McCain Obfuscates Re: Swiftees

I promised not to be negative, so I substituted “obfuscates” for lies in the headline.

In a blogger conference call today, as Powerline reports:

McCain also clarified his position on the Swift Boat Vets' 2004 ads. I've often seen McCain quoted as a critic of the Vets, but he was quick to say that he was only critical of the ad that questioned Kerry's combat record. McCain said he thought that was out of bounds. On the other hand, when the Vets went after Kerry's activities with Vietnam Veterans Against the War, his testimony before the Foreign Relations Committee, his charges of atrocities and his antiwar activities generally, that was "legitimate" and "fair game."

In fact, immediately after the Swiftboat Veterans For Truth released their first ad, on August 5, 2004 John McCain called it “dishonest and dishonorable,” McCain not having either read the details in Unfit For Command, nor reading the affidavits of the Swiftees, nor discussing the matter with them. McCain was being “loyal” to his longtime friend John Kerry, and disloyal both to better veterans and the truth. McCain's comment was widely used against the Swiftees.

McCain never, afterward, spoke up for the Swiftees when their ads took on Kerry’s VVAW activities. McCain let the impression persist from his August 5 comment.

In 1973, however, McCain was more of a straight talker, to US News & World Report:

McCain publicly complained that the testimony by Kerry and others was “the most effective propaganda [my North Vietnamese captors] had to use against us.”

Sorry, John McCain, obfuscating doesn’t work, and is a further insult. You're not playing a "fair game" on this, nor "straight-talking."