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Encyclopedia > Swiftboating

Swiftboating is American political jargon for an ad hominem attack usually resulting in a benefit to an established political force. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... It has been suggested that Personal attack be merged into this article or section. ...


This form of attack is controversial, easily repeatable, and difficult to verify or disprove because it is generally based on personal feelings or recollections.[1] It frequently refers to a campaign that uses viral marketing techniques to sell the allegations. By using credible-sounding sources to make sensational and difficult-to-disprove accusations against an opponent, the campaign leverages media tendencies to focus on a controversial story.[2] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...


The name comes from the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth (formerly "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth") organization's negative portrayal of 2004 Presidential candidate John Kerry's military service in Vietnam and subsequent antiwar activities. Unverifiable or disproven charges were disseminated widely,[3] leading to swiftboating's reputation as a controversial but effective form of "smear campaign" .[4] Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, formerly known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT), is an organization of American Swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the Vietnam War, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign for the purpose of opposing John Kerrys candidacy for... Al Gore (born December 11, 1943) is a Vietnam Veteran and the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... A smear campaign or smear tactics are deliberate attempts by an individual or group to malign another individual or groups reputation. ...


The term has gained currency among some writers and commentators, mostly as a pejorative.[5] At least one conservative commentator has denounced its repeated negative usage as "a hate term."[6] A word or phrase is pejorative if it implies contempt or disapproval. ... Hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, moral or political views, etc. ...


A group formed for the purpose of opposing John Murtha's reelection to Congress, Vets for the Truth, posts at its website a definition of "swiftboating" as "exposing the lies, deceit and fraud of self-glorifying public officials or candidates for office who exaggerate their military service by lying about their feats of heroism and combat wounds." However, the group has not focused on Murtha's military service but on his statements in regard to the war in Iraq. [7] [8] John Patrick “Jack” Murtha, Jr. ...


A similar definition of "swiftboating" supporting the Swift Vet and POWs for Truth has found its way to conservative t-shirts and other paraphernalia sponsored by similar groups: "Exposing lies, deceit, fraud or deceitful/fraudulent person(s)" [9][10]


Examples of "swiftboating"

  • 2 October 2006. "The Democrats' Anxiety Closet" Jed Babbin in The American Spectator. [2]
  • 13 July 2006. "How Much Is That Admiral In The Window?" James Boyce in the Huffington Blog alleges that Republicans are planning to swiftboat Iraq War veterans who are running for Congress, like Jim Webb, Joe Sestak and Tammy Duckworth.[3]
  • 21 August 2005. "Swift Boating Cindy Sheehan," Frank Rich in the New York Times[4]
  • 22 August 2005. O'Reilly Factor, Fox News: "The 'Swiftboating' of Cindy Sheehan, that is the subject of this evening's 'Talking Points Memo'." transcript
  • 9 November 2005. "VT: Columnist Says O'Neill Aiming To Use "Swift Boat" Tactics On Sanders," The Frontrunner (via LexisNexis)
  • 18 November 2005. "Murtha Stirs Policy Debate," Fox News: A 'Swift-Boating' of Murtha? [5]
  • 19 November 2005. "Kerry rap GOP actions as 'shameful,' 'Swift-boating' moves," Worcester (MA) Telegram & GazetteMcGovern (via LexisNexis)
  • 22 November 2005. "Does Bush really seek a new tone?" Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN): "Whether it was Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in 2000, former Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., in 2002, former counterintelligence official Richard Clarke or the Swift Boating of Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., in 2004, the no-holds-barred tactic was to go right at the opponent's strength and seek to destroy it." (via LexisNexis)
  • 1 December 2005. "Kerry Swift-Boats Bush," Slate Magazine [6]
  • 1 December 2005. "Coulter's Swift Boat-style smear of Vietnam veteran Murtha" [7]
  • 1 June 2005. "Swiftboating has become a hate term," R. Emmett Tyrrell on CNN Politics [8]
Look up swift boat in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... For the Canadian politician, see Jim Webb (Canada). ... Joseph A. Sestak Jr. ... Tammy Duckworth Ladda Tammy Duckworth (born March 12, 1968) is a U.S. Army Major and Iraq War veteran from the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Frank Rich (born June 2, 1949 in Washington, D.C.) is a columnist for The New York Times. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... The OReilly Factor is a show on FOX News hosted by Bill OReilly that discusses political and social issues of the day, with both conservative and liberal guests. ... Rep. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... It has been suggested that French Wiktionary be merged into this article or section. ...

References

  1. ^ Kansascity.Com
  2. ^ IHT.com
  3. ^ University of Pennsylvania National Annenberg Election Survey, conducted August 9-16, 2004, retrieved from Polling Report, October 18, 2006.
  4. ^ How Bush Did It, Chapter 6: The Vets Attack, Newsweek, November 15, 2004
  5. ^ Motherjones.com
  6. ^ CNN.com
  7. ^ "Former SEAL wages campaign to defeat Murtha" Army Times McMichael, William H. August 14, 2006 accessed August 2006
  8. ^ Vets for the Truth Accessed August 2006
  9. ^ Cafepress T-shirt with Swiftboating definition Accessed August 2006
  10. ^ [1] T-shirt with Swiftboating definition used by Vets for the Truth Accessed 2006
  1. ↑  The group's ad campaign is discussed at length in Swift Boat Veterans For Truth.

  Results from FactBites:
 
Swiftboating: A New Low in Dirty Politics (1172 words)
The term "swiftboating" was coined in the 2004 presidential election, when a bunch of Navy swiftboat veterans, bankrolled by Texas tycoon Robert J. Perry, formed the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and targeted Democratic candidate John Kerry.
Although swiftboating was perfected in 2004, the actual practice started in 2000, when primary challenger George W. Bush went after veteran and former P.O.W. Sen. John McCain in the South Carolina primary.
The swiftboating of Rep. Murtha is the most deeply rooted and far-flung effort since the attack on John Kerry.
Swiftboating - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (503 words)
Swiftboating is American political jargon for an ad hominem attack against a public figure, coordinated by an independent or pseudo-independent group, usually resulting in a benefit to an established political force.
This form of attack is controversial, easily repeatable, and difficult to verify or disprove because it is generally based on personal feelings or recollections.
Although many of the charges were unverifiable, they were disseminated widely, which led to swiftboating's reputation for being a controversial but highly effective form of "smear campaign".
  More results at FactBites »


 

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