1384:
1393:
112:. The unsubstantiated charges against Kerry by the SBVT gave rise to the term "swiftboating" as a synonym for "the nastiest of campaign smears", "a slimy political attack", and, for many, "ugly, unprincipled slander". As the purpose of a tax-exempt 527 organization is "to focus on the issues" rather than "attack or defend a specific candidate", the SBVT was fined by the
204:
reported in 2008 that many Swift Boat veterans, "especially those who had nothing to do with the group that attacked
Senator John Kerry's military record in the 2004 election—want their good name back, and the good names of the men not lucky enough to come home alive", expressed regret and dismay
319:
the group's major claims were eventually uncovered as misleading ... The Swift Boat smear campaign is often identified as being one of the significant factors that contributed to the defeat of Kerry by incumbent George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential
1373:
519:
In recent elections, the patriotism and good names of
Democratic war hero candidates, from John Kerry to Max Cleland, had been impugned so successfully that a neologism for such smears—to 'swift boat'—was coined out of the assault on
1462:
1006:
116:
in 2004 for specifically attacking Kerry instead of focusing on political issues. The Swift Boat
Veterans and media pundits objected to this use of the term to define a smear campaign.
264:, putting his own twist on the neologism at a presidential campaign stop on January 1, 2012, said he felt he was being "Romney-boated" by the barrage of negative ads run against him.
1611:
1436:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
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1341:
1329:
182:
98:'s heroism under fire as a Swift Boat commander in Vietnam was a centerpiece of his campaign. A number of Vietnam veterans who had served on Swift Boats formed a
880:
140:
to swiftboating: "It's very clear they are trying to re-create and take a page out for the 2004 Bush campaign." The term was also used by a representative of
1457:
734:
102:
called Swift Boat
Veterans for Truth with the intent of discrediting his military record and attacking his subsequent antiwar activities as a member of
1259:
941:
1477:
209:
193:
166:
145:
125:
68:
1513:
1472:
273:
155:
1616:
1452:
1234:
853:
773:
717:
585:
413:
349:
312:
1309:
996:
1467:
250:
224:
The use of this term as a pejorative has resulted in objections from some conservatives regarding the implied criticism of the tactic.
205:
that the term "swift boat" has come to represent a political attack and "political chicanery" against a member of a different party.
664:
612:
440:
236:
1332:
1199:
129:
103:
1401:
1225:
How the Left
Swiftboated America: The Liberal Media Conspiracy to Make You Think George Bush was the Worst President in History
743:
a veterans group that has leveled unsubstantiated attacks on
Senator John Kerry's Vietnam War record in a book and on the air.
1141:
74:. Since the 2004 election, the term has been commonly applied to a political attack that is dishonest, personal, and unfair.
543:
1358:
1057:
240:
60:
1363:
1113:
681:
1274:
113:
1392:
890:
1085:
823:
The name given by
Democrats to the tactic of unfairly attacking or smearing a candidate, often with half-truths.
1302:
159:
150:
1169:
1029:
686:
1251:
913:
257:, where he defines swiftboating as "the political trick of claiming to expose truth while in fact lying".
790:
1578:
1368:
710:"War stories": false atrocity tales, swift boaters, and winter soldiers--what really happened in Vietnam
189:
635:
482:
1338:
1090:
1606:
1295:
1062:
885:
341:
970:
946:
510:
200:
87:
577:
405:
1524:
1230:
849:
839:
769:
713:
660:
581:
502:
436:
409:
371:
345:
308:
108:
83:
28:
1114:"With 'Swift Boat' architect at the helm, Trump campaign uses familiar playbook against Walz"
765:
759:
63:(SBVT), the organization responsible for a widely publicized—and later discredited—political
569:
494:
397:
333:
99:
1560:
1507:
845:
607:
178:
997:"Hillary Clinton: You 'cannot be civil' with Republicans, Democrats need to be 'tougher'"
602:
334:
246:
228:
170:
64:
1600:
1584:
1572:
1566:
1543:
1500:
755:
735:"The 2004 Campaign: Vietnam Record; Lawyer for Bush Quits Over Links to Kerry's Foes"
654:
570:
514:
398:
261:
804:
243:, called the term's usage a "baseless smear against somebody's personal character".
