swift boat.
A group funded by the biggest republican campaign donor in texas began running an attack ad aug. Aug 10, 2004 oneill took over command of kerrys swift boat after kerry left vietnam to return to america. Oneill has joined with some of his former navy comrades to oppose kerry s candidacy. John kerrys bodyguard of lies the american spectator. Kerry had agreed to an extension of his active duty obligation from december 1969 to august 1970 in order to perform swift boat duty. Rood, right, at the swift boat base at an thoi shortly after the action which kerry was awarded the silver star and rood was awarded the bronze star in early 1969. Kerry in the news scary john kerry hanoi jane fonda and john kerry at an antiwar rally in valley forge, pa. Sep 03, 2018 john kerrys new memoir, like its author, is reserved and idealistic and reassuringly dull, for long stretches, in its statesmanlike carriage. We had no time to deal with the crap of john kerry. The author, john oneill, had been a public critic of kerrys since his testimony. Swift boat veterans speak out against john kerry attacked kerrys war record. In television advertisements and a book called unfit for command, coauthored by john oneill and jerome corsi, the swift boat veterans for truth sbvt, a 527 group later known as the swift vets and pows for truth, questioned details of.
Sbvt founder and spokesman john oneill and jerome corsi are listed as coauthors of the book unfit for command. Kerrys memoir recounts his swift boat service and the controversy it sparked in the 2004. Oneill is the author of part i, john kerry in vietnam. The book is comprised two sections, the first concerned with john f.
Oneill took over command of kerrys swift boat after kerry left vietnam to return to america. It deconstructs kerrys questionable version of his four months of vietnam service and his postservice antiwar activities. The term is derived from the name of the organization swift boat veterans for truth sbvt, later the swift vets and pows for truth because of their widely publicizedand later discreditedcampaign against 2004 u. This proved to be a costly mistake as cable news networks and the internet gave the swift boat veterans sustained attention. O neill also authored a book, unfit for command, in which he. Vietnam swift boat veteran john oneill has picked up just where he left off in his 1971 debate with presidential candidate sen. During the 2004 presidential campaign, john kerrys heroism under fire as a swift boat commander in vietnam was a centerpiece of his campaign. John kerry s service in vietnam, americans have heard from kerry, from the crew of the navy swift boats he commanded and from other swift boat. That same mines detonation caused enough wake to throw kerry against. Oneill, a lawyer and swift boat veteran, and corsi, an expert on vietnam antiwar movements, show how kerry misrepresented his wartime exploits and is therefore incompetent to serve as commander in chief. John kerry commanded swift boat operations in vietnam from 19681969, earning two purple hearts and a silver star.
Swift boat veterans for truth was a 527 political advocacy organization that strongly opposed democrat john kerry in the 2004 campaign. During the vietnam war i was task force commander at an thoi, and my tour of duty was months, from the end of tet to the beginning of the vietnamization of the navy units. The historical road to the swift boat veterans for truths attacks on kerry starts in the. The swift boat veterans new york times bestselling book unfit for command. He would later return to the us and become a highly visible spokesperson for vietnam veterans against the war. Congressman, i dont need any lessons from you about who i represent.
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