Swift Boat

The Swift Boat Campaign, also referred to as Swift Boat Campaign Veterans for Truth (SBVT),  was led by a group of veterans who believed that John Kerry, who used his time in Vietnam to bolster his campaign, was being dishonest. They believed that he presented false war crimes charges and made it appear as though all of the Swift Boat Veterans ( Kerry himself was one) supported him. www.swiftvets.com states, "John Kerry misrepresented his record and ours in Vietnam and therefore exhibits serious flaws in character and lacks the potential to lead." The site stated that Kerry made exaggerated claims about his actions in Vietnam and did not portray the rest of the group in the correct light. As this group has historically been branded with a stigma of being "misfits, drug addicts, and baby killers," SBVT sought to make the "real" truth known. The campaign essentially said that Kerry was lying and should not be president as a result of that. They wanted to make the real truth available, regarding Kerry's time in Vietnam, his medals, and the actions of those around him. Kerry testified in court about these accusations of dishonesty. SBVT held conferences and signed affidavits regarding this.