BigBadBrian
08-25-2004, 09:49 AM
Kerry Takes Fight Over Vietnam Ads to Bush's Ranch
Aug 25, 2:05 AM (ET)
By Adam Entous
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - Democrat John Kerry will dispatch two fellow Vietnam veterans to President Bush's secluded Texas ranch on Wednesday to press him to condemn television advertisements accusing Kerry of lying about his wartime service.
The move comes one day after it was disclosed that a top lawyer for Bush's re-election campaign has been providing legal advice to the group behind the ads, the so-called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Kerry is sending to Crawford former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia, a frequent companion of Kerry's on the campaign trail and a fellow Vietnam War veteran who lost three limbs during the war.
Cleland and former Army Green Beret Jim Rassman, whose life was saved by Kerry during a Vietnam war firefight, will try to deliver a letter protesting the ads to Bush at his heavily guarded ranch, Kerry aides said.
Kerry's service has dominated the neck-and-neck race for the Nov. 2 election in recent days as both candidates try to portray themselves as the best man to lead the United States in its war against terrorism.
Bush has called for the Swift Boat ads to be stopped along with others run by independent groups, and said Kerry should be proud of his war service.
But Bush stopped short of condemning the group or its specific accusations that the Democratic presidential candidate lied about his record in Vietnam.
The Kerry letter, signed by at least seven Democratic senators who have served in the military, calls on Bush to "recognize this blatant attempt at character assassination, and publicly condemn it."
"Call on this group to cease and desist," they wrote.
Cleland said Bush "owes it to every soldier and veteran in the nation to stop condoning their smears through his silence."
Cleland lost his 2002 re-election bid after a bitter campaign in which Republicans questioned his patriotism. Bush did not intervene then, and Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said what happened to Cleland in 2002 is similar to "what is going on today" against Kerry.
MCCAIN NOT A SIGNATORY
The Kerry letter was not signed by Republican Sen. John McCain, a fellow Vietnam veteran who has urged Bush to condemn the ads. McCain was scheduled to campaign next week with Bush before the Republican convention.
Kerry has called the Swift Boat ads inaccurate and accused the group of being a front for the Bush campaign. He has asked the Federal Election Commission to force the ads to be withdrawn.
The Bush campaign and the White House have said they have nothing to do with the Swift Boat group or the ads.
But the group received some of its funding from long-time Bush supporters and its new commercial features one veteran, Ken Cordier, who was on a Bush campaign committee until last week when he was forced to step down.
It was further disclosed late Tuesday that the Bush campaign's chief outside counsel, Ben Ginsberg, has also been giving legal advice to the Swift Boat group.
Aug 25, 2:05 AM (ET)
By Adam Entous
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - Democrat John Kerry will dispatch two fellow Vietnam veterans to President Bush's secluded Texas ranch on Wednesday to press him to condemn television advertisements accusing Kerry of lying about his wartime service.
The move comes one day after it was disclosed that a top lawyer for Bush's re-election campaign has been providing legal advice to the group behind the ads, the so-called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Kerry is sending to Crawford former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia, a frequent companion of Kerry's on the campaign trail and a fellow Vietnam War veteran who lost three limbs during the war.
Cleland and former Army Green Beret Jim Rassman, whose life was saved by Kerry during a Vietnam war firefight, will try to deliver a letter protesting the ads to Bush at his heavily guarded ranch, Kerry aides said.
Kerry's service has dominated the neck-and-neck race for the Nov. 2 election in recent days as both candidates try to portray themselves as the best man to lead the United States in its war against terrorism.
Bush has called for the Swift Boat ads to be stopped along with others run by independent groups, and said Kerry should be proud of his war service.
But Bush stopped short of condemning the group or its specific accusations that the Democratic presidential candidate lied about his record in Vietnam.
The Kerry letter, signed by at least seven Democratic senators who have served in the military, calls on Bush to "recognize this blatant attempt at character assassination, and publicly condemn it."
"Call on this group to cease and desist," they wrote.
Cleland said Bush "owes it to every soldier and veteran in the nation to stop condoning their smears through his silence."
Cleland lost his 2002 re-election bid after a bitter campaign in which Republicans questioned his patriotism. Bush did not intervene then, and Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said what happened to Cleland in 2002 is similar to "what is going on today" against Kerry.
MCCAIN NOT A SIGNATORY
The Kerry letter was not signed by Republican Sen. John McCain, a fellow Vietnam veteran who has urged Bush to condemn the ads. McCain was scheduled to campaign next week with Bush before the Republican convention.
Kerry has called the Swift Boat ads inaccurate and accused the group of being a front for the Bush campaign. He has asked the Federal Election Commission to force the ads to be withdrawn.
The Bush campaign and the White House have said they have nothing to do with the Swift Boat group or the ads.
But the group received some of its funding from long-time Bush supporters and its new commercial features one veteran, Ken Cordier, who was on a Bush campaign committee until last week when he was forced to step down.
It was further disclosed late Tuesday that the Bush campaign's chief outside counsel, Ben Ginsberg, has also been giving legal advice to the Swift Boat group.