I've thought a bit about why Kerry focused on Vietnam.

I think for three reasons:

1. His miserable Senate record. Especially on intelligence and defense. Couldn't run on that and had to distract attention from it. "What me, vote to scrap every major weapon program in the last 20 years, but I'm a decorated Vietnam vet!"

2. Knew that his post-war antics (1971) were going to come up. Thought, "hey, the many indie voters not paying much attention will know from the MSM coverage of the convention that I'm a decorated Vet . . . many fewer of them will hear about what I did when I cam home . . . and I can counter that anyway by screaming, as I did in my last two Senate campaigns, that I was a decorated Vet being unfairly attacked."

3. Knew that voters see Dems as wusses and had to counter that in order to defeat a war-time Prez.

I.e. he had no choice but to emphasize what he'd done in Vietnam . . . a desperate gamble sure, but it'd worked in his Senate campaigns, and he knew he'd get hammered anyway.

Now as to why he just didn't come right out in the spring when he'd got the nomination sewn up and apologize for the crap he spewed in 1971 and say he was a stupid kid then and had no idea of the consequences, had been misled etc . . .

Arrogance. He knew those skeletons were there, but didn't care. In his mind, nobody compares to him.

Kerry is suing!
filed with FEC re. Bush ties to swiftvets
suit against swiftvets

Kerry is trying to block bookstores from selling the swiftvet book Unfit to Command

Kerry is mad!

PEOPLE BELIEVE THE SWIFTIES, NOT THE LIARS

CAN YOU HEAR THE CREAKING AS KERRY'S CAMPAIGN BARELY STARTS TO HEEL PREPARATORY TO VIOLENTLY DIVING TO A VIOLENT CRASH IN THE MUDDY BOTTOM.

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/elections/article.adp?id=20040820104209990015

Who do you believe in the debate over John Kerry's Vietnam record?

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth 53%

Kerry

http://pep.typepad.com/public_enquiry_project/2004/08/people_believe_.html