• Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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    3 months ago

    John Kerry was a low-level officer in a race with another low level officer.

    Kelly was a high-ranking officer, running against a malingering draft dodger.

    Completely different circumstances

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Mark Kelly’s opponent was Martha McSally, 20+ year veteran of the Air Force and a fighter pilot.

      John Kerry faced off against a delinquent national guard pilot while he was a decorated combat veteran. Unable to match Kerry’s military record, Bush got navy veterans who were mad about Kerry’s anti war activities to say mean shit about him and insinuated they served under him. His actual crew made the rounds for him but it was useless.

      Just so we’re clear, since you seem to have confused them.

      • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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        3 months ago

        Just so we’re clear, since you seem to have confused them.

        I didn’t confuse them. I was talking about his future opponent, not the previous one.

        • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Then you need to use the words, “will be” instead of “was”.

          You also neglected to tell us how you would avoid that swift boating.

          • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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            3 months ago

            I could have been a little bit clearer, but I used the same construction in both sentences, using “was” to refer to their previous status as officers, and describing the events of their presidential election process. The context of “malingering draft dodger” should have been enough of a clue that I was referring to someone other than Col. McSally.

            I did not neglect how to avoid the swift boating. GW and Kerry were both low level military officers, each accusing each other of having had poor military records. Both of them had sufficient military experience to make their criticisms credible, but neither had enough time in for their service records to prove or disprove the other’s claims.

            Trump has no military service. He’s already known as “Cadet Bone Spurs”. JD Vance has 4 years of service… As an enlisted reporter. Any attack they might try is only going to remind the voting public of their terrible military credentials.

            • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              Swift Boating isn’t about proof. It’s literally about lying too fast for fact checkers to keep up. And being a higher rank means more disgruntled people served under you, and it’s even harder to fact check that guy on the TV ad who says you laughed maniacally while ruining his life.