Swiftboating

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Swiftboating is American political jargon for an ad hominem attack against a public figure, coordinated by an independent or pseudo-independent group, usually resulting in a benefit to an established political force. Specifically, this form of attack is controversial, easily repeatable, and difficult to verify or disprove because it is generally based on personal feelings or recollections.

The name comes from the portrayal of Presidential candidate John Kerry's military service in Vietnam and subsequent antiwar activities by the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth organization. Although many of the charges were unverifiable, they were disseminated widely, which led to swiftboating's reputation for being a controversial but highly effective form of "smear campaign".

Swiftboating frequently refers to a campaign that uses viral marketing techniques to sell the allegations. By using credible-sounding sources to make sensational and difficult-to-disprove accusations against an opponent, the campaign leverages media tendencies to focus on a controversial story. Mostly used as a pejorative, the term has gained currency among some writers and commentators. Its appropriateness as a description of political debate has been questioned by some conservative commentators.

Other terms used to describe political attacks

Ad hominem attack
"Borking" Originated from Democratic opposition to the nomination of Robert Bork to the United States Supreme Court, 1987
Character assassination
"Demonizing the opposition" [link]
Fair Game (Scientology)
"Politics of personal destruction" (frequently used during Clinton's impeachment hearings) [link]
Smear campaign

Examples of \"swiftboating\"

21 August 2005. "Character assassination is the Karl Rove tactic of choice, eagerly mimicked by his media surrogates, whenever the White House is confronted by a critic who challenges it on matters of war. The Swift Boating is especially vicious if the critic has more battle scars than a president who connived to serve stateside and a vice president who had "other priorities" during Vietnam." – Frank Rich in the New York Times[link]
22 August 2005. O'Reilly Factor, Fox News: "The 'Swiftboating' of Cindy Sheehan, that is the subject of this evening's 'Talking Points Memo'." [transcript]
9 November 2005. "VT: Columnist Says O'Neill Aiming To Use "Swift Boat" Tactics On Sanders," The Frontrunner (via LexisNexis)
18 November 2005. "Murtha Stirs Policy Debate," Fox News: A 'Swift-Boating' of Murtha? [link]
19 November 2005. "Kerry rap GOP actions as 'shameful,' 'Swift-boating' moves," Worcester (MA) Telegram & GazetteMcGovern (via LexisNexis)
22 November 2005. "Does Bush really seek a new tone?" Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN): "Whether it was Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in 2000, former Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., in 2002, former counterintelligence official Richard Clarke or the Swift Boating of Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., in 2004, the no-holds-barred tactic was to go right at the opponent's strength and seek to destroy it." (via LexisNexis)
1 December 2005. "Kerry Swift-Boats Bush," Slate Magazine [link]
1 December 2005. "Coulter's Swift Boat-style smear of Vietnam veteran Murtha" [link]

References

↑ The group's ad campaign is discussed at length in Swift Boat Veterans For Truth.

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