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just speaking for myself...
although i am a registered republican and a fairly strong Bush-supporter, i genuinely did not want to see Kerry's war record either 1) become the object constant overanalysis and speculation 2) become the main plank of Kerry's platform. sadly, both have happened. any glance at a paper or news program will confirm the former, kerry's convention speech confirms the latter.
from my perspective it boils down to this: kerry has undoubtedly put forth his experiences in vietnam as the main argument for his legitimacy as commander in chief (a critical aspect of the presidency in these years). if you subscribe to that last statement, then you must also agree that if that is the main focus of kerry's campaign on this issue... then those not supporting kerry have the right to question kerry's credentials based on both evidence and first-hand accounts of the events that kerry proposes to use to furthur his campaign because kerry himself has legitimized the issue in our public discourse.
so... if true, the swiftvets allegations are damning. if proven true, i think many intellectually honest kerry supporters would have to either vote for the President or another candidate. if proven true, that would certainly make kerry a fraud... underserving of the nomination of any party or the vote of any citizen.
if the allegations are false, then we have truly come to a dark era in American politics. McCain-Feingold ought to be re-evaluated or scrapped. Campaign adds run w/out the reputation of the candidate they are intended to benefit not held accountable will have been proven to be detrimental to our electoral process. the swiftvets should be held responsible for libel.
but, as i have witnessed the developments so far, it appears that kerry's account of vietnam events has been forced into revision on several key elements. the swiftvets have made no such consessions. while i am sincerely sad this has received so much focus, the circumstances dictate that the full truth be known (whatever that may prove to be).
but, i think the important thing to keep in mind throughout all this is that the bearers of bad news (from either party's perspective) are not immediately bearing false news simply because it does not want to be heard. i feel that many people automatically discount something that counters their preferred notions.
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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.
~ Winston Churchill
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