It is interesting to watch how the term "swift boating" is now being used by the very people who invented it.  Used against Kerry, "swift-boating" was a deliberate, carefully planned campaign smearing the authenticity of his military service claims.  Everyone knows the term implies smear & lies about the factual claims of military service. 

Now, in response to a question on the relevance of military service to the ability to hold office (*not* the details of the military service), we see the inventors of swift-boating applying the term, out of context, as a negative against Clark.  They're counting on the fact that everyone knows it has negative connotations.  They know the action was despicable and now they're using it in an even more twisted manner:  saying someone else is bad for doing it when they weren't.  They're even trotting out the original liars.

IMO, people need to quit being scared of being labeled "soft on war/crime/terror/etc", stand up, and tell such purveyors of lies to FUCK OFF.  It needs to be done.  Loudly.