McCain And His Swiftboat Crew

In telephone conference calls with reporters this week, the McCain campaign complained bitterly about Democratic attacks on John McCain's military credentials, while at the same time trotting out even worse attacks on Democrats' military credentials, even reviving the "swiftboat" attacks leveled in 2004 against John Kerry.

Obama's surrogates' recent jibes at McCain's qualifications may be, at least in part, an early effort to immunize some of his potential running mates from "swiftboating." Obama knows his credentials on defense are weak -- Hillary Clinton, who never served in the armed forces, even knocked him around some in that area -- so he's at least considering the option of picking a vice presidential candidate with a military background. And Obama's smart enough to know that any candidate with a military background -- especially Kerry, whose name was on a leaked list of those under consideration, but including all the other possibilities, even that longest of long shots, Colin Powell -- will be subject to Swiftboating. Kerry? Faked his own wounds in Vietnam! Powell? Helped cover up the My Lai Massacre!

Obama knows he will gain little ground with voters by tearing down McCain's heroism or credentials on defense; his game plan is to change the frame, not fight McCain head on in that arena. But Obama always operates on more than one level, and he may be protecting his ability to choose a military running mate by pressuring the Republicans, early, into agreeing to a mutual cessation of hostilities when it comes to swiftboating. No one in Obama's camp really thinks McCain was a bad officer (they're not even claiming he was), or that he isn't a bona fide war hero (of course he is). What they may be looking for is for the Republican Party to unmistakably and publicly sue for peace -- to ask that both sides take such attacks completely off the table. But McCain isn't getting the message -- in fact, he's making things worse. And so the drumbeat of war, which neither side wants, will continue.

The main Obama surrogate taking mild pokes at McCain has been Wesley Clark, a four-star general who was a Rhodes scholar and valedictorian of his class at West Point, was shot four times but still directed a successful counterattack during an action in Vietnam, and has (like John McCain, John Kerry and Bud Day, who comes into this later) been awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Silver Star.

Clark has said that McCain's time as a P.O.W. in Vietnam and his command of a peacetime, land-based replacement squadron aren't sufficient leadership positions to qualify McCain as Commander in Chief. Fair criticism, especially from someone who (unlike Day and McCain) earned General Officer rank, and not particularly harsh. But instead of shrugging it off, McCain called a telephonic press conference Monday, theatrically unveiling a cadre of supporters with a dramatic name redolent of the infamous Swift Boat Veterans for Truth -- "the McCain Truth Squad" -- to defend his honor.

In Monday's conference call, McCain's surrogates didn't stick strictly to defense. For instance, retired Col. Bud Day -- a highly decorated veteran of WWII and Vietnam who was a cellmate of John McCain's in North Vietnam -- aggravated the conflict by calling Clark a poser whose Vietnam experience didn't really count because he got wounded too soon:

But I suppose a little payback's only fair; elsewhere, the "Truth Squad" seemed to call for the kind of mutual truce that I believe Obama is trying to obtain. Day, for example, went on to decry "political shenanigans" and then, in response to a question from Major Garrett of Fox News, said this:

"Let me make a comment about this issue of personal attacks. Inasmuch as I was John's commander in Vietnam as well as one of his loyal workers during the 2000 campaign, I am well aware of what the commencement of these kind of personal attacks can lead to. John was slandered and reviled in the 2000 campaign in a way that denigrated his service enormously and in my view was probably one of the reasons why he was not the President of the United States in 2000. So experience has taught all of us, I hope, that just as previous campaigns to this one have occurred, and there's been a need to answer these outrageous allegations, it was absolutely important to face this issue right off the bat."

Here's the audio:

It's worth bookmarking, because it's one of the clearest indictments of swiftboating you're ever likely to hear. Day was talking about Bush's slimy attacks on McCain in 2000, but he might as well have been talking about the swiftboat attacks on Kerry in 2004. Even the first names are the same, so for kicks try listening again and mentally substituting "2004" for "2000." On its face, Day's statement certainly seems to universally condemn "swiftboat" style attacks on candidates' military records. And it might have been good enough to warrant Obama calling off his dogs.

