McCain Uses Swift Boat Vet Bud Day To Rebut Wesley Clark

Sen. John McCain's campaign on Monday launched the McCain "Truth Squad" - a group of political and Vietnam contemporaries who would counter attacks on the Senator's military record.

In hopes of nipping any criticism in the bud, the campaign brought on board a man quite familiar with how these types of attacks gain legs: Bud Day, a fellow POW who was part of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that worked so hard to defame Sen. John Kerry's own Vietnam record.

On the conference call, Day - in addition to the other participants - decried comments made by Gen. Wesley Clark over the weekend, in which he questioned whether McCain's war experience really qualified him to be commander-in-chief. Defending McCain's service, Day was quick to personalize his remarks, attacking Clark's military record in the process.

"Things were very difficult for [McCain]," he said. "He was horribly wounded in his extremities, and it was questionable if he would survive his experience. He set a high standard for himself because the Vietnamese tried to release him and he showed courage by refusing that to come about. We had an opportunity to watch a president in office, a Democrat who was extremely ineffective during those years. [McCain] learned an awful lot from that... General Clark spent a month in Vietnam, got badly wounded and was evacuated, that was his experience. I say let's hold the two of them up and compare them."

That Day would politicize Vietnam in his defense of McCain is not surprising. During the 2004 campaign, he said of Kerry: "My view is he basically will go down in history sometime as the Benedict Arnold of 1971." And after appearing in a national advertisement for the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign, Day formed the Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation, an extension of the Swift Boat effort.

Asked to compare the attacks he helped launched against Kerry in 2004 to those being waged at McCain today, Day said the defining issue was truthfulness.

"The Swift Boat attacks were simply a revelation of the truth, the similarity does not exist here. What the Swift Boat campaign was about was to lay out John Kerry's record. John Kerry has never produced any evidence to deny that. We are producing the evidence of these attacks right now to show that those remarks were completely inaccurate."

The irony of it all is that McCain publicly deplored the Swift Boat ads back in 2004, saying they were reminiscent of the smear campaigns launched against him during his initial White House run in 2000.

"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me," said the Senator.

Not willing to let the irony go unnoticed, Kerry lashed out at McCain, on Monday, for using the same smear merchant he once decried.

"Colonel Day's comments today only further highlight the McCain campaign's disregard for a new kind of politics," said Kerry. "John McCain condemned these kinds of attacks in 2004 when he called the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth 'dishonest and dishonorable.' Senator McCain should condemn these remarks and cut ties with the Colonel and anyone else connected to SBVT. Day's comments only serve to disparage all those who served on swift boats in Vietnam."

Even prior to then, however, Obama had taken steps to distance himself from Clark's remarks. In a statement, spokesman Bill Burton, wrote: "As he's said many times before, Senator Obama honors and respects Senator McCain's service, and of course he rejects yesterday's statement by General Clark."

UPDATE: Here is a link to the audio of the McCain campaign conference call.

Comments

[pilgrim7]

02:19 PM on 07/03/2008

With a nickname like "Songbird," McCain of all people should refrain from swift-boating Wes Clark and tell the other swift boaters to back off. Don't these people learn anything or does Karl Rove expect him to get away with it this time?

[NoahVail]

03:58 AM on 07/03/2008

"He set a high standard for himself because the Vietnamese tried to release him and he showed courage by refusing that to come about."

Tell me Bud- why did they offer him early release? Tell us the WHOLE story.

[marbiol]

06:22 PM on 07/03/2008

he was offered early release because his father was an admiral at the time [and his grandfather was one in ww2)--it would have been a propaganda coup to have a top admiral's son moved to the "front of the line". Other POWs got early release for cooperating and recording propaganda messages. McCain provided some info (of questionable value--but its NOT the info that is provided--its the idea that you have "broken" that POW) to the NVA and then got his act together again despite being "tormented" by his jailers (see the NVA "torment" their POWS--we TORTURE unlawful combatants---you might check out the book written by McCain's Sr Officer, Col Larry Guarino--about what "tormenting" involved and what McCain and others went thru. I'm sure its not going to as exciting as the Abu Ghraib stories---altho the food in Abu Ghraib was undoubtedly just a tad more nutritious than eating beetles scurrying around you cell for protein..).


Anyone know when Kerry is going to tell us [or release HIS records] as to why he received a GENERAL discharge [not an HONORABLE discharge?---that only came after Carter was Pres). I know its a bit late for 2004---but he did promise...

[MilitaryBrat]

06:15 PM on 07/06/2008

Sorry, all of Kerry's discharge records were released in 2004. Sorry you don't know how to read a simple military document, but that hardly excuses such an ignorant statement.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/22/22312/300

[neocon666]

08:52 PM on 07/02/2008

Looks like McCain's finally found someone who makes him look young -possible VP candidate?

