$40 million dollar connection between Bush and Swift Boat Veterans for Falsities, er, I mean "truth"...

[ManaMan]

<div style='font: 12pt Arial; text-align: left; '>I got this from Moby's website :)

SWIFT BOAT VET GOT $40M CONTRACT FROM BUSH

The Bush White House has denied any connection to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth[1] - the group that has been airing factually unsupportable smear ads against Sen. John Kerry's war record. But a new report today shows that one of the key accusers in the smear ads was a lobbyist for a company that recently received a massive federal contract from the Bush administration.

As the Washington Post reports, Rear Admiral William L. Schachte Jr., the man who claims Kerry was not under fire when he received his first Purple Heart, is a top lobbyist for a defense contractor that recently won a $40 million grant from the Bush administration. According to a March 18 legal filing by Schachte's firm, Blank Rome, Schachte was one of the lobbyists working for FastShip's effort to secure federal contracts.[2] On Feb. 2, FastShip announced the Bush administration had awarded it $40 million.[3]

Schachte has other connections to the Bush administration. The Washington Post notes David Norcross, Schachte's colleague in the Washington office of Blank Rome, is chairman of this week's Republican convention in New York.[4] Records show that Schachte gave $1,000 to Bush's 2000 and 2004 campaigns.[5] Additionally, Schachte helped organize veterans' efforts against Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and for Bush in the 2000 South Carolina primary.[6]

This is not the first member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who has been revealed to be connected to the President. The Bush-Cheney campaign's top outside lawyer was forced to resign after he admitted providing legal services to the veterans group.[7] The Bush Cheney campaign's veterans adviser was also featured in one of the smear ads.[8]

Sources:

1. "Press Gaggle by Scott McClellan," WhiteHouse.gov, 8/20/04, <a href="http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=17 ... =52656.</a>
2. "A Swift Shift in Stories," Washington Post, 8/31/04, <a href="http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=17 ... =52657.</a>
3. "FastShip, Inc. to Receive $40 million in Federal Support for Marine Cargo Terminal in Philadelphia," FastShipAtlantic.com, 2/02/04, <a href="http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=17 ... =52658.</a>
4. "A Swift Shift in Stories," Washington Post, 8/31/04, <a href="http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=17 ... =52657.</a>
5. OpenSecrets.org, 8/04, <a href="http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=17 ... =52659.</a>
6. Charleston Post & Courier, 2/17/2000.
7. "Bush-Cheney Lawyer Advised Anti-Kerry Vets," Washington Post, 8/25/04, <a href="http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=17 ... =52660.</a>
8. "Bush Campaign Drops Swift Boat Ad Figure," Washington Post, 8/22/04, <a href="http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=17 ... =52661.</a> Visit www.Misleader.org for more about Bush Administration distortion.</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 10pt Tahoma; text-align: left; '>Just out of curiosity, why would you believe one mans account of the incidents over a group? Wouldnt it be more likely for the one to exagerate?</div>

[the Gray]

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>I believe him when the authors of the book have been almost totally discredited, and most of that group has as well. mediamatters.org has the whole of it.</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 10pt Tahoma; text-align: left; '>Also, speaking logically, wouldnt it make sense that since these people know they have a connection with Bush and they know how easy it is for people to draw those lines that they wouldnt lie? Smart people would realize that going public with such information with a connection with Bush and lieing would hurt their ultimate cause, and i dont think the veterans are morons. Just food for thought.</div>

[the Gray]

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>No Flip, I mean their accusations have been discredited.</div>

[ManaMan]

<div style='font: 12pt Arial; text-align: left; '>Look, you have a motive: Bush wants to attack Kerry on one of the things that would otherwise help Kerry out tremendously (his valiant service in Vietnam) but he doesn't want to look bad, so he'll want someone else to do his dirty work... Also, by putting the focus on Kerry and making <i>his</i> war record seem shady, he completely diverts attention away from what <i>he</i>(Bush) did during Vietnam. These advertisements also divert media attention away from the war in Iraq, a sluggish economy, millions of Americans going into poverty and/or losing their health insurance, etc., etc. You see, the media loves a scandal--especially when it involves a Democrat--they practically foam at the mouth when they remember the ratings they got during the Clinton scandal(s). Then you have the veterans themselves, almost all of whom never even served with Kerry, who despise him for speaking out against the Vietnam war and are looking for opportunities to get back at him.

So we have a damn strong motive and as if that weren't enough, we can see from various investigations that there are monetary, political, and <i>personal</i> connections between the Bush administration and this group (see my previous two posts on this subject). Maybe you've forgotten, but we've gone to war for less Flip! The case for a connection between BushCo. and the SBVFT is more solid than the link between Saddam and Al-Queada. How many people have died for less proof? 'Nuff said.</div>

[Derithian]

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>Um....the fact that they have changed their story on multiple occasions. They make it blatant that they are lying through their teeth. first it was that they were never under fire. then it was that they were under fire but kerry ran away and came back an hour later...</div>

[SineSwiper]

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>I have a better question: Why would you not believe the Daily Show? Jon already play his "Oracle of Bacon" game with Bush-SBfT.</div>

[SineSwiper]

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>Since most people (you, for example) are too lazy to research the fact that their ad is total lying bullshit, they can get away with it. It's actually quite sad that Kerry's numbers are actually dropping from such a easily disprovable lie.</div>

[Derithian]

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>not to mention what I said above...their stories keep changing. oh and also some of them stood up with kerry in the past and talked about what an honorable soldier he was....they are so full of shit it amazes me</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 10pt Tahoma; text-align: left; '>I dont watch the daily show. I have a normal hour job and usually go to bed around 10 and read till 10:45 or when i fall asleep.</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 10pt Tahoma; text-align: left; '>WHy wont Kerry just speak about his medals?</div>

[Derithian]

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>guy says they weren't under fire at all. yet in his own report that he wrote it says they were under fire. not only that but he got a medal for courage under fire. second. now they say that John Kerry wasn't there than he ran away before coming back an hour later to rescue the guy. hmm. in my book that would be called a what? flippity flop</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 10pt Tahoma; text-align: left; '>links? (from something that isnt mediamatters and moveon)</div>

[Derithian]

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>mostly TV interviews....coming from their own mouths. oh, and the fact that it's all a matter of public record you can look up at will</div>

[SineSwiper]

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>Awww...it's on three times a day. Try the 7PM showing.</div>

[SineSwiper]

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '><b>Link:</b> <a href="http://video.lisarein.com/dailyshow/aug ... ear.mov">I love Lisa Rein!</a>

Daily Show link #1</div>

[SineSwiper]

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '><img src="http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/200 ... _graph.gif">

Can't find the other Daily Show link (with the 1996 George Elliott quote), but this NYT graph is even better. Look at the bottom part.</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 10pt Tahoma; text-align: left; '>Thats your indisputable proof? Like i said, noone has any hard evidence that these guys are lying, just like noone knows if Kerry is lying, its all he-said-she-said bullshit that peopel need to stop paying attention to.</div>

[SineSwiper]

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>No, it's pretty cut and dry. A majority of the Swift Boat Veterans haven't even served with Kerry, and the ones that have said that Kerry was a hero in the past. Look at the NYT image.</div>