Mitch, thank for your service in checking out this fever swamp. Can't do it myself, so for all of us who can't do it either, we thank you, and humble acknowledge the debt.

I do think you're correct, they aren't speaking to the basic charges, they are attacking the Swifties, and filing suit. Which effectively shuts everything down. They can just say, "We have no comment on an on-going investigation/lawsuit". Arrrghhhhh

I've commented a bit, and (considering I'm not exactly a major blogger), I've linked to Kevin Drum's comments as well.

I still think that in the end, at worst this is somewhat embarassing for Kerry and then it vanishes into the night. It's a Bush/National Guard thing. The righties can console themselves that Kerry lied about Cambodia, just as the lefties console themselves that Bush didn't report for duty. But the people who actually matter don't care either way.

You can't equivocate this one, Jeff. Disregarding whether or not Bush really served his National Guard duty (and I think he did, as no one has disproved it, despite the missing microfilm etc.), Kerry wants us to judge him on his record in Vietnam. It is the centerpiece of his campaign.

We are obligated look at the Vietnam record closely, because Kerry insists on it ad nauseum. And what do we see?

"Mr. President, I remember Christmas of 1968 sitting on a gunboat in Cambodia. I remember what it was like to be shot at by Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge and Cambodians, and have the President of the United States telling the American people that I was not there; the troops were not in Cambodia. I have that memory which is seared -- seared -- in me, that says to me, before we send another generation into harm's way we have a responsibility in the US Senate to go the last step, to make the best effort possible in order to avoid that kind of conflict."

So this is something which affected him tremendously, seared in his memory. Something that is a flat out LIE. A lie which he has repeated in his book, and in a letter-to-editor to the Boston Globe, and in his US Senate testimony against supporting the Nicaragua Contras (see above).

The Kerry campaign is hysterical about the Swift Boat Vets digging this up, because they know it is fatal to their candidate.

"Seared -- seared in me", indeed.

My Bad. Kerry's letter to the editor was to the Boston Herald not Globe. Quote per Instapundit.com:

"On more than one occasion, I, like Martin Sheen in 'Apocalypse Now,' took my patrol boat into Cambodia. In fact, I remember spending Christmas Day of 1968 five miles across the Cambodian border being shot at by our South Vietnamese Allies who were drunk and celebrating Christmas. The absurdity of almost being killed by our own allies in a country in which President Nixon claimed there were no American troops was very real. But nowhere in 'Apocalypse Now' did I sense that kind of absurdity."

Even the liberal media can't ignore this one.

"Even the liberal media can't ignore this one."

Just watch 'em.

Question for the military historians.

If it comes out that someone obtained a purple heart under false circumstances (e.g. they wounded themselves by improperly handling their weapon) and got out of active duty in a combat early earlier than they would have but for the purple heart, what is the military’s policy in those situations? Do they do nothing if the person is no longer in the service or can they revoke an award and possibly enact some sort of punitive measure such as changing their service record or worse?

The is a board for the correction of military records (don't recall if each service has one or there is one for all). I know a servicememeber can petiton to change or correct a record, but I don't know if the Board(s) can correct a record without such a request.