NYTimes – WashPost Cambodia Watch Day 3

I had just about logged off for the night when I realized I’d not done the search I’ve been doing nightly this week on this issue regarding the lack of mention of the Christmas in Cambodia 1968 myth Kerry is perpetuating in the two big national papers.

Not surprisingly, it’s finally gotten a mention from both papers on the same day but not as the man focus of the pieces themselves. And it’s phrased as if the Cambodia/Christmas claim hasn’t been debunked — which we know by now it has been. The Wash Post piece was surprisingly fair and balanced but only a brief mention of Cambodia was made. Relevant snippets (with headlines):

Kerry Says Group Is A Front For Bush
Democrat Launches Counterattack Ad On Combat Record

While Kerry struck back at the group, he did not address some of the accusations, including the charge that he lied about crossing into Cambodia on Christmas Eve 1968. Kerry, in a statement, maintains he was in Cambodia while serving in Vietnam but does not state that it was on that date.

Here’s the NYTimes piece, which (of course) tries to paint an unflattering picture of the Swift Boat Vets (relevant Cambodia mention):

Friendly Fire: The Birth of an Anti-Kerry Ad
This week, as its leaders spoke with reporters, they have focused primarily on the one allegation in the book that Mr. Kerry’s campaign has not been able to put to rest: that he was not in Cambodia at Christmas in 1968, as he declared in a statement to the Senate in 1986. Even Mr. Brinkley, who has emerged as a defender of Mr. Kerry, said in an interview that it was unlikely that Mr. Kerry’s Swift boat ventured into Cambodia at Christmas, though he said he believed that Mr. Kerry was probably there shortly afterward.

And this part of the NYTimes article isn’t accurate:

Mr. Rassmann, who says he is a Republican, reappeared during the Iowa caucuses this year to tell his story and support Mr. Kerry, and is widely credited with helping to revive Mr. Kerry’s campaign.

Rassmann isn’t a Republican any longer. He said so on Hannity and Colmes on August 6:

ESTRICH: Mr. Rassman, can I ask you a question? You’re not a Democrat, are you?

RASSMAN: I turned Democrat in January. Previous to that, I had been a Republican for 33, 35 years. I didn’t always vote Republican. But much of the time, I did.

Well, the Christmas/Cambodia dispute has finally been mentioned in the big two newspaper outlets, but instead of this very worthy news story being the focus of these pieces, it’s buried within.

Conveniently.