Should Dem Swiftboaters Target McCain? Russo Says Its Time To Attack His Military Record

CLEVELAND (TDB) -- Democratic blogger Tim Russo says Vietnam War POW John McCain's military record is fair game for political attack and he is urging an offensive ahead of the Republican convention. He doesn't believe McCain is a hero. Russo doesn't use the words Swiftboat McCain -- meaning the kind of pounding that John Kerry took in 2004 over his Vietnam service. But he suggests that the Arizona senator should get the same kind of treatment over his service as a Naval aviator, meaning "getting dirty:"

"Time to go on offense. And that means going after John McCain's so-called patriotism. His so-called heroism. And his so-called 'maverick'ness. John McCain is no maverick. He's a self-serving politician who will do anything to be elected president . . .

"Yet another way can be to have the folks who don't mind getting dirty (MoveOn. DNC, us bloggers) to go after McCain's military record. Go after his super-rich wife, who McCain left his crippled first wife to chase. Go after it all."