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Swift Boat Smear And Its Impact
- The Swift Boat campaign smeared John Kerry's Vietnam record with false claims funded by billionaire donors.
- The attacks eroded Kerry's standing and helped the Bush campaign leverage doubts about Kerry's patriotism.
Early Perception: Freedom Not Occupation
- Early 2004 coverage still cast the Iraq campaign as a fight for freedom rather than an occupation.
- Public opinion didn't shift to viewing the invasion as a mistake until months after the 2004 election.
Election Under Fire
- Iraq's January 2005 parliamentary election occurred amid rising violence and suicide bombings.
- The security environment made the vote more symbolic for the U.S. than genuinely inclusive for Iraqis.