1554:
1548:
284:
174:
141:
137:
34:
Political jargon for a particular form of character assassination as a smear tactic
124:
Charges of "swiftboating" were made by supporters of both major candidates in the
1223:
838:
Smith, Melissa M.; Williams, Glenda C.; Powell, Larry; Copeland, Gary A. (2010).
430:
231:
denounced its repeated negative usage, saying it "is about to join such terms as
1086:"Mikie Sherrill compares attacks on Tim Walz to Swift Boat smears of John Kerry"
232:
133:
91:
59:
used to describe an unfair or untrue political attack. The term is derived from
1318:
533:
456:
95:
71:
52:
506:
17:
1001:
56:
1146:
1034:
538:
213:
106:. The group produced a series of television ads and a bestselling book,
498:
336:
Until the last man comes home: POWs, MIAs, and the unending
Vietnam War
278:
914:"GOP strategists: Bain attack ads are this year's Swift Boat campaign"
1140:
Mitovich, Jared; McGraw, Meridith; O'Brien, Connor (August 7, 2024).
212:, Republican attacks on the military record of Minnesota governor
400:
The making of modern
America: the nation from 1945 to the present
1142:"Vance runs a Swift Boat attack against Walz's military service"
1291:
457:"University of Pennsylvania National Annenberg Election Survey"
1118:
918:
1287:
1382:
216:
were widely characterized as "swiftboating" in the media.
971:"Clinton has been swiftboated by Trump and his acolytes"
432:
Lapdogs: How the Press Lay Down for the Bush White House
305:
Encyclopedia of
Politics, the Media, and Popular Culture
235:
and McCarthyite" as a "hate term". In a 2006 interview,
1196:"Behind the Scenes: Swift Boat Veterans vs. John Kerry"
942:"Ex-Officers Attack Obama Over Leaks on Bin Laden Raid"
188:
Hillary Clinton compared Republicans' statements about
132:
strategists compared attacks by the Obama campaign on
27:"Swiftboat" redirects here. For the naval vessel, see
761:
True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society
1536:
1492:
1445:
1409:
1400:
1351:
1222:
1250:Mike Allen; Jonathan Martin (February 21, 2008).
841:Campaign Finance Reform: The Political Shell Game
572:The Promise and Performance of American Democracy
833:
831:
493:(2). University of Pennsylvania Press: 107–111.
372:"Veterans Long to Reclaim the Name 'Swift Boat'"
940:Shane, Scott; Kitty Bennett (August 15, 2012).
874:
872:
764:. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. pp.
154:and an associated ad campaign released by the
1303:
1058:"Why the Swiftboating of Tim Walz Won't Work"
682:"McCain Supporter Defends Swift Boat Attacks"
183:record of much more frequent and severe lying
181:, calling her "Crooked Hillary", despite his
8:
483:"No redemption song: The Case of Bill Ayers"
1612:Political terminology of the United States
1406:
1310:
1296:
1288:
1030:"Vance hits Walz with 'Swift boat' attack"
1275:"Gingrich Says He's Been 'Romney-Boated'"
365:
363:
361:
340:. Univ of North Carolina Press. pp.
94:. During the 2004 presidential campaign,
1262:from the original on September 12, 2015.
995:Cummings, William (September 10, 2016).
653:O'Neill, John; Corsi (August 15, 2004).
307:. ABC-CLIO. pp. 37, 155, 187, 335.
210:2024 United States presidential election
1168:Tyrrell, R. Emmett Jr. (June 4, 2006).
563:
561:
295:
274:John Kerry military service controversy
196:to the "swift-boating of John Kerry".
156:Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund
733:Elizabeth Bumiller (August 26, 2004).
659:. Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing.
1170:"Swiftboating has become a hate term"
1009:from the original on February 8, 2019
435:. Simon & Schuster. p. 198.
7:
969:Steinem, Gloria (November 7, 2016).
404:. Rowman & Littlefield. p.
1229:. HarperCollins. p. vii–viii.
912:Abdullah, Halimah (July 25, 2012).
712:. Potomac Books, Inc. p. 105.
615:from the original on August 9, 2024
601:Kinsley, Michael (June 12, 2008).
