Swiftboating
Encyclopedia
The word swiftboating is an American
neologism used pejoratively
to describe an unfair or untrue political attack. The term emanates from the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
(formerly "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," or SBVT) and its widely publicized, then discredited, campaign against 2004 US Presidential candidate John Kerry
.
Since the political smear campaign conducted by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth against John Kerry, the term "swiftboating" or "Swift Boating" is now commonly used to refer to what the New York Times describes as "the nastiest of campaign smears". Many veterans who served on Swift Boats during the Vietnam War objected to the political attacks and have expressed resentment over the negative connotation now associated with the term. They feel it is an unmerited poor reflection upon their service just because of the political actions of a minority of Swift boat veterans.
' itself refers to a class of US Navy vessel used during the Vietnam War. In 2004, a political 527 organization called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (later called Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
or SVPT), composed of Vietnam veterans who served on swift boats, formed with the intent of opposing the presidential candidacy of John Kerry
. Kerry himself had served for four months as a swift boat commander in Vietnam. The group produced a series of television ads and a bestselling book that challenged Kerry's military record and criticized his subsequent antiwar activities as a member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War
. The unsubstantiated charges against Kerry by the SVPT gave rise to the term 'swiftboating' to describe political tactics that are essentially synonymous with a 'smear campaign
'.
has caused objections from conservatives who object to the implied criticism of the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
. At least one conservative commentator has denounced its repeated negative usage as "a hate term."
A group formed for the purpose of opposing John Murtha's
reelection to Congress, Vets for the Truth, posts at its website a definition of "swiftboating" as "exposing the lies, deceit and fraud of self-glorifying public officials or candidates for office who exaggerate their military service by lying about their feats of heroism and combat wounds."
In a 2006 Veteran's Day interview, John O'Neill
, spokesman for Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
commented on the term's usage: "I think that's a word [swiftboating] people will use for however they want to. I have always thought that having left wingers go to bed at night, and put their little children to bed, and [saying] Be good little children or the Swiftboats will get you!... that has never particularly worried me..."
Many Swift Boat veterans have expressed regret and dismay that the term "Swift boat" has come to represent a political attack or association with the group that conducted the "political chicanery" during the 2004 presidential election.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
neologism used pejoratively
Pejorative
Pejoratives , including name slurs, are words or grammatical forms that connote negativity and express contempt or distaste. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social groups but not in others, e.g., hacker is a term used for computer criminals as well as quick and clever computer experts...
to describe an unfair or untrue political attack. The term emanates from the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, formerly known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth , was a political group of United States Swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the Vietnam War, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign for the purpose of opposing John Kerry's candidacy...
(formerly "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," or SBVT) and its widely publicized, then discredited, campaign against 2004 US Presidential candidate John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
.
Since the political smear campaign conducted by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth against John Kerry, the term "swiftboating" or "Swift Boating" is now commonly used to refer to what the New York Times describes as "the nastiest of campaign smears". Many veterans who served on Swift Boats during the Vietnam War objected to the political attacks and have expressed resentment over the negative connotation now associated with the term. They feel it is an unmerited poor reflection upon their service just because of the political actions of a minority of Swift boat veterans.
Historical origins
The term 'swift boatFast Patrol Craft
Patrol Craft Fast , also known as Swift Boats, were all-aluminum, long, shallow-draft vessels operated by the U.S. Navy, initially to patrol the coastal areas and later for work in the interior waterways as part of the Brown Water Navy to interdict Vietcong movement of arms and munitions,...
' itself refers to a class of US Navy vessel used during the Vietnam War. In 2004, a political 527 organization called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (later called Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, formerly known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth , was a political group of United States Swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the Vietnam War, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign for the purpose of opposing John Kerry's candidacy...
or SVPT), composed of Vietnam veterans who served on swift boats, formed with the intent of opposing the presidential candidacy of John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. Kerry himself had served for four months as a swift boat commander in Vietnam. The group produced a series of television ads and a bestselling book that challenged Kerry's military record and criticized his subsequent antiwar activities as a member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Vietnam Veterans Against the War is a tax-exempt non-profit organization and corporation, originally created to oppose the Vietnam War. VVAW describes itself as a national veterans' organization that campaigns for peace, justice, and the rights of all United States military veterans...
. The unsubstantiated charges against Kerry by the SVPT gave rise to the term 'swiftboating' to describe political tactics that are essentially synonymous with a 'smear campaign
Smear campaign
A smear campaign, smear tactic or simply smear is a metaphor for activity that can harm an individual or group's reputation by conflation with a stigmatized group...
'.
Objections to term
The use of this term as a pejorativePejorative
Pejoratives , including name slurs, are words or grammatical forms that connote negativity and express contempt or distaste. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social groups but not in others, e.g., hacker is a term used for computer criminals as well as quick and clever computer experts...
has caused objections from conservatives who object to the implied criticism of the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, formerly known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth , was a political group of United States Swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the Vietnam War, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign for the purpose of opposing John Kerry's candidacy...
. At least one conservative commentator has denounced its repeated negative usage as "a hate term."
A group formed for the purpose of opposing John Murtha's
John Murtha
John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010....
reelection to Congress, Vets for the Truth, posts at its website a definition of "swiftboating" as "exposing the lies, deceit and fraud of self-glorifying public officials or candidates for office who exaggerate their military service by lying about their feats of heroism and combat wounds."
In a 2006 Veteran's Day interview, John O'Neill
John O'Neill (Vietnam veteran)
John Ellis O'Neill is a Vietnam War veteran, lawyer, and the spokesman for Swift Vets and POWs for Truth .-Background:...
, spokesman for Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
Swift Vets and POWs for Truth
Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, formerly known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth , was a political group of United States Swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the Vietnam War, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign for the purpose of opposing John Kerry's candidacy...
commented on the term's usage: "I think that's a word [swiftboating] people will use for however they want to. I have always thought that having left wingers go to bed at night, and put their little children to bed, and [saying] Be good little children or the Swiftboats will get you!... that has never particularly worried me..."
Many Swift Boat veterans have expressed regret and dismay that the term "Swift boat" has come to represent a political attack or association with the group that conducted the "political chicanery" during the 2004 presidential election.
See also
- John Kerry military service controversyJohn Kerry military service controversyDuring John Kerry's candidacy in the 2004 U.S. presidential campaign, a political issue that gained widespread public attention was Kerry's Vietnam war record...
- Swift Vets and POWs for TruthSwift Vets and POWs for TruthSwift Vets and POWs for Truth, formerly known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth , was a political group of United States Swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the Vietnam War, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign for the purpose of opposing John Kerry's candidacy...
- Borking, a term with a similar meaning and origin