NOT "HORRIBLE LIES"
Shoveldog, from over at Stinging Nettle, a quite decent and interesting site from the left perspective, takes issue with two words from my post about John Kerry's childish letter to W. Not to have such a fine rebuttal buried on the "comments", I'll repost his argument here:

I seem to recall a few minor hearings about those war crimes. You know, like with sworn testimony? There are also any number of history books and eyewitness accounts which detail those war crimes, as well as a few military inquiries and the results of numerous military tribunals. "Horrible lies" is YOUR lie, Winston. You obviously don't know shit about what you're talking about, and now you're trying to change the subject because you're f#$king busted. You've lost all credibility with me over this one. So I'll tell you what, big boy, I ride bikes with a few guys that regularly drink in a little biker bar a few miles from my house. There are usually a few guys there that know a little about Vietnam. Bring your shit down there and we'll talk about Vietnam a little while. Come on down and talk about that "long list of BS." Tell these guys ALL about it. I'll buy the beer. Assuming you're old enough to drink.

He continues:

Calm down, huh? Hey, I'm calm. Hell, when you talk the talk like you do, I figured you'd be willing to walk the walk. Probelm here is that you're spouting shit, Winston. You have no idea what you're talking about, and now way of knowing if what you're saying is true, you're just apeing GOP chickenhawk talking points. You know it, and I know it. You want to talk to some people who actually DO know what they're talking about, the offer still stands. Hell, these guys have tattoos that are older than you.

I overestimated you. My bad.

Looks like I'm just too young to understand Vietnam. My bad. Maybe "horrible lies" was a little hyperbolic. I don't know. Instead of that line, perhaps I should have said that it was OK for Kerry to oppose the war, but it was poor, youthful judgment to allow himself to be a tool of anti-Americanism. Don't think he was a tool? According to websources (let me know if they are wrong) John McCain wrote in 1973, specifically mentioning the Fulbright committee and tetstimony before it:

All through this period, [his captors were] bombarding us with anti-war quotes from people in high places back in Washington. This was the most effective propaganda they had to use against us.

Hey, John McCain can put Kerry's actions behind him, so should we. This shouldn't be an issue anyway. The issues relevant to being commander and chief have nothing to do with Kerry's command of a swift boat or his attack on the war and the people who fought it, nor is it about Bush's "Champaign Unit" and irregular attendence. It should be about Kerry's record on defense and foreign policy issues in the Senate and Bush's record as Commander-in-chief over the last four years.