For a Top 'Swiftie,' This One's Personal (LA Times)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

By Scott Gold, Times Staff Writer


HOUSTON — Thirty-three years ago, fresh from combat in Vietnam, John O'Neill parted his hair neatly, put on his only suit, stared into a television camera and made it clear how much he detested John Kerry. Not Democrats. Not liberals. John Kerry.

"This man," O'Neill said during a 1971 debate with Kerry on "The Dick Cavett Show," "has attempted the murder of the reputations of 2.5 million of us, including the 55,000 dead in Vietnam."

President Nixon had recruited O'Neill to counter Kerry, who had come home from Vietnam convinced that the war was a military and moral mistake. Much of the nation was starting to agree with that assessment, and in O'Neill, Nixon found an articulate spokesman for his policies.

<snip>

O'Neill has many connections to GOP politics. He was invited to speak at the 1972 Republican convention in support of Nixon. Bush's father unsuccessfully nominated O'Neill for a judgeship. One of his law partners was Bush's general counsel when Bush was governor of Texas.

<snip>

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oneill28aug28,1,1938784.story?coll=la-headlines-nation (free subscription)

[Honor Where Are You]

1. Connections just keep getting deeper. N/T

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. Welcome to DU, Honor.

And yes the connections do seem to keep surfacing.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi Honor Where Are You!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[wurzel]

3. No responsible media would have given O'Neill the time of day"

They knew who and what he was from the start. It will still take a long time to undo the damage he has done.

[LunaSea]

4. responsible media?

http://swiftvets.eriposte.com/

[skip fox]

5. For all your Swift Boat questions:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x70318

[David Zephyr]

6. Read This at the IHOP This Morning.

The LA Times really gave O'Neill a pass on this poorly researched story. It looks as bad now on my monitor as it did in print this morning.

Hi BP! :hi:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

8. Hey! I agree. They seemed to be trying to appeal to everyone

instead of trying to report the truth.

[TexasBushwhacker]

7. Well he may be independent but .....

he only gives money to Republicans:

http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?city=HOUSTON&st=TX&last=O%27Neill&first=John