Article by Jim Rassmann in Post Gazette

[TayTay]

Jim Rassmann, a U.S. Army Special Forces officer in the Vietnam War, lives in Florence, Ore.

Jim Rassmann: A Swift-like attack
By muddying the waters, the smear merchants hope to sink a decorated patriot -- John Murtha
Friday, January 20, 2006

Before 2004, I'd never been involved in politics and considered my duty done at the ballot box. My memory of a man I served with in combat in the Mekong Delta -- Lt. John Kerry -- became my sole reason for coming off the political sidelines in the last presidential election. Watching the assault on his military record by partisan operatives armed with falsehoods was a shock.

Perhaps I was naive. Watching those same tactics used against another decorated Vietnam veteran, Rep. John Murtha of Johnstown, has been a reminder of not just why I felt compelled to get involved, but why I must remain involved. I can't in good conscience remain silent in the face of the "Swift Boating" of Jack Murtha for daring to challenge President Bush's policy in Iraq.

Today I see that the very same smear tactics the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" used against John Kerry are now being unleashed against Rep. Murtha, a retired Marine colonel who served in Vietnam.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06020/641007.stm

I just love this decent and wonderful man: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

[karynnj]

1. Very nice editorial

In an odd way, I wonder if the extreme RW may live to regret this attack on Murtha. It gives "current events" reason for editorials like this one, Webb's and Teresa's that simultaneously defend Kerry and tie the liars to the RNC. The more people see this and the more it becomes common wisdom, the breath of this slime campaign becomes obvious. This was not the same as the issues that Clinton faced - he faced the far more standard attacks based on dirt that was dug up. When Bush 1 went out of bounds - using his position to look into Clinton's travels in the early 70s - it backfired because the press called it wrong. People like Begala and Carville can say wll they like that Hillary could not be swiftboated, but the reality is if they could use Kerry's exemplentary war service against him, they can and will find something to use against Hillary (or anyone else.)

[sandnsea]

2. Lives in Florence, Ore

I always like seeing that. :loveya:

Now I'll go read what he has to say.

[blm]

3. Snagged it for GD - where so many still are unaware that Kerry

spearheaded the first defense of Murtha, and is obviously continuing to do so through other allies.

[TayTay]

4. Once again, I am in your debt.

I wish I could double post. I keep stepping on my own big stories. (Sigh!) It's that lack of caffeine when I first get to work, sigh, that makes only half my brain of any use. Sigh!

Thanks, you rock!

[blm]

7. I don't think it's double posting to post back here and there with same

article. Is that why so many of you don't crosspost?

[TayTay]

8. No, I want to be able to list two forums at once

when I make up the post. It's not double-posting, it's posting in two forums at the same time. Sorry for the confusion.

[blm]

9. OK...gotcha.

.

[jenndar]

5. That's great. n/t

[ProSense]

6. Excellent!

Jim Rassmann's statement makes the lies so obvious, who can deny it? Here is someone who serve with JK, defended him against the smear, coming to the defense of another veteran, who until now no one questioned. It's poetry.

[kerrygoddess]

10. I just posted on this

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1706

Rassmann is a great guy. Had the pleasure of meeting him NH. Glad to see this this morning.

[wisteria]

11. Very nice editorial, this one is going into my Kerry08 hope chest. n/t

[whometense]

12. Pithy:

And very well put.

I believe it was engineered in the same way as the Swift Boat attacks on Kerry during the 2004 election campaign -- attacks are made, the public's attention is captured, the White House offers platitudes, the surrogates press on with the administration's covert support.