546:from the original on June 10, 2008
532:Thomas, Evan (November 14, 2004).
303:Cogan, Brian; Kelso, Tony (2009).
227:In 2006, conservative commentator
25:
1194:Moore, John (November 16, 2006).
634:Michael Dobbs (August 22, 2004).
148:to describe the documentary film
1391:
1333:United States Secretary of State
1273:Trip Gabriel (January 1, 2012).
1084:Irwin, Lauren (August 9, 2024).
879:Rosen, Mike (October 26, 2006).
789:Michael Getler (July 13, 2007).
680:Meckler, Laura (June 30, 2008).
636:"Swift Boat Accounts Incomplete"
568:Bond, Jon; Smith, Kevin (2011).
255:How the Left Swiftboated America
104:Vietnam Veterans Against the War
69:2004 U.S. presidential candidate
1112:Herb, Jeremy (August 9, 2024).
1028:Weber, Peter (August 8, 2024).
370:Zernike, Kate (June 30, 2008).
1198:. Useful Fools. Archived from
1056:Kilgore, Ed (August 8, 2024).
791:"Detecting More Than History?"
194:Kavanaugh confirmation process
86:" itself refers to a class of
1:
1617:Political campaign techniques
1252:"Rush, right rally to McCain"
281:, another political neologism
241:Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
61:Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
1514:Military service controversy
576:. Cengage Learning. p.
881:"Story is none too 'swift'"
469:conducted August 9–16, 2004
332:Allen, Michael Joe (2009).
114:Federal Election Commission
1633:
481:Casey, Leo (Spring 2009).
177:of swiftboating his rival
126:2012 presidential election
26:
1380:
1325:
1364:Kerry–Feingold Amendment
805:"Glossary: US elections"
396:Donaldson, Gary (2009).
253:published the 2009 book
160:death of Osama bin Laden
151:Dishonorable Disclosures
687:The Wall Street Journal
429:Boehlert, Eric (2006).
90:vessel used during the
1463:running mate selection
1387:
603:"To Swift-Boat or Not"
220:Conservative reactions
167:2016 presidential race
1579:Rosemary Forbes Kerry
1386:
1369:John Kerry Parameters
1277:. The Caucus (blog).
1221:Gibson, John (2009).
190:Christine Blasey Ford
708:Kulik, Gary (2009).
158:on the topic of the
146:re-election campaign
886:Rocky Mountain News
640:The Washington Post
459:. PollingReport.com
1388:
1342:from Massachusetts
1279:The New York Times
947:The New York Times
758:(March 17, 2008).
739:The New York Times
499:10.1353/dss.0.0041
376:The New York Times
201:The New York Times
88:United States Navy
1594:
1593:
1525:Unfit for Command
1488:
1487:
1236:978-0-06-179289-2
855:978-0-7391-4566-1
775:978-0-470-05010-1
719:978-1-59797-304-5
656:Unfit for Command
587:978-0-495-91374-0
534:"The Vets Attack"
415:978-0-7425-4820-6
351:978-0-8078-3261-5
314:978-0-313-34379-7
109:Unfit for Command
29:Patrol Craft Fast
16:(Redirected from
1624:
1407:
1395:
1385:
1312:
1305:
1298:
1289:
1283:
1282:
1270:
1264:
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1241:
1240:
1228:
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1212:
1211:
1209:
1207:
1191:
1185:
1184:
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1180:
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1158:
1156:
1154:
1137:
1131:
1130:
1128:
1126:
1109:
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1081:
1075:
1074:
1072:
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1053:
1047:
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1044:
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1019:
1018:
1016:
1014:
992:
986:
985:
983:
981:
966:
960:
959:
957:
955:
937:
931:
930:
928:
926:
909:
903:
902:
900:
898:
893:on July 28, 2013
889:. Archived from
876:
867:
866:
864:
862:
835:
826:
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795:
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239:, spokesman for
130:Republican Party
100:527 organization
21:
1632:
1631:
1627:
1626:
1625:
1623:
1622:
1621:
1597:
1596:
1595:
1590:
1561:Alexandra Kerry
1532:
1508:The New Soldier
1484:
1441:
1396:
1390:
1389:
1383:
1378:
1359:Military career
1347:
1321:
1316:
1286:
1272:
1271:
1267:
1249:
1248:
1244:
1237:
1220:
1219:
1215:
1205:
1203:
1202:on May 13, 2008
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1038:
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1022:
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1010:
994:
993:
989:
979:
977:
975:Financial Times
968:
967:
963:
953:
951:
939:
938:
934:
924:
922:
911:
910:
906:
896:
894:
878:
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870:
860:
858:
856:
848:. p. 105.
