Bush Withdraws "Swift Boat" Nominee

(AP)  More than two years after losing his bid for the White House, Democratic Sen. John Kerry exacted a measure of revenge against his political foes Wednesday by helping derail the diplomatic nomination of a Republican fundraiser.

President Bush withdrew the nomination of St. Louis businessman Sam Fox to be ambassador to Belgium after Democrats denounced Fox for his 2004 donation to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

The group's TV ads, which claimed that Kerry, D-Mass., exaggerated his military record in Vietnam, were viewed as a major factor in Kerry losing the election.

Mr. Bush's action was announced quietly minutes before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was to have voted on the nomination.

"His nomination would not have passed today if the vote had been called up," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.

During a confirmation hearing last month, Kerry grilled Fox about why he had given $50,000 to a group that was "smearing and spreading lies" about him. Kerry seemed to be seeking an apology but Fox didn't budge, saying he simply gave when asked.

"Sam Fox had every opportunity to disavow the politics of personal destruction and to embrace the truth," Kerry said Wednesday. "He chose not to. The White House made the right decision to withdraw the nomination. I hope this signals a new day in political discourse."

Fox, 77, is national chairman of the Jewish Republican Coalition and was deemed a "ranger" by Mr. Bush's 2004 campaign for raising at least $200,000. He is founder and chairman of the Clayton, Mo.-based Harbour Group, which specializes in the takeover of manufacturing companies.

Fox has donated millions of dollars to Republican candidates and causes since the 1990s.

Big-money contributors are often rewarded with ambassador posts. Contributions to political groups are rarely considered grounds for protest for fear there would be a tit-for-tat when the White House changes parties.

But the chorus of opposition to Fox grew louder a day before the vote was set, when Kerry's Vietnam crew mates sent a letter Tuesday urging committee members to oppose Fox's nomination.

"In our judgment, those who finance smears and lies of combat veterans don't deserve to represent America on the world stage," said the letter signed by 11 Vietnam Swift Boat veterans who served with Kerry.

Fueling the political undertones was the presence of three Democratic presidential hopefuls on the committee — the chairman, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del.; and Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn.

"I had serious concerns about Mr. Fox's candor, judgment and qualifications for this important post, and I am pleased that the Bush administration acknowledged that it would not be able to muster the votes to confirm his nomination," Obama said.

Even after the Feb. 27 confirmation hearing, Kerry gave Fox an opportunity to show contrition in responses to several written follow-up questions. Fox insisted he did not know how his money would be spent or exactly what message the Swift Boats were pushing.

"I did it because politically it's necessary if the other side's doing it," Fox told Kerry.

[tooskeptical]

The swift boat slanderers are not the only guilty ones. Every republican (and that includes many of our congress people) that wore a purple bandaid to mock the sacrifice of our troops during the republican convention. And they make a big deal of the 2 documenterd cases of "hippies" spitting on vets, while they have a massive campaign to insult every injured vet that ever received a purple heart.

This is why good people are abandoning the cons - they have nothing in common.

[iceman_1960]

"None of those in the attack ad by the Swift Boat group actually served on Kerry's boat. And their statements are contrary to the accounts of Kerry and those who served under him."

From the factcheck.org report.

But they would have us believe that during intense combat in Vietnam, hundreds of men were staring intently from a distance to closely observe the conduct of a then obscure, little known Naval officer in one of the boats.

The truth is, they mounted this phony attack many years later, in revenge for Kerry's leadership in the antiwar movement.

The Swifties are a ship of fools and liars.

[iceman_1960]

Factcheck.org on the Swift Boat Veterans' attack on Kerry (they don't stand up to a close examination at all:

http://factcheck.org/article231.html

[realpatriot1]

gunnerv,

Funny how the Mafia was brought down during the Clinton Administration. Funny how Nixon's best friend was Bebe Reboso. Funny how John & Bobby Kennedy were assassinated after going after the Mob
(even if they did have their own ties).

What has any Republican ever done about the Mafia other than invite them to dinner?

[motherjones-2009]

gunnerv1

What does being an idiot feel like? Is it like being high all the time?

[ov442]

Its pretty bad that the vast majority of GOP based 'insults' toward democrats are personal attacks of a childish nature. The reason is, because they havent got many legitimate beefs to even bring up.
Im not saying the Dem party hasnt had its share of past criminal activity, or that there are none in congress right now, however, the facts are that the current GOP and its policies are a vast network of crime, based solely on the motivation of wealth and power.
Look at all the advertisements and jokes.. the Liberals can make 10 jokes a day about all the terrible things this white house and previous period of control by the GOP congress, yet all the GOP attacks are personal, and mostly lies or exaggerations.
sad.

[r9119111]

Mr. Fox and the other Swift Boat Veterans did this country a grave dis-service and should never be allowed to hold a public office of any kind.

GLAC

[gunnerv1]

What's the difference between the Democratic party and the Mafia?

Not much.

Part 2
What's the differance between the Democratic party and the Mafia?

One of them is organized.

What's the differance between the Democratic party and the Boy Scouts?

The Boy Scouts have Adult Leadership.

I expect some (a lot) of heat on this because some people in the Liberal party have no sense of humor, so with that said, I expect you to keep it in line or you will have to take a time out! I didn't call you anynames.



Lets see, FDR did in fact ask the Mafia and Organized Labor Unions (Crime Leaders) to keep the dock workers from striking during WWII

Why are thugs allowed to run labor unions, most of whom have been (in upper Management) connected to Organized Crime in some way or arrested? Oh, please don't get your shorts in a wad, just "Google" it.


Why is the Democratic Party having a meltdown when they control so much now? Think of the good they might accomplish, but no, they're just going to pi*s it away like they usually do. To wit: what have tey done so far? Nada, zip, zero

[closethippy]

I've never been too crazy about Kerry but the way this Vietnam veteran was put down is absolutely shameful. Not only did he VOLUNTEERED to go to Vietnam while everyone else had to be recruited to do so, but it wasn't until there were over 44,000 dead American soldiers in that useless war before Kerry had enough sense to go to Congress to testify against it. All he wanted to do was to stop that madness. It was NOT an act of "treason" as he was accused of doing in 2004.
I just hope to God all the morons who still support the Iraq war are not going to wait until we have 44,000 dead American soldiers over there before they change their minds about it.

[karlimhof]

Fox, 77, is national chairman of the Jewish Republican Coalition and was deemed a "ranger" by Mr. Bush's 2004 campaign for raising at least $200,000. He is founder and chairman of the Clayton, Mo.-based Harbour Group, which specializes in the takeover of manufacturing companies.



Hey Fox - while you're doin' shabat - remember we're laughing our azzes off - how many millions have you ripped off "in takeovers of manufacturing companies" - you wanted to be our ambassador? Go to israel and ask them for an ambassadorship - to Uganda!