Swiftboating

Swiftboating is a term of the U.S. policy, which can be roughly translated as the German term " smear campaign ", although there are striking differences.

More specifically, it is an attack on a campaigning person being suddenly " new facts" are brought to light. These new facts have central points of the self-representation of a politician suddenly appear implausible, and not by political opponents, but apparently " neutral " persons or groups published to " character debate" to engage the challenged person in one that needs to lose them.

Essential to this concept is the creation of " evidence" by a group of witnesses, the creation of supporting documents by specially created websites, political blogs, etc., are intended to produce the impression of seriousness and credibility. The term is used in the course of the election coverage also cluster in the German language area.

Origin of the term

During the election campaign for the U.S. presidency in 2004 between George W. Bush and John Kerry, the Democratic candidate Kerry presented himself as in military matters and is experienced as a veteran of the Vietnam War, as he had commanded a Swift boat ( patrol boat). The central point of his campaign was the promise of solving the resulting from the occupation of Iraq problems, and he particularly stressed his three "Purple Hearts" ( Wound Badge ) demonstrated bravery in the field.

Shortly thereafter, the group alleged former war comrades emerged, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the Kerry as a coward, militarily incapable etc. represented, resulting in a massive loss of popularity with the American public. There are numerous indications that the establishment and financing of the group went back to an initiative of the campaign staff of George Bush and that it was formed for the sole purpose to belittle Kerry's chances in this way.

Swiftboating Obama

The book was published on August 1, 2008 The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality is understood by political commentators as an attempt to discredit the presidential candidate Barack Obama in the same pattern as with John Kerry and also referred to as " Swiftboating ". In this book an attempt is made with hundreds of footnotes to substantiate allegations such as substance abuse, personality cult, Muslim, etc., with references to right-wing politics blogs and websites.