President Bush yesterday said rival John Kerry served “admirably” in Vietnam and denounced all TV attack ads from outside groups – including anti-Kerry ads by Vietnam vets who say he lied about his combat record.
But the anti-Kerry Swift Boat Veterans for Truth said they’re independent of Bush and they’ll ignore his plea and keep airing their attack commercials – which have exploded into a big issue and thrown Kerry off stride.
“I’m denouncing all the stuff being on TV of the 527s [outside groups]. That means that ad, every other ad,” Bush told reporters at his Texas ranch, adding he’d “absolutely” urge Republicans not to give to 527s like the Swift Vets.
“I think Sen. Kerry served admirably, and he ought to be – he ought to be proud of his record. But the question is, who is best to lead the country in the war on terror,” Bush added.
But retired Admiral Roy Hoffman, founder of the Swift Vets, said: “We have no intention of pulling our ads. We feel that we earned the right to be heard by our combat. It would make no difference if John Kerry were a Republican, Democrat or an Independent.”
Asked why the 264 Swift Vets dislike Kerry so much, Hoffman said: “When he came back [from Vietnam] he told people [as an antiwar activist] that we were murderers who committed untold atrocities.”
The Kerry campaign claims Bush didn’t do enough to denounce the ad and is now airing its own attack ad, which accuses Bush of being behind a “smear” of Kerry and claims Bush “smeared” Republican POW hero Sen. John McCain in 2000.
McCain spokeswoman Crystal Benton told The Post that “he is disappointed that he is being used in the [Kerry] ad.”
McCain “doesn’t think the campaign should focus on things that happened 30 years ago,” she said. “He will not ask [Team Kerry] not to run the ad, but he hasn’t seen it. That could change when he gets back” from a trip to Europe.
On Sunday ex-Sen. Bob Dole, who lost the use of his right arm in World War II, told CNN that Kerry owes other Vietnam vets an apology for painting them as war criminals and also collected “three Purple Hearts and never bled.”
Dole – an icon to veterans – went back on CNN yesterday and reported that Kerry called him yesterday to say “he did bleed” and “he was disappointed” by Dole’s comments.
But Dole said the Swift Vets have a right to speak out, adding: “It’s up to them. There can’t be discrimination saying, well, certain [pro-Kerry] veterans can say this happened but others who may have some knowledge can’t question their views.”