Hypocrite much? MoveOn gets all Swift Boaty, and boy are the Swift Boaters mad!
MoveOn's controversial full page ad about General Patreaus that appeared in the NY Times and other papers has the right sputtering about personal attacks. While I enjoy the sputtery goodness and agree with the overall gist, it's disappointing to see the organization descend to the swift boaters tactics of taking personal attacks. It just turns people off.
Still, it amusing to the see all the righteous indignation from the same folks who seemed pleased as pie about the Swift Boat nasty-grams about John Kerry, such as Pete Hegseth, who wrote a piece in the Weekly Standard this week about the ad. Hegseth is executive director of Vets for Freedom, a group that the Center for Freedom of Democracy found is connected to both the Republican Party and the Swift Boaters themselves. In fact, New York Magazine found evidence that Vets for Freedom is the new name of the swift boaters. What an amazing coincidence!
Here's an excerpt:
To attack as a traitor an American general commanding forces in war because his 'on the ground' experience does not align with MoveOn.org's political objectives is utterly shameful. It shows contempt for America's military leadership, as well as for the troops who have confidence in him, as our fellow soldiers in Iraq certainly do.
FYI, despite the wording of the column, the ad never calls Patreaus a traitor (go see yourself); that's Hegseth's interpretation. By that same criteria, the Swift Boat ads could be interpreted as saying John Kerry is a traitor. In fact, maybe one of them actually did; I didn't see them all.
Anyhow, it would be nice if both sides could put away the personal attacks and feigned indignation. For a change.
Comments
trai·tor /ˈtreɪtər/ –noun
1. a person who betrays another, a cause, or any trust.
2. a person who commits treason by betraying his or her country.
No, it doesn't directly call him a traitor. It justs asks whether he is doing what defines a traitor. In the same manner as asking "When did you stop beating your wife?" Please explain why such a distinction makes a difference.
John Kerry slandered American servicemen and led an organization that slandered American servicemen in the service of communist Vietnam. He was a traitor, whether or not you like to admit it. There's no tit for tat here .
Posted by: Tom | September 12, 2007 1:56 PM