That Swiftboat Veterans For Truth Ad

...is blistering.

It gets the siren because it actually just might change the trajectory of this campaign:

Before I saw the ad, I figured this was a political loser that could only backfire and help John Kerry. Now I'm not so certain.

John Kerry's credibility as an American leader comes entirely from his four months -- four months, that's right -- in Vietnam. If he garners so much credibility from those four months, don't the men who served above, with, and under him also garner credibility from their own service in Vietnam?

Often much, much longer than a four month stint, too.

The doctor who treated him for his first "Purple Heart" (ahem) wound states, flat-out, that he lied about the injury.

John Kerry has said repeatedly that no one who didn't serve in Vietnam can challenge his commitment to national security. Okay, Johnny-- here are a group of men who did serve. Can they challenge that commitment?

He's also used his Vietnam service as a shield against all other attacks on his character. Do these Vietnam vets not also get the benefit of that shield from the personal attacks on them that will soon be coming?

Or does the Vietnam Shield only apply to Massachusetts liberals?

I don't see how the media can simply avoid these questions in the face of the public testimony of his fellow swiftboat veterans.

Terrorism is George Bush's "fortress." Challenge that successfully, and you defeat him in November.

John Kerry's fortress is the four months he spent in Vietnam before ginning up three fakey Purple Hearts and pleading to be released from duty. Challenge that fortress successfully, and there's no rationale whatsoever compelling the election of John Forbes Kerry.

Hat tip to NRO's The Corner.

More: Apparently I'm not the only one taken aback by the ferocity and the effectiveness of the ad. Instapundit (whom I beat here, but who's keeping track?) agrees with a blogger stating that it's "the most devastating political ad I have ever seen - bar none."

They Have a Site, and They Accept Contributions: Although you all know I am, like my very good friend Andrew Sullivan, still an independent and carefully weighing my choice between John Kerry and George Bush -- I tell ya, I'm on the knife's edge here, so balanced and moderate and free-thinking am I -- I also happen to be a reporter (stop sniggering).

And so I have to report that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth can be contacted here, and that contributions will, they say, be used to buy airings of their ad.

I certainly am not recommending that anyone do any such thing at all. I do not support or oppose either John Kerry or George Bush, my occasional venomous anti-Kerry screeds in the Gay Advocate magazine notwithstanding.

I didn't say it, but you still heard it here first: Russell Wardlow offers:

Hehe. The irony about this is if Kerry does suffer because of Vietnam, it will the ultimate "self-inflicted wound."

Not mine, but damnit, I want this site credited for it anyhow. I was in the area when it was said.

Maximum Exposure Update: I didn't realize it, but Drudge is linking right to the ad with a big banner headline. Drudge is a one-man force when it comes to focusing the country's attention on an event.

Now, if only we can have no other big news to compete with the headline until midday tomorrow...

posted by Ace at 09:08 PM

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