I just took a few minutes and read what passes for ‘investigative journalism’ in the NY Times, and needless to say, I am not surprised. A few minor comments:
1.) Is there anything new in this commercial about the finances of the Swift Boats 527 that is not publicly available ath, of all places the Swift Boats web site, their book, or Open Secrets?
2.) Do you think this flowchart might have been a touch more informative if it had included all of theO’Neill contacts with prominent Democrats in Texas? Maybe a coherent argument could be made of the web of influence regarding the monied elite of both parties, but such balance is not useful in hit pieces. Maybe a mention of the political affiliations of all 250+ Swift Boat vets.
3.) Is there any aspect of the Swift Vets story they did not distort? My favorite is this:
Mr. Elliott, who recommended Mr. Kerry for the Silver Star, had signed one affidavit saying Mr. Kerry “was not forthright” in the statements that had led to the award. Two weeks ago, The Boston Globe quoted him as saying that he felt he should not have signed the affidavit. He then signed a second affidavit that reaffirmed his first, which the Swift Boat Veterans gave to reporters. Mr. Elliott has refused to speak publicly since then.
Except, of course, O’Neill never retracted his statement in the Boston Globe, as we all know. This was nothing more than a fabrication based on the creative use of ellipses, as stated cogently by Tom Maguire. The rest of the story mainstains the same low standard for integrity and accuracy, including another attempted whitewash of the whole Letson/Carreon bit.
In short, the entire piece is nothing more than agitprop worthy of simpletons like Michael Moore..
But, while we are at it, let’s look at something interesting, since the NY Times and Democrats want to talk about financing. Here is the list of the top 50 527’s and their money received to date and spent to date:
1.) Joint Victory Campaign 2004, $41,685,706, $35,780,404
2.) Media Fund, $28,127,488 27,208,905
3.) America Coming Together, $26,905,450, $24,196,532
4.) Service Employees International Union, $16,652,296, $8,808,017
5.) American Fedn of St/Cnty/Munic Employees, $13,658,207, $13,274,331
6.) MoveOn.org, $9,086,102, $17,435,782
7.) New Democrat Network, $7,172,693, $6,970,070
8.) Club for Growth, $4,818,063, $6,610,032
9.) EMILY’s List, $4,162,226, $4,070,369
10.) AFL-CIO, $3,750,840, $3,691,832
Of the top ten, nine are decidedly pro-Democrat and anti-Bush, while the tenth, the Club for Growth, is really pro-Conservative (and not necessarily pro-Bush), and has actually run ads against Republicans who they do not believe advocate appropriate tax and spending policies.
A quick tally shows that the Democratic party and John Kerry have at their disposal a sum near $195, 186, 845.00
And no, I did not put any commas in the wrong place. That is one hundred ninety five million, one hundred eighty-six thousand, eight hundred forty-five dollars and zero cents.
As of August 15th, the Swift Vets have total receipts of $158,750. Quit giggling.
From this, we can learn two things:
1.) No wonder John Kerry thinks the Swift Boats for Vets are a ‘Republican front.’ Damn near every other 527 is a Democratic front, so if there does exist one 527 opposing Kerry, logically it must be a Republican one.
2.) No wonder Kerry is calling only for the Swift Boat Vets to be silenced, and wants Bush to do the same. Of course the hypocrite is unwilling to condemn all of the 527’s as Bush has- he stands to lose two hundred million in attack ads against Bush.
And remember, this is common knowledge in the media. Remember, it is the very same NY Times who just several weeks ago was gleefully reporting that these 527’s would be actively working to fill the void for Kerry during the month of August.
In fact, it is the same damned author for both stories- Jim Rutenberg. Surprised? I am not.
Yesterday I noted that the mainstream media seems intent on answering the charges of left-wing media bias. Their answer appears to be a resounding “Guilty as charged.”
Mason
I’m just dumbfounded at the media being so openly pro-Kerry.
Dean
John,
You might mention that the NYT citing the Boston Globe is also an example of one hand washing the other.
The NYT *owns* the Boston Globe.
Tongue Boy
Update: a rumor has been floating around that SBVT have now amassed a warchest of almost $450,000, *almost* putting them in the 527 Top 50. Can the 1st Bowl of Judgment be far behind?
shark
Bush has a wonderful opportunity here. Kerry opened his big yap up, time for Bush to demand Kerry make Soros and company go away, just like Kerry wants Bush to do to the swifties.
JKC
Ha ha ha:
Bush demand Kerry “send Soros away?” That’ll last until someone demands Bush sends Scaife away.