846:Lexington Books
837:
836:
829:
813:
811:
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802:
798:
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787:
783:
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302:
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293:
270:
222:
179:Hillary Clinton
122:
80:
35:
32:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
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1242:
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1132:
1104:
1076:
1048:
1020:
987:
961:
932:
904:
868:
854:
827:
796:
781:
774:
756:Manjoo, Farhad
747:
741:. p. A1.
725:
718:
700:
672:
665:
645:
626:
593:
586:
557:
524:
473:
448:
441:
421:
414:
388:
357:
350:
324:
313:
294:
292:
289:
288:
287:
282:
276:
269:
266:
247:Fox News Radio
229:Emmett Tyrrell
221:
218:
171:Gloria Steinem
121:
118:
79:
76:
65:smear campaign
33:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1629:
1618:
1615:
1613:
1610:
1608:
1605:
1604:
1602:
1586:
1585:Cameron Kerry
1583:
1580:
1577:
1574:
1573:Richard Kerry
1571:
1568:
1567:Vanessa Kerry
1565:
1562:
1559:
1556:
1553:
1551:(second wife)
1550:
1547:
1545:
1544:Forbes family
1542:
1541:
1539:
1535:
1527:
1526:
1522:
1520:
1517:
1516:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1509:
1505:
1503:
1502:
1501:Going Upriver
1498:
1497:
1495:
1491:
1479:
1476:
1474:
1471:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1459:
1456:
1455:
1454:
1453:2004 campaign
1451:
1450:
1448:
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1428:
1425:
1423:
1420:
1418:
1415:
1414:
1412:
1408:
1405:
1403:
1399:
1394:
1375:
1374:Foreign trips
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1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1356:
1354:
1350:
1343:
1340:
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1308:
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1121:
1120:
1115:
1108:
1105:
1093:
1092:
1087:
1080:
1077:
1065:
1064:
1063:Intelligencer
1059:
1052:
1049:
1037:
1036:
1031:
1024:
1021:
1008:
1004:
1003:
998:
991:
988:
976:
972:
965:
962:
950:. p. A12
949:
948:
943:
936:
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921:
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908:
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873:
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851:
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843:
842:
834:
832:
828:
824:
822:
821:Swift-boating
810:
806:
800:
797:
792:
785:
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777:
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763:
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751:
748:
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740:
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689:
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666:0-89526-017-4
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442:0-7432-9916-7
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136:'s tenure at
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58:
54:
50:
49:swift boating
46:
45:swift-boating
42:
37:
30:
19:
18:Swift-boating
1557:(first wife)
1555:Julia Thorne
1549:Teresa Heinz
1523:
1519:swiftboating
1518:
1506:
1499:
1446:Presidential
1339:U.S. Senator
1278:
1268:
1255:
1245:
1224:
1216:
1206:November 14,
1204:. Retrieved
1200:the original
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1344:(1985–2013)
1335:(2013–2017)
550:February 6,
260:Republican
251:John Gibson
233:McCarthyism
208:During the
192:during the
169:, feminist
165:During the
134:Mitt Romney
92:Vietnam War
1607:John Kerry
1601:Categories
1569:(daughter)
1563:(daughter)
1468:convention
1319:John Kerry
954:August 15,
925:August 19,
291:References
96:John Kerry
84:Swift Boat
82:The term "
72:John Kerry
53:pejorative
1587:(brother)
1458:primaries
1402:Elections
1179:March 30,
1153:August 9,
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1041:August 9,
1013:August 9,
1002:USA Today
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515:143605641
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463:March 30,
381:March 27,
120:Later use
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1575:(father)
1478:election
1260:Archived
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1007:Archived
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613:Archived
544:Archived
539:Newsweek
320:election
268:See also
214:Tim Walz
173:accused
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