SBVT vets “told what to say”

Knight-Ridder practices something we don’t see much of these days: journalism. They chronicle the rise of the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” Here are a few quotes from the article:

Keep in mind that the only SBVT member with any chance of credibility in attacking Kerry’s war record was fellow Swift Boat skipper Larry Thurlow, who was decorated for bravery “under enemy fire” in the same incident that Kerry was on March 13, 1969. An elaborate false story was constructed that occupied 3 weeks of 24/7 news media coverage, which hinged on Thurlow saying that there was NO enemy fire at the time.

Swift boat veteran Larry Thurlow flew in from Bogue, Kan., after the group offered to pay his and his wife’s expenses. Thurlow said he was hesitant to become involved but Hoffmann kept asking him to join the group.

“The admiral helped me to see in hindsight what was really going on with Kerry,” Thurlow said.

Thurlow said the vets were told some of what to say, with the caveat that they weren’t expected to say anything they didn’t believe.

“I was told to say, `On the river that day, Kerry fled.’ But `fled’ connotes fear and I understood why Kerry left, then returned, so I didn’t use that word,” Thurlow said.