The mainstream media (or, as it's starting to become known, the "old media") was dragged kicking and screaming into the Swift Boats controversy. Kerry's campaign made the fatal error of assuming that the media was in their back pocket, and that the whole thing would be spiked (I am hearing that Kerry himself was arguing for an immediate response). For a couple of weeks it worked, but the information coming through all the alternatives finally woke Kerry's campaign people up. It should be noted that when the Democratic counterattack came, the media was right there for it and has been on board for dumping on the veterans ever since.

The Swift Boats statements have been out there since their first press conference in May. It was ignored. Only after they managed to scrape up enough to get an ad out did the shit finally hit the fan.

No doubt the "silliness" of the American public will be number one on the leftist talking points when Bush wins the election.