George Bush stepped into the row over his presidential opponent's war record Monday, declaring John Kerry had served "admirably" in Vietnam and calling for an end to all political attack advertisements sponsored by non-party groups.
The president made clear that his appeal included a right-wing group calling itself Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which has broadcast adverts accusing Senator Kerry of lying about his combat experience and falsifying his media citations.
As the Vietnam row continued to dominate the presidential campaign last night, the Kerry campaign said the president's intervention fell short of the clear denunciation it had demanded.
Democrats said the president's remarks treated the veterans' claims as no worse than other attack ads by supposedly independent groups, questioning the group's source of finance rather than its attack's substance, which they reject as a smear.
Mr Kerry's running mate, John Edwards, said: "The moment of truth came and went, and the president still couldn't bring himself to do the right thing. Instead of hiding behind a front group, George Bush needs to take responsibility and demand that the ad come off [the air]."
Mr Kerry's campaign headquarters also hit back, screening an advertisement accusing the Bush campaign of masterminding the veterans' campaign. The Kerry camp also organized for other veterans who had served with him to give their accounts.
"He deserved every one of his medals," said Del Sandusky, who piloted Mr Kerry's Swift boat (a 15m aluminum patrol craft) for nearly three months in the Mekong delta.
Another former navy veteran, Jim Baker, told journalists: "He was the most aggressive officer in charge of Swift boats."
Mr Bush was intensively questioned by reporters on the issue as he emerged from a military strategy meeting at his Texas holiday home in Crawford. "I think Senator Kerry served admirably and he ought to be proud of his record," he said. "But the question is who is best to lead the country in the war on terror?"
He said the real issue at stake was the role of groups who are allowed to spend unlimited sums of money on advertising as long as they do not coordinate their efforts with the political parties.
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