Dictionary

swift boat en · NOUN · etymology 1

Meanings

1. A small, shallow draft water vessel used by the United States navy for counterinsurgency (COIN) operations during the Vietnam War; Fast Patrol Craft (PCF).

Forms

swift boat en · VERB · etymology 2

Etymology

From a campaign in 2004 by the political group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that sought to challenge the legitimacy of each combat medal awarded by the U.S. Navy to presidential candidate John Kerry, and the disposition of his discharge.

Meanings

1. (US, derogatory, neologism, transitive) to put forth sensational negative stories about a political figure as part of a smear campaign against them, especially regarding their military record
   • Swift-boating's essence is a particular kind of dishonesty, or rather a particular combination of shadowy dishonesties. It usually involves a complex web of facts, many of which may even be true. 2008, Michael Kinsley, “To Swift-Boat or Not”, in Time:
   • Swift-boating is the new term used to describe a dirty campaign that tries to paint a war hero as unpatriotic. 2007, Lee Iacocca, Where have all the leaders gone?:
   • “There is simply the desire to paint an entire religion as the enemy,” he said. Referring to Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the founder of the proposed Muslim center near ground zero, “What they did to Imam Feisal was highly strategic. The signal was, we can Swift Boat your most moderate leaders.” 2010 September 6, Laurie Goodstein, “American Muslims Ask, Will We Ever Belong?”, in New York Times:

Forms

Relateds

front organization

wikipedia: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth · wikipedia: John Kerry