[CS-FSLUG] PD: Join McCain: Tell Bush to Condemn Kerry Slander Ad

[Ralph De Witt]

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Last week, a group of far-right Bush allies released an ugly and outrageous ad 
which claims that John Kerry faked his injuries, betrayed his troops, and 
"dishonored his country" in Vietnam.  The ad features people who say "I 
served with John Kerry" (although they didn't) and who make numerous provably 
false accusations about Kerry's war record.(1)  It's one of the most vile 
tactics we've seen yet in Bush's ferociously negative campaign.
 
The "Swift Boat" ad is so far beyond the pale that even Senator John McCain, a 
Bush supporter, spoke out about it, calling it "dishonest and 
dishonorable."(2)  Yet despite Senator McCain's request that President Bush 
"specifically condemn" the ad, Bush refuses to say anything about it. 
 
Together, let's send President Bush a clear message from hundreds of thousands 
of Americans that we won't stand for these smear tactics, and we expect him 
to repudiate and reject them. We'll deliver our petition to President Bush on 
the campaign trail.  
 
Sign the petition to President Bush now at:

http://www.moveonpac.org/falseadvertising/?id=3297-3297607-mAHQ0jyFrh3s.rtKdctsqg
 
It's clear that the ad continues the tradition of Bush campaign dirty 
tricks.  In a recent interview, Senator McCain noted that the ad "was the 
same kind of deal that was pulled on me" in 2000. McCain was referring to a 
vicious smear campaign -- which included race-baiting allegations that he had 
a black child our of wedlock -- run by close Bush allies in 2000.  In fact, 
the same firm that ran some of the anti-McCain ads in 2000 produced the 
"Swift Boat" ad. (3)  And although the group claims to be independent of the 
Republican party, the group's funding mostly comes from a longtime Bush 
supporter who gave over $20,000 to his campaigns for Texas governor.(4)  
 
The "Swift Boat" campaign is a classical political hit job.  But even before 
the ad went on the air, the Washington Post ran a piece discussing how 
President Bush is running the most negative presidential campaign in U.S. 
history.  In an article titled "From Bush, Unprecedented Negativity," the 
Post quotes an expert who says that "there is more attack now on the Bush 
side against Kerry than you've historically had in the general-election 
period against either candidate." (5)
 
Discussing the "Swift Boat" ad, Senator John McCain said, "I deplore this kind 
of politics."  Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns (R) called the ad "trash" and 
even Pat Buchanan said "not a single charge is substantiated . . . I think 
the ad is wrong."(6) But George Bush won't condemn it.  Let's let him know 
that we're sick and tired of this "slime and defend" mode of campaigning.  
 
Sign the petition to Bush now at:

http://www.moveonpac.org/falseadvertising/?id=3297-3297607-mAHQ0jyFrh3s.rtKdctsqg
 
Jim Rassman, a Republican veteran who served under Kerry, recently wrote an 
opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal.  He told the story of how Kerry 
saved his life.  And he concluded with these words on the "Swift Boat" 
veterans: "[W]hen the noise and fog of their distortions and lies have 
cleared, a man who volunteered to serve his country, a man who showed up for 
duty when his country called, a man to whom the United States Navy awarded a 
Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts, will stand tall and 
proud. Ultimately, the American people will judge these Swift Boat Veterans 
for Bush and their accusations. Americans are tired of smear campaigns 
against those who volunteered to wear the uniform. Swift Boat Veterans for 
Bush should hang their heads in shame."(7)
 
Sincerely,
- --Eli Pariser
  MoveOn PAC
  August 16th, 2004
 
1. FACT CHECK: Swift Boat Veterans for Bush, 8/5/04 
http://www.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/080504_truth.html 
2. McCain Condemns Anti-Kerry Ad, 8/5/04
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=3&u=/ap/20040805/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_mccain 
3. Republicans' Dishonorable Charge, 8/6/04
http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2004/08/06/mccain_on_swift_boat_veterans/index_np.html 
4. Republican-funded Group Attacks Kerry's War Record, 8/15/04
http://www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docID=231 
5. From Bush, Unprecedented Negativity, 5/31/04
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3222-2004May30.html 
6. AP, 8/5/04 (McCain); Nebraska State Paper, 8/7/04 (Johanns); MSNBC, 
Scarborough Country, 8/6/04 (Buchanan)
http://blog.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/archives/002445.html#more
7. Shame on the Swift Boat Veterans for Bush, 8/10/04
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005460

PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC www.moveonpac.org
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
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	Yours,
	Ralph.
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