The Blog @ Spolitics

Kos Intends to Swift Boat Ko$ola story

by Heywood U. Reedmore -- June 22, 2006 at 4:49 pm | In No, Seriously |

First off, we should define what it means to “swift boat” something, since so many on the left use the term incorrectly. When accusations are made and charges levied, you can “swift boat” the story by fleeing the argument and waiting for the firefight to play out. By staying far away from the accusations and not firing back, you hope to escape the charges unscathed. Then, once the firing dies down, you return to the scene of the argument and mount your defense.

The term is derived from an anecdote from Senator John Kerry’s Vietnam service in which he ordered his swift boat to flee a firefight, waited for the shooting to end and then returned to the scene so he could pull Jim Rassman from the water, earn a medal and run for President.

Now, on to Kos. According to The Plank [and here], Kos intends to swift boat the Ko$ola story [and more here]. Kos writes to his co-conspirators:

My request to you guys is that you ignore this for now. It would make my life easier if we can confine the story. Then, once Jerome can speak and defend himself, then I’ll go on the offensive (which is when I would file any lawsuits) and anyone can pile on. If any of us blog on this right now, we fuel the story. Let’s starve it of oxygen. And without the “he said, she said” element to the story, you know political journalists are paralyzed into inaction.

It makes perfect sense why Kos would employ the “swift boat” strategy when dealing with the Ko$ola story considering how well it is working for John Kerry, who is currently trying to “swift boat” the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Kerry ignored accusations that he was greatly overstating his military heroics in the 2004 campaign. Now that no one cares anymore, Kerry is jumping back into the fight.

The only confusing thing is why Kos — a blogger — seems to think the story is worthless as long as the “traditional media” (read: MSM) doesn’t print it:

This story will percolate in wingnut circles until then, but I haven’t gotten a single serious media call about it yet. Not one. So far, this story isn’t making the jump to the traditional media, and we shouldn’t do anything to help make that happen.

Kos to blogosphere: we’re irrelevant! I’m sure Dan Rather would agree.

More: Ko$ola in Ohio. Iowa Voice. Red State. SFPH.