Wow! Now the Press is interested in the Swift Boat Vets

But only to undercut them. (HT: Instapundit).

No surprise. Modern, elite journalism has a view point on Vietnam (see here) and Kerry's story fits that narrative. The SBVT and bloggers are threatening their "holiest of holies."

Hugh Hewitt is hoping that Douglas Brinkley will clear up the matter based on his research in Kerry's papers. This is a frail reed to lean on. As this Slate profile makes clear, Brinkley is a celebrity worshiper desperately in search of a JFK to play Schlesinger to.

These letters to the Atlantic (in response to an excerpt of Brinkley's book) show that:

1. He did not do as much research on Vietnam as he pretends. (He misstated the theme of The Ugly American suggesting that he never read the book he so carefully cites.)

2. He does not know much about combat.

3. Kerry's journals and letters were carefully contrived yet Brinkley's BS meter never went off.

All this helps explain why the Kerry campaign is choosing to tough it out rather than admit that maybe some exaggerations were made:

The press has been running interference for their guy for over thirty years on this issue. Why should they think the game is up now?

Here is what Guenter Lewy wrote about the Winter Soldier hearing that brought Kerry to national attention:

The refusal [of the witnesses] to give substantiating factual information in support of their atrocity allegations created a situation in which the accusers continued to reap generous publicity for their sensational charges while the Army in most cases could neither investigate nor refute them.

America in Vietnam, page 319

It is not surprising that the mainstream press has ignored the Cambodia lies and evolving cover-up. They have been uninterested in this sort of story for over three decades. The deafening silence at the Times, the LAT and the Chicago Tribune is just elite journalists doing what now comes naturally after years of practice.