When did the DU first talk about Swift Boat Vets?

[cdp]

I have only been reading DU for the last few months, so excuse this question about "old news."

Before the Democratic nomination, when people on the DU started debating the candidates, was there any discussion of John O'Neill or the Swift Boat Vets and their possible effect on a John Kerry candidacy?

I have tried searching for old threads with no luck.

[Old and In the Way]

1. No, it's hard to anticipate lies and character smears like that.

[fearnobush]

2. I commented on them back in Feb when they were just the

Vietnam Vets Against Kerry. However, my prediction was off. I thought they would go after him for the POW MIA stuff.

[wellstone dem]

3. Well during the primaries

there was discussion about the reaction that the general electorate might have to his post-vietnam activities, but I didn't see any discussion of his heroism while in vietnam.

[Sporadicus]

4. I Became Aware of Them in May of This Year

From an article by Greg Palast, who recounted O'Neill's previous confrontations with John Kerry & recruitment by Chuck Colson (who went to prison for his involvement in Watergate & emerged as a fundie preacher).

[cdp]

5. Swift

Many people thought that Kerry's war experience would help him win some cred with the general public. I was wondering how many of these people knew about the Swift Boat Vets before they nominated him. In my opinion, if people knew that a group with that much money and hatred existed, they might have had doubts about nominating Kerry. Or at least they wouldn't have let Kerry base so much of his candidacy around Vietnam. Or let him ignore the situation for so long.

I know this is from 20/20 hindsight.