Murtha smear recalls attacks on Sen. Kerry.

Byline: GUEST VIEWPOINT By Jim Rassmann For The Register-Guard

Before 2004, I'd never been involved in politics and considered my duty done at the ballot box. My memory of a man I served with in combat in the Mekong Delta - Lt. John Kerry - became my sole reason for coming off the political sidelines in the last presidential election.

Watching the assault on Kerry's military record by partisan operatives armed with falsehoods was a shock. Perhaps I was naive. Watching those same tactics used against another decorated Vietnam veteran, Rep. Jack Murtha, who, like Senator Kerry, dared to speak his mind, has been a reminder of not just why I felt compelled to get involved, but why I must remain involved.

As a veteran of Vietnam, I can't in good conscience remain silent in the face of the `Swift Boating' of Jack Murtha.

Today, as if reading an account of last year's presidential race, I see in an article in The Washington Post that the very same smear tactics the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth used against Kerry are now being unleashed against retired Marine Colonel Murtha, D-Pa. The radical right Web site Cybercast News Service, formerly the Conservative News Service, has attacked Murtha, claiming he was fraudulently awarded Purple Hearts for wounds received in Vietnam.

Since it is unseemly for a leadership that never served its country to attack the patriotism and veracity of decorated soldiers and sailors who did, this administration has returned to its proven tactic of finding surrogates to do its dirty work.

As someone who was defamed along with Kerry by the lies of the Bush surrogates Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, I take umbrage at the fact that the testimony of comrades who served with us and stepped forward to rebut their attack was given scant attention in the mainstream media and essentially no coverage in the conservative media. Today, neoconservatives are hoping that by muddying the waters of Murtha's military record they can neuter another of their most passionate and sincere critics.

It's an all-too-familiar pattern. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan described Murtha's stance on the war as `endorsing the policy positions of Michael Moore and the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic Party.' Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt quickly followed in lockstep with the White House by saying on the floor of the House, "Cowards cut and run, Marines never do."

It was clear to most observers that the Republican strategy of ad hominem attacks failed - seeing the danger in attacking a hawkish Democrat such as Murtha, the White House quickly followed suit with perfunctory praise from President Bush, who described him as "a good man who served our country with honor and distinction as a Marine in Vietnam and as a United States congressman."

How laudable. This rapid reversal by the White House appears, at first glance, to be remarkable, given their penchant and near universal insistence for uniformity of message.

It isn't at all remarkable, though. I believe it was engineered in the same way as the Swift Boat attacks on Kerry during the 2004 election campaign - attacks are made, the public's attention is captured, the White House offers platitudes, and the surrogates press on with the administration's covert support.

Kerry and Murtha both love their country and proved their patriotism. But far more is at stake than even these good mens' reputations. They have the honor of their service, and that's enough. The health of our democracy, the integrity of our debate, the voice of our free press and the true meaning of patriotism are under assault if a new generation of Swift Boat-style smears are allowed into the public sphere today unchallenged.

For my country's sake, I hope brave Americans of good conscience will speak up and make it clear that we will not tolerate such smears today, just as we shouldn't have tolerated them in 2004.

Jim Rassmann of Florence served with John Kerry in Vietnam and campaigned for the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004.