Voting Station

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

Please vote to return to collections.

Organization

The Resume

    (2004- )
    Organization of Vietnam swift boat veterans formed to oppose the presidential campaign of John Kerry
    Claimed that Kerry exaggerated his service in Vietnam
    Claimed that Kerry's criticism of the Vietnam War was a 'betrayal of trust' of his fellow soldiers
    Produced four TV commercials about Kerry
    Published the book 'Unfit for Command'
    Renamed Swift Vets and POWs for Truth

Why they might be annoying:

    Their ads questioned the legitimacy of Kerry's medals, but none of the members were present when he earned his Purple Hearts.
    The only member present when Kerry earned his Silver Star, Larry Clayton Lee, said he had earned it.
    They claimed to be an independent group even though most of their funding came from financial backers of George W. Bush; their communications consultant, Merrie Spaeth, had worked for Bush on anti-McCain ads in 2000; Benjamin Ginsburg served as the chief lawyer for both the Bush re-election campaign and the Swift Vets; and Keneth Cordier, a member of the Bush campaign veterans steering committee, appeared in a Swift Boat ad.
    They were fined $299,500 by the FEC for failing to file disclosure reports and violating federal limits on contributions.
    Early member Steve Hayes broke with the group, commenting, 'It became clear to me it was morphing from an organization to set the record straight into a highly political vendetta. They knew it was not the truth.'
    They inspired the term 'swiftboating' for a political smear campaign.

Why they might not be annoying:

    They are Vietnam vets.
    True or not, the ads worked.
    Ginsberg and Cordier resigned from the Bush campaign after their connections with the Swift Vets were publicized.
    An FEC investigation found no proof that they had 'unlawfully coordinated' their activities with the Bush campaign.
    In an FEC filing, they said that when they cease operations they will donate their remaining funds to a charity to support the families of soldiers killed and wounded in Iraq.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 27 Votes: 51.85% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 16 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 46 Votes: 47.83% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 47 Votes: 42.55% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 719 Votes: 51.74% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 86 Votes: 53.49% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 661 Votes: 38.43% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 1023 Votes: 50.24% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 128 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 192 Votes: 60.94% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 176 Votes: 61.36% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 227 Votes: 34.80% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 79 Votes: 68.35% Annoying