swiftboating
Attacking candidate's assets
Swiftboating is attacking a political opponent by questioning their military service or other credentials, especially through misleading or unsubstantiated claims.
The term comes from the 2004 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign against John Kerry's Vietnam War record.
It now applies broadly to any smear campaign disguised as authentic testimony: They're swiftboating her record on veterans' issues.
Harm reputation falsely
- slanderSpoken false defamation
- libelPrinted defamation
- vilifyAttack someone's reputation
- denigrateCriticize unfairly to harm
discredit · tarnish · besmirch · malign · impugn · mudslinging · character assassination · negative campaigning
Organized effort toward goal
- electionOrganized public voting
- KerryIrish county or name
- veteransFormer armed forces members
- BushAmerican political surname
2004 · political advertising · partisan · negative campaigning · electorate · incumbent · grassroots · platform
False data spread unintentionally
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- distortionTwisting from original state
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
falsehood · misrepresentation · manipulation · hoax · deception · fake news · half-truth · cherry-picking
defame
Harm reputation falsely
denigrate · discredit · tarnish · besmirch · malign · impugn · mudslinging · character assassination · negative campaigning · hit piece
campaign
Organized effort toward goal
Bush · 2004 · political advertising · partisan · negative campaigning · electorate · incumbent · grassroots · platform · opposition research
misinformation
False data spread unintentionally
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- distortionTwisting from original state
fabrication · falsehood · misrepresentation · manipulation · hoax · deception · fake news · half-truth · cherry-picking · out of context
swiftboatingvindication
Clearance of blame
exoneration · rehabilitation · setting the record straight · endorsement · defense