IF you accept the record of those who were there, it was not Kerry's position that shot him in the foot, but those who saw fit to lie about events. The whole smear campaign was as disgusting as any political manuver ever pulled. Demonstrating courage and presence of mind under battle conditions is a perfectly legitimate citation for a candidate's qualifications -- not a complete set, by any means, but not irrelevant either. Kerry also showed remarkable courage in standing up against the war after he returned Stateside. He could have made enemies in either phase.

What really annoyed me about the Swift Boat smear campaign was the alacrity with which some people uncritically bought the line.


A