I've never written much about PA-Sen because, unlike most of the Netroots, I've been inclined to support Arlen Specter. No more.

Specter has added his name to those of Johnny Isaakson and the Swift Boat Veterans for "Truth." He went lower than low this week, airing a new ad that attacks primary opponent Rep. Joe Sestak's service as a retired three-star Admiral.

Like many veterans, Dr. Sestak (he's also got a PhD) is too modest to list his decorations on either his Congressional webpage or his campaign biography, but per Wikipedia he has earned the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legion of Merit awards, two Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Navy Commendation Medals, and the Navy Achievement Medal. According to Specter, however, the only thing you need to know about Sestak's Naval career is that he was removed from one of his assignments for creating a "poor command climate." That claim only gets a couple seconds' mention in Specter's new ad, but it's also the very first thing in the ad and is accompanied by your stock grainy photo, ripped headline, and spooky voice. I'm not going to dignify the disgraceful spot by posting it here, but you can watch it on YouTube.

I am shocked that Specter would be stupid enough to think he could get away with this kind of unpatriotic smear campaign in a Democratic primary. I was supporting Specter, but now I'm going to donate $20 to Admiral Sestak's campaign.

Credit to Vote Vets for bringing this shameful attack on a dedicated American serviceman to my attention via a press release posted on their Facebook page.

The largest progressive group of veterans in America with over 100,000 members, VoteVets.org PAC, today slammed Arlen Specter for his latest ad attacking Congressman Joseph Sestak's service to America in the Navy, and called on Specter to prove his charges, or pull the ad.

Jon Soltz, Iraq War veteran, graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, and Chairman of VoteVets.org said, "This ad is even beneath Snarlin' Arlen Specter, and he should be ashamed of himself for attacking a man who spent most of his adult life in military service.  It's the kind of low, slimy swift-boat tactics used by the extreme right-wing against veterans, and it's shameful that Specter would adopt those right-wing tactics." 

"This ad makes charges about Sestak's service based on unattributed hearsay contained in a single article, that offers no evidence in support of the charge. Baselessly attacking a veteran's service has no place in our politics, or our nation. Specter should pull this ad immediately," he added.

The following is a key excerpt from the latest swiftboat manual, "Obama Nation":

In this book, I intend to argue that an Obama presidency would lead us into an "Obama Nation." The play on words is fully intended, because Obama's radical leftist politics, driven by the cult of personality he has intentionally manufactured, would be an abomination in that the result of those policies would be to lead the United States in a costly and self-destructive direction, both at home and abroad. After an Obama presidency, we would be a militarily weakened and economically diminished nation. Instead of being more united, our internal conflicts could well become more sharpened and more abrasive from four years of Obama leadership.

This is compelling stuff. Only a few minor edits, and this book describes a stark reality that voters would be loathe to ignore. Here are my suggested edits:

In this book, I intend to argue that an ObamaBush presidency would lead us into an "Obama Nation." a "Bushterfuk." The play on words is fully intended, because Obama's radical leftistBush's idiotic right-wing politics, driven by the cult of personality he has intentionally manufactured, would be an abomination in that the result of those policies would be to lead the United States in a costly and self-destructive direction, both at home and abroad. After an Obamaa Bush presidency, we would be a militarily weakened and economically diminished nation. Instead of being more united, our internal conflicts could well become more sharpened and more abrasive from foureight years of ObamaBush leadership.

That sounds about right.

Countergarbage: Pre-order Obama's book here (hat tip bincbom).

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No, no, calm down- the headline's not true- yet, or hopefully ever.

To try and build a bridge with my Clinton supporter friends here at MyDD.com, I'd like to wargame a few scenarios with you on how the right-wing may attack Hillary in the fall, and how we can counter those attacks effectively to the American public. I understand you guys are very proud of your candidate, but ignoring these things is done at your detriment, as the Republicans certainly will not- and "Oh, they're just Republicans, it's all not true and unfair!" won't fly.

So, here's some things they can use against Hillary. Some even I'll agree are completely unfair, and would rail against them for trying to bring it up- but that didn't stop them against John Kerry in 2004, and it worked.

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Mean spirited, fear mongering of the swift boat crowd will, no doubt, play a prominent role in this election.  What are the possible swift boat issues with each candidate?  Lord knows, if they can spin John Kerry as a Vietnam coward, they may try to place Obama in the KKK.  How do we best defend against these sorts of smear campaigns?  The Republicans are wallowing in surprisingly muddy waters this time around.  Should Democrats bring up issues such as divorces, religion and affairs?

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