Except for two things:

(1) Bud Day -- the decorated veteran who so passionately decries the kinds of lies that kept McCain out of the Oval Office in 2000 and thinks slanders about candidates' military records should be nipped in the bud -- was a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth whose slanders against John Kerry's military record kept Kerry out of the Oval Office in 2004. He even appeared in one of their TV ads.

(2) Like a true SBVT member, Bud Day couldn't keep himself from telling lies even for the duration of one conference call. In the last question of the call, Politico's Ben Smith asked why Clark's comments about McCain were any different than the slanders Day had made about Kerry in 2004. Day swallowed the bait, explaining that 2004 was completely different because everything the Swiftboaters said about Kerry was true.

(Of course, the attacks on John Kerry's record were disproven. Back in 2004, McCain himself called the attacks "dishonest and dishonorable" (though he's still willing to take Swiftboaters' "dishonorable" money). Several of Kerry's boatmates have challenged the Swiftboats' main funder, Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, to produce the $1 million reward he offered to anyone who could prove Kerry really was a hero.)

And then, instead of McCain's press staff hitting the "mute" button and backpedaling the way they should have, they let retired Marine Lt. Col. Orson Swindle get on the line, where he agreed with Day, and added that the criticisms of McCain are worse than the Swiftboat attacks because they're "snide." (Snide?! Oh, the horror!)

The audio is remarkable. Compare Colonel George Everett "Bud" "Swiftboating's Bad!" Day above with Colonel George Everett "Bud" "Swiftboating's True!" Day here, and marvel not just at the insane inconsistency but at the fact that a serious major-party political candidate who trumpets his experience and good judgment actually lets a loon like Day speak on his behalf:

In the end, the only thing the "John McCain Truth Squad" accomplished in that call was to put McCain in an even deeper version of the hole he started in: representing a party that's already proven itself willing to slander people's military records and is doing so again in this election. By choosing Day as one of his spokesmen, and letting him spout off without issuing an immediate retraction, McCain didn't discourage swiftboating, he endorsed it -- and in so doing, invited further attacks on himself.

So, of course, Obama's surrogates haven't stopped. You don't stop bombing when the enemy refuses a truce; you keep the pressure on -- which Clark, a good military tactician, did:

I fully respect John McCain and his service and I said so repeatedly. My point is that there's a difference in preparing yourself for the highest office in the land depending upon which levels you've served at in the Armed Forces. John McCain as a young officer demonstrated courage and character. But the service as President is about judgment and the experience that he had as a fighter pilot isn't the same as having been at the highest levels of the military and having to make -- work with the President and other heads of state and make those kinds of life or death decisions about national, strategic issues.

Predictably, McCain -- still clueless about what's really going on here, and lacking any sense of proportionality -- overreacted again, and called another press conference call Tuesday to complain some more -- and, equally predictably, his surrogates made matters worse yet again. On Tuesday's McCain call, Col. Day was kept off the firing line, but Lt. Col. Swindle picked up the slack, calling Clark a failed, egotistical publicity hound:

Then Swindle, hypocritically, did to Clark exactly what he vilifies Clark for doing to McCain -- criticizing Clark's performance as a military officer and questioning whether his ethics "even exist":

This will give you a sense of how silly this whole foofaraw is, and how thin-skinned McCain is being. Clark has said:

"Everybody admires John McCain's service as a fighter pilot, his courage as a prisoner of war. There's no issue there. He's a great man and an honorable man. But ... that doesn't prepare you to be commander in chief in terms of dealing with the national strategic issues that are involved."

And McCain considers that an intolerable attack on his military service. But when Swindle said Clark's Vietnam experience didn't count because he was wounded too soon, that his military record was "less than stellar," and that he lacked any ethics, a McCain aide used almost identical language in explaining why those weren't attacks at all:

"It certainly was not an attack on his service - no one would ever disparage that. Everyone honors Gen. Clark's service and sacrifice -- he's literally bled for our country. It was about policy disputes."

