Oliver Willis dug up a letter Jeb Bush wrote to the men who orchestrated the smear campaign against then-presidential candidate John Kerry. The letter (seen below), from the desk of the Governor of Florida, was a personal thank you for helping to re-elect his brother.
A personal thank you from Jeb Bush for smearing John Kerry's military service
If the letter is unclear, here is the key passage (full text can be found below the fold):
Colonel Day, I know you'll be joining other Swifties—POWs in Orlando soon. Please let them know that I am personally appreciative of their service to our nation. As someone who truly understand the risk of standing up for something, I simply cannot express in words how much I value their willingness to stand up against John Kerry. Their efforts, like their service to our country, speak volumes about what matters most.
Who could forget the vicious campaign Republicans waged against John Kerry for his service in Vietnam? Secretary of State John Kerry received not one, not two, but three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star during his combat time in Vietnam. Nevertheless, Republicans mocked and belittled his military service throughout the campaign. It was a key feature of the 2004 Republican National Convention, when delegates and supporters wore cutesy purple bandages in an effort to degrade the Purple Hearts Kerry was awarded.
This delegate was quoted as saying Kerry was awarded one of his Purple Hearts for "swimming in a river I think it was."
It was a national embarrassment. Most Republicans in 2004 had no qualm whatsoever in mocking and belittling Kerry's exemplary military record. But now that it is the record of John McCain, how does Jeb Bush feel about Trump's outrageous remarks?
ALL OUR VETERANS. Will Jeb Bush be offering an apology to Secretary of State John Kerry? Don't hold your breath.
Dear Colonel Day,
Thank you for your personal support of my brother in his re-election. I look forward to joining him in Washington, D.C. for his inauguration. I am so proud of the President and his re-election campaign. He offered a clear vision for the future of our country.
Colonel Day, I know you'll be joining other Swifties—POWs in Orlando soon. Please let them know that I am personally appreciative of their service to our nation. As someone who truly understand the risk of standing up for something, I simply cannot express in words how much I value their willingness to stand up against John Kerry. Their efforts, like their service to our country, speak volumes about what matters most.
Thank you again for your unwavering support.
Sincerely,
Jeb Bush