[edelmira]

11:00 AM on 07/04/2008

John McCain said he would run an "honorable?" campaign. JOHN MCCAIN'S WORD CANNOT BE TRUSTED!

[Lynette]

06:41 PM on 07/02/2008

How old is this man 100????? He looks like he doesn't even remember who McCain is in this picture. McCain should get some younger staffers and younger collegues to show their support, these men look like they are ready for a nap.

[mollyjackson]

05:52 PM on 07/02/2008

PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup's annual update on confidence in institutions finds just 12% of Americans expressing confidence in Congress, the lowest of the 16 institutions tested this year, and the worst rating Gallup has measured for any institution in the 35-year history of this question. Vote them out..........all of them.

[TchoupitoulasCanal]

03:17 PM on 07/02/2008

If you say Bud Day's name fast enough it actually sounds like Bidet..... how appropriate!

[Cookie100]

06:30 PM on 07/02/2008

Don't these old codgers ever die? Why the heck not. These guys are so out of touch, they can't even use a computer. McSame says 'The Googles" like Bush, The Internets. Jack Welch on Morning Joe today, saying there's no global warming.
Why don't they all get raptured already and take Cheney and Bush with ya' PLEASE!

[Ramirez]

04:59 PM on 07/05/2008

From the milblog Mudville Gazette:
***
"In February, 1971 several American prisoners at the Hoa Loa camp gathered for a forbidden religious service. Suddenly they were interrupted by the enraged enemy guards. As the guards burst into the meeting room with rifles pointed at the prisoners, one of the Americans stood to his feet. Ragged, battered but unbroken, it was George Day. Looking into the muzzles of the enemy rifles he began to sing. The song was "The Star Spangled Banner", our National Anthem. Next to him another prisoner stood. Commander James Bond Stockdale was the ranking American in the prison and he lended his voice to Day's anthem of freedom. Soon the other prisoners joined the refrain, and then from throughout the entire prison camp, came the sounds of others. Stockdale, who would join "Bud" Day in receiving Medals of Honor five years later wrote that, although he was punished for the episode, it was exhilarating: "Our minds were now free and we knew it."
http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/030491.html

[Daisy1111]

02:32 PM on 07/02/2008

To put this in perspective, when K e r r y came back from V.N. he testified before congress painting soliders as rapists and murderers.

For guys like B u d who was a POW with McC that was heresy.

Look at some of the old video of J.K. when he retuned from that war.

He said a lot of outrageous things about the military action in SE A s i a because he was launching a political career and he wanted to exploit the anti-war sentiment.

[neocon666]

08:50 PM on 07/02/2008

"Outrageous things"? The only thing that John Kerry did was prove that if there's one thing that the American public will tolerate less than a politician who lies is one who tells the truth.

Read the book "Tim Page's Vietnam" if you don't believe what John Kerry said. It's nothing but interviews with Vietnam Vets who talk about some horrific things they did to innocent people there -like killing a man and raping his daughter (before killing her) because they were in an area designated as a "free-fire zone" and had canned peaches, which the Marines couldn't get. You can also go on YouTube and watch the testimony to a Congressional Committee of Iraqi Veterans who prove that the same thing is happening there now.

I get it: John Kerry went to Vietnam and risked his life because he was launching a political career -meanwhile, George W Bush was lauching HIS political career by going AWOL.

If ignorance isn't strength: why are there republicans?

[mccabe49]

11:35 AM on 07/03/2008

Daisy Duh: Did you ever think that some of these guys were murderers and rapists. John Kerry has a conscience something you rightwingers are desperately in need of.

[Boots1]

01:29 PM on 07/02/2008

McCain's campaign launched the McCain "Truth Squad." Right! You want the real truth on McCain, go to the real "Truth Squad Against John McCain." www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/

[gage]

05:04 PM on 07/03/2008

Compare and contrast:

The guys who are campaigning with McCain are the guys who were with him in the same cells in the prison camps. One is a MoH awardee.

The guy behind www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain (Ted Sampley) is a liar who didn't serve with McCain, but he hates him because McCain exposed his money-making scams back in the 90's in senate hearings.

See the difference?

[jackinhack]

12:01 PM on 07/02/2008

I believe John's kill the messenger strategy clearly identifies his problem with his anger when anyone challenges him and his view of the world. It would be easy to focus on the swift boaters and Bud Day, but John is driving this and he's way out of line in responding.

Let's see, he was near the bottom of his class in the Navy, his dad and grandfather were Admirals or he problably wouldn't have got in and he is still refusing to release his Navy records excepting those things that boost his ego.

This is PSTD.