Stop whining, boys. The Swifties’ lies are coming apart like wet toilet paper, and all you can do is cry like girlie-men because, for once, the Democrats aren’t rolling over and saying “thank you sir, may I have another” when attacked.
John: as far as the graphic goes, its purpose is to show the contradictions of the Swifties and their money ties to the Bush League. The rise of the 527’s is another story wothry of further exploration, but it’s irrelevant to this particular issue.
It’s pathetic: all Bush had to do is condemn the ad. It still would have been out there, and could have kept airing for all I know. But the Bush campaign seems to have miscalculated, and now they know what they should have known from day 1: like him or not, when John Kerry gets punched, he punches back.
Deal with it.
Noel
Bush should stop calling them a ‘shadowy group’, lumping them in with all the others. They all signed their names & told their stories. Hell, Kerry even put their picture on his website (he liked them when they couldn’t talk back). That’s not ‘shadowy’.
Still waiting for the Assholciated Press to file a Freedom of Information request as with Bush’s pay-stubs…tick…tick…tick…
Release The Records!
Slartibartfast
OpenSecrets.org link points to the amazon book page. Fix, please?
ed
Hmmm
“Stop whining, boys. The Swifties’ lies are coming apart like wet toilet paper, and all you can do is cry like girlie-men because, for once, the Democrats aren’t rolling over and saying “thank you sir, may I have another” when attacked.”
You’re in your own little universe aren’t you?
I suppose I could point out the endless attacks on Bush over the last four years but I don’t feel that you’re really worth the effort.
Keep deluding yourself. It’s more fun that way.
RW
Wow, JKC,
what do those girlie-men think now that your tough guy has gone wimpering to the FEC, crying “make them stop”.
what happened to “bring it on”?
Care to follow up?
Ernest Brown
The supporters of Kerry are unbelievable, since everything they accuse Bush of being, Kerry IS. I’ve never seen such an overt love of fascism and hatred of truth.
John Brassard Sr.
hey hey ho ho kerry sign the 180.
noone
Umm, guys, I’d get your own heads out of your asses.
While this issue may be burning bright in the august corners of the blogosphere, in the real world the Republicans I know think the attacks on Kerry’s service record are horseshit.
If I were you I’d be criticizing the Bushites for tacitly endorsing this bullshit. It damages them far more than it damages Kerry.
Ehhh.
Keep floogging it!
sean
I not sure your total of $195,186,845.00 is accurate. There appears to be an incestuos funding relationship between some of the 527s. For instance
Media Fund’s top contributor is Joint Victory Campaign 2004 to the amount of $12,775,000
elmerfudd
let them know what you think:
Joe Ponder, (352) 473-2451, 6986, Deer Springs Rd, Keystone Heights, FL 32656
George M Elliott, (302) 645-5071, 124 Gills Neck Rd, Lewes, DE 19958
Adrian Lonsdale, (508) 758-4046, , Mattapoisett, MA 02739
Van Odell, (281) 395-1703, 1622, Crescent Point Dr, Katy, TX 77494
Grant W Hibbard, (850) 932-7001, 3830 Bangkok Cv, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563
Letson Louis E Dr Jr, (256) 259-1555, 323 Parks Ave Scottsboro, AL 35768
(256) 259-5580
Roy A Hoffman, (804) 935-0943, 3221 Coppermill Trce, Richmond, VA 23294
John O’Neil (713) 654-7600, 1000 Louisiana St, Houston, TX 77002
John Bare, 422 Mill Creek Road, Bird in Hand, PA 17505
Kenneth Buchholz, (972) 355-7623, 1516 Wildflower Lane, Flower Mound, TX 75028
Jack Chenoweth, (573) 964-6872, 108 Hidden Acres, Lake Ozark, MO 65049
Tom Costarino, (703) 748-1602, 2039 Lord Fairfax Rd, Vienna, VA 22182
Morton Golde, (904) 221-7093, 689 Sandringham Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32225
Charles R. Grutzius, (703) 620-0929, 3221 Wildmere Pl, Herndon, VA 20171
Mike Kovanen, (509) 628-9560, 279 Gage Blvd, Richland, WA 99352
Dennis Spranger, (262) 637-6736, 3000 Olive St, Racine, WI 53405
Madonna
make a rap song. Two things about anna kournikova that: first, even though it was direcway a first effort, and we were two mortgage whiteys who admittedly didn’t directv know as much about rap (the history, car insurance methodology, the deliverance, even) direct tv as about a lot of other music – aaliyah