The Swift Boaters Are Alive And Well

Saturday January 5, 2008 06:27 EST
Jonah Goldberg and Glenn Reynolds warn of "social unraveling" if Obama loses
(updated below)

Over at National Review, Jonah Goldberg has a "theory" about what might help Obama win in the general election. After noting that Obama will be "the first serious mainstream black contender for the White House," Goldberg warns (emphasis added):

Quote:

I think it's worth imagining a certain scenario. Imagine the Democrats do rally around Obama. Imagine the media invests as heavily in him as I think we all know they will if he's the nominee -- and then imagine he loses. I seriously think certain segments of American political life will become completely unhinged. I can imagine the fear of this social unraveling actually aiding Obama enormously in 2008.

Goldberg's career as a pundit was launched following his mother Lucianne Goldberg's role in the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, when he wrote about the "media siege" on his mother's apartment in the New Yorker.[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah_Goldberg[4]

Of course Goldberg fails to take into account that after the violence of the looting we will be faced with a period of calm when all those looters settle back to watch their new big screen TVs.

Quote:

Of course Goldberg fails to take into account that after the violence of the looting we will be faced with a period of calm when all those looters settle back to watch their new big screen TVs.

The question is, will they be watching Huckabee or McCain inaugurated?

Quote:

Of course Goldberg fails to take into account that after the violence of the looting we will be faced with a period of calm when all those looters settle back to watch their new big screen TVs.

The question is, will they be watching Huckabee or McCain inaugurated?

Ticomaya wrote:

Quote:

Of course Goldberg fails to take into account that after the violence of the looting we will be faced with a period of calm when all those looters settle back to watch their new big screen TVs.

The question is, will they be watching Huckabee or McCain inaugurated?

The second question is... how about a wager?

The swift boaters claims were proven pretty conclusively to be all contrived BS originating out of the desire to smear Kerry. McCain himself condemned the use of their tactics. But that was before this compaign, when he's become so desperate that he'd take money from anybody.

snood wrote:

The swift boaters claims were proven pretty conclusively to be all contrived BS originating out of the desire to smear Kerry. McCain himself condemned the use of their tactics. But that was before this compaign, when he's become so desperate that he'd take money from anybody.

You may believe this, but many others disagree. The group included all but one of Kerry's fellow officers in his boat squadron - his peers, those who knew him best. The guy who sat next to him in the Congressional testimony for the supposed "Vietnam Vetrans" Group they purported to represent was later proven to be a fraud - not even a veteran, though he claimmed to be one and to have served in the Air Force. (Interestingly, his image, seated next to Kerry, is usually cropped out of the famous photograph). Kerry very publically threw his medals over the White House fence during the war protests, but later while he was touting his "warrior" experience to advance his political career he suddenly found he still had them. Indeed, as a sitting Senator, 18 years later, he successfully lobbied the Administration to upgrade his Bronze star to a Silver Star. Finally his never released war records would show that he got an "Other than Honorable" discharge, because of his patently illegal representations to the Virtnamese in Paris while he was still on active duty.

"member of his squadron", huh?

Not a single one of those "eyewitness" smearers rode on a single mission in the same boat with Kerry. Produce one that did, or kindly STFU about their credibility.

snood wrote:

"member of his squadron", huh?

Not a single one of those "eyewitness" smearers rode on a single mission in the same boat with Kerry. Produce one that did, or kindly STFU about their credibility.

What is the basis for your credibility on this point? Your statement above strongly suggests you have very little understanding of the reality involved.

The swift boats operated in groups, more or less like the squadrons of fighter or attack aircraft in which I flew. While we didn't fly in the same cockpits with each other, we, very quickly learned whom we could trust and rely on. These things engendered deeply felt and lasting feelings, particularly towards the few who in these circumstances were not only lacking in committment to their buddies, but also very interested in enhancing their own reputations with others. Bugging out when the shooting starts - so suddenly that a crewmember falls overboard - and then, when the firing is done, coming back to pick him up, is a few steps short of heroism.