The swiftboat thing was utterly absurd, looking on from Europe. A guy who lead men in the Vietnam War, getting three (!) Purple Hearts for it, was portrayed as a weak coward, while his draft-dodging opponent was portrayed as a hero.
And he didn't draft dodge for noble and moral reasons, like being against the war or refusing to kill.
Honestly I wouldn't have issue with Trump or any American draft dodging Vietnam if they then didn't go on to be a chicken hawk and try to build a tough guy warrior brand. If you're going to be an authoritarian who advocates for war, at least walk the walk first.
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u/Lady_von_Stinkbeaver May 26 '23
https://preview.redd.it/koswk2xhka2b1.jpeg?width=810&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b508f5deae8683eed567be0981e68647b0eb200
The Swiftboaters were such a crock of shit that Republicans were even using it to mean slandering your opponent just a few years later.