Ray Ring

Senior Editor

The Democrats realize, they need to play tough. And it bears on how they’ll act in the current race for president.

The AP has the story:

Sen. John Kerry, whose 2004 presidential campaign was torpedoed by critics of his Vietnam War record, said Friday he has personally accepted a Texas oilman’s offer to pay $1 million to anyone who can disprove even a single charge of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

… Kerry, a Navy veteran and former prosecutor, said he was willing to present his case directly to (T. Boone Pickens), who provided $3 million to bankroll the group during Kerry’s race against President Bush.

… First in the book “Unfit for Command,” and then in a series of television commercials, Kerry’s critics challenged the circumstances for his military awards, accused him of doctoring reports and argued he never traveled into Cambodia as claimed.

While fellow veterans and reporters disproved many of the group’s claims at the time, Kerry refused to air ads responding to the criticism. His own response was muted for fear of legitimizing his critics’ attacks. The senator conceded after losing to Bush that his lackluster response likely cost him the election.

Ever since, Kerry has worked to lay the criticisms to rest.

In May 2005, he began allowing reporters access to his full Navy personnel and medical records — something he refused to do during the campaign.

Those records mostly duplicated documents Kerry released during the 2004 campaign. In addition, they included numerous commendations from commanders who criticized Kerry’s service during the presidential race.

About time.

The Swift Boating of Kerry was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen in politics. A Karl Rove special.

Kerry was running against a guy who dodged the Vietnam War (George W. Bush), and Kerry had legitimate war credentials, so the Bushites knew they had to take that war off the table or turn it to their advantage. They managed to, because:

- Kerry saw himself as a gentleman;

- most journalists think their job amounts to stenography (just reporting whatever anyone tells them);

- and because people like John McCain didn’t come out against the Swift Boaters.

McCain, with his war credentials, knew the attack on Kerry was bogus and political, but he sat on the sidelines — one of his many cynical moves positioning himself to run as a Republican candidate for president.

Also too bad about McCain.