Book Wars: The Right Strikes Back

More than any other election that I can recall, books seem to be playing a major role.  They've been used quite successfully in the past, but I can't recall an election where as many books came out that were designed to inform and influence public opinion.  The Democratic side has been doing most of the hitting lately with a new biography of John Kerry, the attack book of Bush staffers that were Clinton holdovers, and even John Snow (Mr. Bush's first secretary of the treasury).
 
Now it seems that the Republican side is launching its own book assault.  The Drudge Report has posted an article on a book due to be released sometime next month.  The book is called Unfit for Command and apparently was written by the man who replaced Mr. Kerry when his swift boat command expired.  Apparently he writes some rather nasty things about Mr. Kerry including accusations that the first and third purple hearts awarded to him were for self inflicted wounds and that only 2 of the 23 swift boat commanders from Coastal Division 11 support his bid for president.  Ouch.
 
Mr. Kerry has been polishing up his Vietnam war record to counter attacks made by Republicans that Mr. Kerry is unfit to be Commander in Chief.  But in his haste to pump this image up, Mr. Kerry seems to have irritated some people.  Apparently the trouble stemmed from Mr. Kerry's use of an old photograph with him and 19 other shipmates saying that his old comrades stood behind him.  Unfortunately for Mr. Kerry, 11 of these shipmates have refuted this and said that they actually oppose him and that 6 others in the photograph are either dead or unwilling to commit to either side.  Mr. Kerry has since ceased using the photograph and only uses those comrades who do actually support him, but some of the veterans now seem keenly POed.  The book seems to be the culmination of their outrage.
 
Now, whether all these accusations are true is beside the point.  I personally think that Mr. Kerry should never had bothered to bring Vietnam into it and should focus on what he is capable of now.  Can he inspire leadership and following now?  I don't care if he did or did not then.  I doubt this book will sway too many independents.  Most are like me and don't give a rat's butt as to what someone did 30 years ago.  Heck, Mr. Clinton went to Canada and England and the electorate didn't have too much of a problem with him.  But politicians on both sides always underestimate the intelligence of the independents who actually look at issues and not just what letter is besides someone's name.  Greater the folly them.