Am I the only one finding it difficult to see the difference?

If McCain really wants Obama to "knock this crap off!" as Swindle colorfully put it yesterday morning, he's going about it completely wrong -- using exactly the kind of "warrior" instead of "warrior/statesman" mindset that Clark's talking about. The GOP invented the "attack 527" in 2004. The Republican Party Swiftboated John Kerry in 2004, and now McCain's surrogate has incredibly repeated the swiftboat lies against Kerry (who's not even involved in this squabble) in a formal, campaign-endorsed setting. Then, instead of backing away from those gaffes, the McCain camp called another news conference to let another McCain surrogate pile on. It's as if McCain only knows how to attack blindly, not how to use attack, retreat and parley as tools to accomplish a larger, strategic goal.

If the Obama camp is playing a relatively advanced diplomatic game to pressure McCain into calling a mutual end to these kinds of attacks -- to end not just the swiftboating of players with military backgrounds, but also such thuggery as the Tennessee G.O.P.'s attacks on Michelle Obama, which McCain pretended he was powerless to stop -- then it may have overestimated the strategic intelligence of its opponent. The Obama camp is merely trying to send McCain the message that if the Republicans will call an end to swiftboating, the Democrats will do the same. But it's becoming increasingly clear that the "experience" candidate's camp is not subtle or sophisticated enough to get even that simple message.

Comments

[woodguru]

mccain's truth squad sounds like a kangaroo court. They have been too involved with other swift boating incidents to have any credibility for defending McCain against imagined slights where the true slime campaigns were the real deal in terms of being fabricated lies.

[woodguru]

Clark made a smoothly diplomatic statement that he stands by, I don't see why McCain is over reacting so dramatically. And his POW buddies sure don't give me the "proof" that his career was supportive of executive experience. The proof I want to see is his military record laid out for all to see.

That McCain didn't get promoted to flag rank speaks volumes as he was a shoe in if he had anything on the ball.

It looks like McCain is trying hard for the bluster and smoke screens that cover the fact he doesn't have anything he wants to talk about, he'd rather run it on the outraged and viciously attacked war hero.

Mccain is not, I repeat not going to look good next to Obama. It's an embarassment of a disaster waiting to happen.

Gee, I think the war in Iraq can be called as a win any time now, there aren't any terrorist threats to the US left. Now we are in the support role for the oil companies and US corporations who will be operating there. If the oil companies need a military presence let them pay for a private security detail, that's part of the cost of doing business there as has been the tab for the "war"

[ebanks84]

I didn't mean ALL republicans. I meant those in government ONLY. Sorry about that to the general public :)

[Trogenhorse]

McCain is being very thin skinned in these bouts. He has overblown the statements of Gen Clarke. I happen to agree with Gen Clarke. I'm military and am in NO way worthy of being a congressman much less a president (if considering ONLY my military credentials).

John McCain should be honored as well as Gen Clarke- for military service to country. Add't credentials are needed for president.

[jupitor]

well darn! If you graduate almost bottom of your class ! wreck three planes! Get shot down !-------------------------------Does that mean you have a good Military record? I'd darn sure would like to see a bad one! Along with being catured an being a POW for five years is suppose to insure you experience that would make you a good president? Can some one tell me how this kind of record give's you the intelligence, experience to be a president? so are you saying that Obama should have graduated at the bottom of his law class, instead at the top? Are you saying he should have taken a corperate law firm job, instead of working at a low paying court possition for the poor? Should he have found a rich wife, instead of one working her way through college? please tell me what Mccain ahas done, Obama hasn't?

[toby25]

who is Obama's swift boat crew? Moveon.org ?? Let's not pretend there isnt smear politics on both sides. Let's be fair about the accusations.

