Sestak Sinks Swiftboaters
Curt Weldon chose the wrong guy to swiftboat.
He's been attacking Vice Admiral Joe Sestak (ret. Navy) for months now.
In recent weeks, the RNCC has sent out some campaign mailers for Weldon and in their slimy and despicable way,
they try to swiftboat Sestak. The RNCC has dedicated over a half million dollars to this race with
their glossy pieces of slime, tv ads and who knows what else is coming as the election nears.
Sestak said this:
"We don't expect the other side to play fair all the time.
But I hope to get a fair hearing...
We will fight back.
Below you will find scanned versions of Weldon's swiftboat (or "shrimpboat" as Wes Clark calls it)
brochures. You won't believe the crap he's sending out.
You will also find some quotes from a roundtable discussion Sestak held with veterans
and other citizens early this month, and an excellent letter to the editor sent by a friend of mine after he received one of the swiftboat ads in his mailbox.
Take the Pledge
Kossack mariawells posted an excellent diary yesterday
titled "PA-07: My Pledge to Joe Sestak"
where she pledges to donate $10 each time Weldon's campaign sends out one of the negative mailers.
This is a great idea. I took the pledge too.
I'm writing this "anti-swiftboat" diary and there will be more to follow.
Sestak emphasizes that he needs the help of his supporters.
So let's help him sink the swiftboaters by countering every swiftboat attack and by sending
money each time they lob their piles of nastiness his way.
Roundtable Discussion on Swiftboating with Sestak
On Monday, October 2nd, Sestak held a roundtable discussion at his
campaign headquarters in Media, PA.
It was a small gathering attended mostly by veterans with concerns about our military,
the current administration, Curt Weldon, and swiftboat attacks on other veterans.
After Sestak talked, there was a question and answer session during which
attendees spoke frankly about their thoughts and concerns,
and Sestak carefully and directly answered their questions.
Here is a sampling of some of the discussion that I transcribed:
Q (from veteran): I hear everywhere - Curt Weldon saved Boeing. No one member of Congress can save Boeing..."
A (Sestak): Give credit where credit is due. Employment has gone down 35% ... 8000 jobs, net,
have left Delaware County in the last five years. 700 businesses left this county.
[Sestak was told] "We never went to Curt Weldon for money. We went to Jack Murtha. He had more control of the pursestrings."
"I bought the V-22. I was a prime proponent of the V-22."
"Curt Weldon took 100 trips overseas paid for at taxpayers' expense or by the special interests... I wish he had gone on 200, then he wouldn't have been there to vote with
Bush."
Q (from veteran): They all avoided Vietnam, yet they are sending our guys over there.
Weldon did his best to avoid going to Vietnam. Am I right or am I wrong? I'm right...
They do not know, like you know, a military man. They don't have a clue. Yet they are controlling our military.
This really upsets me. This is ridiculous, Joe. It's ridiculous.
Any vet has to feel bitter about this. This is tough to take.
A (Sestak): "In 1969, I had to ask for a waiver to get in. And I went in...
I am most concerned, and Curt Weldon actually said it well:"
"...so outrageous, it makes me sick at my stomach...they are destroying the reputation of a decorated career member of the United States military...if we let that happen then no one who wears the uniform will feel protected because we have let them down."
-- Curt Weldon (R-Hypocrite/IOKIYAAR)
www.military.com...
(Sestak, continued):"To denigrate someone's service, in my mind, is as this... it hurts the integrity of the military, hurts our military..."
Comment (veteran): If this administration was in power back then, we'd still be in Vietnam.
Weldon's Swiftboat Campaign Mailings
Here is one received early last week:
Here is another received this weekend:
A PA-07 Citizen's Reaction to Weldon's Swiftboat Ads
Below is a letter to the editor written by a friend of mine immediately after he found one of Weldon's
swiftboat ads in his mailbox. It was promptly sent to some local newspapers and the
Philadelphia Inquirer.
He titled it:
"Pernicious Slime."
To the Editor,
Today my mailbox contained a piece of pernicious slime from the National Republican Congressional Committee.
It used the now hackneyed Rovian "swift boat" technique of taking a man's strong points and turning
them into a negative though lies and innuendo. In this case they tried to do the dirty on
Vice Admiral Sestak, who had the courage to serve his country in uniform for over 30 years.
In an attempt to give a veneer of truth to otherwise baseless allegations they reference an article in the
Delaware County Times but, if you take the trouble to read it, the only people identified by name in the
article praise Joe Sestak and it is ,surprise, surprise, nameless (more like figmentary) sources who do not.
In contrast to Joe Sestak's courage and service his 7th district Congressional opponent
Curt Weldon doesn't even have the courage to list that he is a Republican in his advertisements.
Not surprising really considering he has been a rubber stamp for the misguided and bungled policies of the
Bush administration. It certainly is time for a change for the better.
I think that rather sums it all up, don't you?
Help Turn a Red Seat Blue
That's all for now, folks. There will be more in later diaries.
Please consider contributing to Joe Sestak or volunteering to help with his campaign.
Help turn a red seat blue!