Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

emulatorloo

(45,592 posts)
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 09:02 AM Jul 2024

Trump co-chair Chris LaCivita is the monster who masterminded the Swift Boat lie campaign against Kerry.

I’m late to the the party as I just learned this yesterday in an article in the Atlantic.

This is the amoral despicable person who has decided to help Trump destroy the USA.

I just saw this despicable asshole name-calling and trashing Pete on X

From an older article in the New York Magazine:

The Swiftboater Coming for Biden With co-pilot Susie Wiles, Chris LaCivita has brought discipline to the Trump campaign. Is that enough to win?
By David Freedlander, a writer covering New York and national politics for New York Magazine
Updated Feb 22, 2024

Paywall: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/trump-campaign-chris-lacivita-swift-boat-veteran.html
Gift: https://archive.is/NGqA8


To the extent LaCivita has achieved any notoriety in his career, it is for his role helping run the Swift Boat campaign that has been credited with sinking Kerry in 2004. Early in the campaign, allegations were bubbling on the right that the Democrat, campaigning as a war hero against post-9/11 George W. Bush, was inflating his record in Vietnam. These same veterans were furious Kerry had denounced the war after returning home, and one named John O’Neill teamed up with Jerome Corsi, who would later inspire Donald Trump on his birther crusade, to write a book called Unfit for Command. But it was LaCivita who turned their fringe allegations into a campaign funded by millions of dollars in shadowy contributions. The operation cut campaign ads with vet testimonials questioning Kerry’s service.

“He just knew how to frame the message and how to deliver it,” says one person involved in the effort. “We could have done cookie-cutter campaign ads, but he knew that wouldn’t have worked. He’s a political animal, and he always wants to be in the fight.”

The Swift Boat campaign stretched the boundaries of what had been considered within bounds of acceptable politics, both by using an outside, dark-money vehicle in a presidential campaign in the pre-super-PAC era, and also for broadcasting what were later revealed to be demonstrably false claims against Kerry.

Still, today most Republicans operatives view the episode as one to be proud of, and it provides a template for how LaCivita will go after Joe Biden and the Democrats: not by attacking what is perceived as Biden’s weaknesses but his strengths. If Biden portrays himself as the person defending American democracy from Trump, then, as LaCivita told the Line Drive podcast, they will argue “it’s Biden that’s really against democracy, right? Biden against democracy — that stands for BAD.”


Like Trump, LaCivita and his co-chair Susie Wiles need to be vanquished and destroyed in 2024.

Let’s make sure we do everything in our power to elect Kamala Harris and consign these creeps to the dustbin of history.
11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump co-chair Chris LaCivita is the monster who masterminded the Swift Boat lie campaign against Kerry. (Original Post) emulatorloo Jul 2024 OP
Good luck with that Chris Dennis Donovan Jul 2024 #1
There are plenty of things for them to atrack Kamala on edisdead Jul 2024 #2
Our job to make sure they don't get away w it. And we will. emulatorloo Jul 2024 #3
What they did to Kerry notemason Jul 2024 #4
Vile and unforgivable. I'll never forget. We have to stop them. emulatorloo Jul 2024 #5
LaCivita and Wiles are expert character assassins. dalton99a Jul 2024 #6
And the MSM will eat every word of it up against Harris Bengus81 Jul 2024 #8
The Most Feared and Least Known Political Operative in America dalton99a Jul 2024 #7
Thanks for the article. Appreciate it very much. emulatorloo Jul 2024 #11
LaCivita is the latest GOP incarnation of Lee Atwater andym Jul 2024 #9
It's amazing how the vileness of 2004 never went away Starry Messenger Jul 2024 #10

edisdead

(3,359 posts)
2. There are plenty of things for them to atrack Kamala on
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 09:06 AM
Jul 2024

That they will make up out of whole cloth. They are very good at what they do. And they are disgusting.

Bengus81

(7,496 posts)
8. And the MSM will eat every word of it up against Harris
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 12:08 PM
Jul 2024

Nothing changes here because Biden stepped aside. Give it a week and watch what happens.

dalton99a

(84,881 posts)
7. The Most Feared and Least Known Political Operative in America
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 12:07 PM
Jul 2024
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/26/susie-wiles-trump-desantis-profile-00149654
The Most Feared and Least Known Political Operative in America
Susie Wiles helped dismantle Ron DeSantis and salvaged Donald Trump’s campaign. Is she a MAGA hero or an enemy of democracy?

emulatorloo

(45,592 posts)
11. Thanks for the article. Appreciate it very much.
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 01:11 PM
Jul 2024

I’d say clearly an enemy of Democracy.

Starry Messenger

(32,375 posts)
10. It's amazing how the vileness of 2004 never went away
Mon Jul 22, 2024, 12:24 PM
Jul 2024

Something really broke that year—not enough to have won by Supreme Court fiat in 2000, they held power by smashing norms and appealing to the worst people in America

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Trump co-chair Chris LaCi...