The media has decided that since there is some controversy, thus all of the claims are hogwash. Totally incorrect logic.

The SBVT are ignoring the media and running more ads.

I tracked them in detail for a while, but tired of it. Anyway, the first claim - that the first purple heart was awarded fraudulently is undoubtedly true. The eyewitness testimony is good. The timing of the award (3 months later) is out of whack with other awards. The awarding officer was a cipher in Saigon, not an officer in Kerry's unit. Kerry's eagerness to get the award is very suspicious.

All the facts point to this: - the guy was not hurt in enemy action, but rather in a one sided shoot-em up where no fire came towards him. He was probably hit by shrapnel after firing his M-79 at too close a target.

The bronze star (and related purple heart) seem very weak also. There are too many swift boat commanders who claim no enemy fire, and the lack of damage to the vessels, and their ability to hang around to work on the 3 boat indicates it wasn't a hot zone.

Kerry, by dint of escaping combat through the use of at least one falsibied medal, is a shirker. His behavior after the war is even worse, which is why SBVT isn't the only anti-Kerry Veterans' group. He slandered us with charges he had to know were false, while he was in contact with the enemy.

It amazes me this droid is a presidential candidate.

The Swiftvets book was done in a hurry - basically as a respose to the media's ignoring of the May 5 press conference. I hear it has a lot of good detail, although I haven't had time to read much of it.

The same is said about the accusations of the so called swifties. All based on what they say, not on what you call real evidence.

Therein lies the real problem: the only evidence remaining is whatever lies in the files, and Kerry refuses to sign the SF 180 to release his records. I doubt that would clear up the controversy completely, but it would certainly ensure that we had all of the relevant information.