swift boating

"Swift-boating" has entered the political lexicon as a noun, adjective or verb and is usually invoked as a pejorative term by Kerry supporters to indicate that Kerry was treated unfairly when unpleasant but truthful accusations were raised. Explanatory notes: Such accusations by genuine war heroes and former POWs undercut Kerry's claim to Vietnam hero status. They exposed how Kerry had manipulated the Navy's system to award himself three Purple Hearts in order to limit his service in a combat zone to four months. Democratic apologists blame disingenuously Kerry's flaccid and untimely response to the accusations with the knowledge that, if Kerry released his complete military records, they would show a general discharge for having met with enemy leaders while still in the Navy Reserve. Kerry was restored to Honorable Discharge status by President Carter in 1978. Kerry's supporters then coined the term "swift boating" to shift the blame from Kerry to his political opponents even though a full refutation of the accusations was avainlable if Kerry were to file a SF-180, which he has refused to do for reasons herein laid bare. The president and his campaign staff were never involved in exposing Kerry as a hypocrite and incorrigible opportunist.