[JSquercia]

08:00 PM on 07/02/2008

Yes is THIS the hair trigger you want on the Nuclear Trigger . NOT ME

[dawlishgal]

09:56 AM on 07/02/2008

GAwd...look at the guy. He looks as though he is ready to ride a nuclear missile right into the Kremlin. He was a swiftboater and the military didn't rescind his medal? WHY NOT? Am I the only one to be really frightened by how the military is rapidly becoming the propaganda branch of Republican administrations (or, has it always been this way and I just didn't notice it before)?

[JDS1961]

03:02 AM on 07/02/2008

Two surprise developments that show poor judgment by both candidates: Obama's rejection of Clark's comments, and McCain's acceptance of support from the Swiftboaters.

Obama caved instantly on this one, apparently subscribing to theory that it's better to desert your own supporter than to face an angry right wing mob. I think he will live to regret this clumsy pivot especially as more of us recognize that Clark had the guts and bluntness to say something necessary.
The sham outrage from the Republicans should be seen as the joke it is.

A question I have is what do you call a prisoner when he voluntarily decides to stay in the jail? Was his status the same or did they start treating him differently?

Incidentally, if being tortured prepared people for the presidency we have created a huge pool of potential candidates at Gitmo and Abu Gahrib.

As far as the Swiftboaters are concerned, you just can't kill those snakes. They lied about Kerry and they will certainly lie again as they try to defend McCain. He'd be smart to cut them loose immediately. They'll be more of a drag than the fundamentalist preachers.

[olgraydawg]

12:11 AM on 07/02/2008

It's so sad when senility sets in. They are the last to know that's its past time to go. If they could only remember where...

[ebanks84]

11:30 PM on 07/01/2008

Know this man who wants to run on his military record. If he won't show it to us, let's go find it.

~Ignored pleas of POW/MIA Family Members for his political influence in the overall POW/MIA Issue as well as with their individual cases

~Verbally abused POW/MIA Family Members in public and private

~Attempted to negatively influence those who testified before the 1992 Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs

~Diminished legislation that gave oversight and protection to the families

~Dismantled protection to any future servicemen that go missing.

Yes, John McCain, the American politician, the man who many think would and should be the primary advocate and activist for the POW/MIA Issue is in fact the Issue’s primary adversary. You read correctly, the Issue’s primary adversary. John McCain has not provided one positive contribution to these same families that fought along side the first Mrs. McCain for close to six years to bring home all of those who were known to be captured by the Vietnamese. One would think that McCain would feel almost beholden to these fine American military families who united in one of their darkest hours to keep the POW/MIA Issue in the forefront of the War in Vietnam. Yet, nothing could be further from the truth.

[ShamusNYC]

10:56 PM on 07/01/2008

Deplorable. This action shows his disingenuity in 2004 - when this Day a**hole launched attacks on Kerry - who was running against not a draft dodger who couldn't even fulfill his National Guard obligations.

Few in American history have been a bigger disappointment than McCain. He sacrificed all of his principles and respect as well as the best interests of the country in his egomanicial bid to be President.

McCain knew in 2000 & 2004 that Bush was bad for the country (as he told Huffington), but this was less important then the possibility of being in this place & now he's getting help from all the scum of the earth - like Day & Rove and more cretins in the dark.

And then he has the nerve to question Obama's trust-worthiness! Obama needed to take funds from donations just to offset his ability to go this low as well as the effects of Faux News - a propaganda machine that would make Goebbels green with envy!

Honestly, there wasn't even anything wrong in what Clark said, but it was inartful and allowed McCain an opening to give his standard non-response of rightous indignation - rather than responding to the criticism. He pulled the same childish routine when he was criticised for his vote on the new GI package - getting on his high horse and ralling against those who dare say he was not supporting the troops. (By the way, his support for the troops is garbage and only

[sino53]

09:02 PM on 07/01/2008

The idea of taking a small group of highly dedicated and talented people, equipping them with the best equipment available and then leaving them alone to pursue their dream, has produced some of America's greatest technological innovations. Pixar is only the latest incarnation of this.

Another one is the famous "Skunk Works" of Lockheed, which created such legendary aircraft as the U-2, the SR-71, the F-117 and others.

And yet another one is the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), which in the mid 1970s pioneered all the elements of the modern personal computer (the graphical user interface w/mouse, WYSIWYG desktop publishing, networking, etc.), at a time when "computers" meant decks of punched cards fed to giant mainframes by dedicated operators.

The problem comes with productization of the ideas. Lockheed's Skunk Works never had to mass-produce any of their specialized advanced aircraft in quantity and maintain them for a hundred airlines. Xerox never understood the need to productize the PARC computer technology. Instead, Steve Jobs of Apple came along and copied much of it for his own new computer (which became the Macintosh). And Pixar doesn't need Disney's help for anything but marketing. None of these efforts depends on a huge infrastructure, the way General Motors does, with its huge network of dealers, repair shops, parts suppliers, etc.