[BEHM777]

Senator Obama didn't "hire" MoveOn. It is an independent entity. You will not hear MoveOn on Senator Obama's conference calls. Let's not pretend you aren't an apologist for Republican Dirty Tricks. Try again.

BEHusseinM777

[lady49]

Toby,
2 things:
Last Month, Senator Obama specifically asked moveon.org to cancel it's 527 arm and in recognition of his request, they did. Even though Senator McCain had just released a statement saying that he "couldn't possibly be expected to control the swiftboating attempts against Senator Obama.

Don't you think that being fair would involve "avoiding" former swiftboaters? Who did Senator McCain pick ?

[woodguru]

What was the 527 arm?

[egal]

Fair would be accepting an unassailable truth that low-level leadership and being a P.O.W. in no way prepare ANYBODY for the presidency. If THAT is "swiftboating", then it would also be smear politics to claim that working as a manager at McDonald's doesn't qualify one for president, or that depriving Veterans of their deserved and needed benefits--as well as pay increases equivalent to inflation--and remotely sufficient medical care is a great way to serve the troops.

If McCain is really going to run on his "experience" it would help to have some relevant experience. Not like voting for a war almost 100% of military leaders (two of those promoted in order to protect the soldiers beneath them from their incompetence are notable exceptions) and Intel personnel said was illegal, unneccessary, counterproductive to fighting terrorism, destructive to our security, etc.

[woodguru]

Bush has rejected and slandered every truly knowledgeable expert the administration has been in proximity to that won't back the party spins. There has been an inordinate amount of upper echelon criticism which is almost unheard of. Generals will usually resign if they feel strongly about telling things like they are and several have. Some of the best and most knowledgeable experts are available for Obama to use as the best advise and guidance that could be possible, it's ironic and telling that they have been rejected by Bush.

i expect obama to be able to intelligently use and assimilate excellent advice wherever it comes from.

[JJeff88]

Two points:

1. Refusal to equate heroism with being skilled at global and miltary strategy skills is not inappropriate and should not be off the table.

2. My impression of Sen. McCain thus far is that he is essentially a put-down artist who brings little in the way of anything new that will prove helpful to a stressed-out and often desperate citizenry.

[woodguru]

mcCain is the one who makes a point to run on the war hero theme so it does in fact make his military record of great interest and pertinence.

Any executive resume starts with what? Education credentials, top of the class, president of the Harvard Law Review, years of constitutional law as an area of special interest. Then we have graduated (or did he really?) fourth from the bottom of a class of 800. Hey, which resume is going to indicate executive ability?

Obama should make a point to run on the constitutional law experience which is definitely something Bush needed a lot more of.

Obama doesn't need military experience when he has the executive ability to assemble some of the greatest military minds alive as advisors that he will respect and listen to which Bush never did get the hang of. Obama has proven superior skills at getting to the heart of complex and difficult issues with the legal briefs he has done.

[Piatt]

Thanks for the analysis. Responding to criticism without going completely over the top is a real problem for the McSame campaign. McSame himself doesn't seem to be the only one in the campaign with thin skin. It's created a school yard taunt environment which voters are going to be way tired of way before the election. This one has also created another highly visible McCain flip flop...if swift voters were reprehensible in 2004, why is it okay to bring them on board in 2008?

[CaptainZero]

Mega-dittos!

[MegInPA]

GREAT article.

[Binx101]

No more knee jerk reactions.

Wes Clark didn't need an interpreter - just fair coverage.

Corporate Media manufactures this stuff.

Read more ...

Binx101
The Almost Daily Binx
http://binx101.wordpress.com

[ericmiami]

I'm still an Obama supporter but I'm disappointed he repudiated what Clark said. McCain's tantrums every time his military record is mentioned are indicative he has something to hide and his temper shows he does not belong in the White House. Being a POW is a horrible thing but it doesn't qualify a person for POTUS. Otherwise, the prisoners at Gitmo should maybe be in the running

[woodguru]

i agree with that, I felt Obama should have been every bit as solid in his support of nothing wrong having been said. It almost gives credibility to McCain's reaction to apologize for it as if it were out of line, it wasn't and support of that one just makes McCain look lamer every time he brings it up. Obama should say the same exact thing in public just so Mccain stays focused on his objections to nothing.

