I read the book yesterday. Yes, I read it all in about 8 hours (I was on a plane).
The book can best be described as UTTERLY DEVASTATING. It is no longer a wonder why the left has gone completely batshit over the Swift Boat Vets....
I went from being spitting-nails mad by the middle of the book to nearly incoherently pissed by the end. I was one of those who tried to give Kerry the benefi of the doubt, and due credit for his service, but after reading that book, I'll do neither any longer.
The man is a coward, a fraud, a liar, and a traitor. He should be stripped of all medals and decorations, as almost every one of them was granted based on a lie. He should be tried for treason, and then released to the tender mercies of the Vietnam POW's that survive until today.
Funny thing is, two people (one in Fort Lauderdale, and one in Philadelphia) saw the book and asked me about what I thought about it. BOTH turned out to be Vietnam vets, and BOTH seemed to be VERY much offended by Kerry's war record.
I disliked Kerry before, but now I hate his ever-lovin' guts. Fucker could drown in front of me and I wouldn't help. At least Klinton ran to Europe and hid from the draft. He didn't be pretend to be something he didn't believe in.
If you haven't read it, DO SO, but be prepared to have your blood pressure EXPLODE.
The case is laid out medal by medal, incident by incident. First Kerry's version is presented, then the Boston Globe's (who wrote Kerry's biography), then what REALLY happened. At all times, the tone is simple, straight-forward, and sincere. Facts are documented and quotes are made on the record. Most important of all, reasons (and GOOD ones) are given for the old questions like, "Why didn't any of the Swifties complain about Kerry's medals until now?" and the like.
The book also has some KILLER quotes, such as the Navy LT in Vietnam who had to travel with Kerry, and told him, "Follow me no closer than 1000 yards. Any closer, and I'll show you what a Purple Heart REALLY feels like."
Classic!