Swift Boat Veterans/"USA Next" Attacks AARP

The momentous divide in the USA continues to widen. It appears the members of the Swift Boat Veterans who launched a PR attack on Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry on behalf of George Bush as now going after the AARP because it won't support Bush's stock market based Social Security scheme.

USA Next Chairman Charlie Jarvis, and United Seniors Association founder Richard Viguerie will be blending those direct-mail tactics with new Internet-based fundraising. Jarvis was executive vice president of Focus on the Family, a fundamentalist religious group that promotes fundamentalist political causes. Their most recent campaign was the one supporting Bush's Medicare prescription-drug program by using millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry.

Their plans: an initial $10 million campaign accusing AARP of a "shameful record of liberal activism," including backing what they see as bad: gay marriage. They have already begun with an Internet ad last week that asserted AARP supports gay marriage. It included a picture of two men kissing at what appeared to be their wedding over the words, "The real AARP agenda." The goal appears to be to tarnish the image of the AARP, one of the most influential voting blocs in the USA.

They've hired strategist Chris LaCivita and they are working on getting the same media firm that devised the Swift Boat ads, Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm. Also, Creative Response Concepts, a public relations firm that worked for the Swift Boat Veterans, and Regnery Publishing, which produced an anti-Kerry book for the Swift Boat group, also are supporting their efforts.


AARP says it has taken no position on gay marriage and dismisses USA Next's attacks. "We've deliberately not responded to erroneous accusations of USA Next because USA Next does not propose legislation, vote on legislation, nor does it sign legislation into law," spokesman Steve Hahn said.
Sen. Jon Corzine (news, bio, voting record), D-N.J., called on President Bush last week to repudiate the group. "The motive for USA Next's irresponsible use of such hot-button issues is not difficult to decipher; if you can't attack the message, attack the messenger," he wrote.

Do you think Bush will be saying anything to defend the AARP or dissasociate himself from the viewpoints and tactics of United Senior Citizens?