[grannysharp]

When will they release all of McCain's military records? not just the ones he wants released and then we can compair them to Clark's and I bet I know who has the best.

[buggedabouttheus]

Excellent article. Let Gen. Clark loose to fight them he can do just fine.

[Tags]

Obama's not having a military record doesn't pose a problem for those folks. If they can't swiftboat him, they'll just scarfboat him.

Look for Muslim scarves to play a leading role in ad hominem attacks until November.

[woodguru]

Either that or Sinclair him, I'm expecting that one to hit the launcher any time now.

[Mannycongo]

I think McCain's got plenty of material in this past that he's got a stake in keeping hidden. I don't know why somebody hasn't resurrected the incident which Bob Bayer relates in one of his earliest books detailing the events of the U.S.S. Liberty. The "Liberty" was a signals intelligence ship which happened to be near a venue in the !967 Israeli War where the Israelis were committing a lot of atricities in an Arab village and they were fearful that the "Liberty" had intercepted their signals traffic. As a result they sent out an airstrike against a U.S. vessel flying no fewer than 5 "Stars and Stripes" frome very possible place on the ship. There were several straffing and bombing passes; 167 sailors were killed, the skipper got the Medal of Honor and then McCain's father (the vice admiral) covered the incident up when investigation time came. Years later McCain did the same thing whe the incident reared it's nasty head again. THIS is the kind of shipmates the McCain men are to their fellow bluejackets. Detestible. And this is why Obama must be careful. AIPAC wants to see McCain in the White House and they will do everything to smear Obama and prevent McCains true colors from becomeing public knowledge. If there are any crewmembers of the U.S.S. Liberty around, please come forward and make your case known.

[ARBOC2]

The Liberty says a hell of a lot more about our Israeli occupied congress than it does about any naval officer involved in the coverup of what Israel choose to call a mistaken identity of our NSA vessel that they straffed, bombed. napalmed and whose survivors were machine gunned in life boats to cut short any interference by us in their planned take over and occupation of the Golan Heights in the six day war. Goggle The USS Liberty and read it all. This went way above even an admiral.

Obama said everything possible to kiss Israeli ass when he groveled before them at the recent AIPAC Conference. He apparently wished to asssure them he backs their solely owned senator, Lieberman.

[woodguru]

it sounds like the Liberty is a different incident than the aircraft carrier fire. That was a massively expensive prank if he did in fact hot shot the plane behind him and torch off a sidewinder. If that in fact was the way it was it didn't come out right, the Phantom pilot died and McCain lived.

That incident has a ring of truth to it that just fits with the renegade devil may care prankster he was known to be. that makes more sense as a reason a missile went off than just being an inexplicable failure.

Quite nfrankly McCain's MO would be to throw the first smears so that anything that comes back in a retaliatory manner can be called fabrications.

[woodguru]

You may have the ship wrong, I saw the articles on the aircraft carrier Forrester, McCain in reality took a missile in the rear of his plane from the one behind him, that's verifiable fact. The rumor part of the story was that McCain was a bit of a card and he was particularly fond of a stunt called hot shotting the engine on start-up. The fuel pump system had a fault that allowed you to intentionally flood the engine with fuel before igniting it which made a pretty spectacular blast of flame. mcCain was rumored to be a bit of the renegade and missed very few opportunities to behave outside of regs. His daddy had him transported off of the carrier and reassigned to another before the fire was even under control. Over 160 seamen died in that incident, there were over 40 first hand witnesses that were threatened with dire consequences if they talked about the incident to anyone and the issue was smoothed over as only an admiral with clout could have done. I think that story has relevance in terms of we should know about that and other character defining realities that would be spelled out in detail.