I just got a new recipe from George W. Bush that I want to share with you. It’s called Character Assassination Souffl‚ and it’s easy to make — all you do is take a cup of 20 partisan swiftboat veterans, add one large wealthy Republican donor and mix in false accounts of military history.

Results may vary, but the recipe should be able to hurt a solid candidacy and move the focus of a presidential race from important issues to petty name calling. Make sure the dish is served cold.

After the Democratic National Convention in Boston, poll numbers indicated that Kerry closed the gap on credibility in regards to national security issues — the main goal of Kerry’s message during the week. He maintained 46 percent of the veteran vote, the same amount as Bush.

Those gains were significantly undone by the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth ad campaign. A recent CBS poll shows Bush with 55 percent of the veteran vote to Kerry’s 37 percent.

The accusations made by the people in this group are full of contradictions and a lack of evidence. One of the leaders of the pack, Louis Letson, claims he treated Kerry for the wound that earned him his first Purple Heart and alleges that Kerry lied to receive the award. The New York Times reported that the person administering treatment, J. C. Carreon, signed the medical forms.

Furthermore, three of the men, George Elliott, Roy Hoffman, and Adrian Lonsdale praised Kerry’s service as recently as a year ago. The credibility of these accusations holds as much water as Bill Clinton saying “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”

Kerry should be commended for enduring these personal attacks on a war record that speaks for itself without rushing to tarnish the reputations of these men who served in Vietnam. It demonstrates the depth to which Kerry regards those who wore the uniform that he shows restraint in responding.

Unfortunately, the damage to his campaign for president is undeniable, and with Bush refusing to specifically condemn these ads, Kerry has little choice but to waste time by going after these so called Veterans for Truth.

Why would they praise Kerry’s service one year, then turn around and allege that Kerry is distorting his record? Common sense would say they have no more to gain this year than last year and that it would take some outside force to change their minds and put a group like this together. But who would benefit from putting together this kind of group?

The answer couldn’t be more obvious: George W. Bush. There is a web of connections between the Bush campaign and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth 527 group. From a staff member that resigned after appearing in an ad with the group to close political friends of Carl Rove to large financial contributors, there are a wealth of individuals who could easily be coordinating between the two campaigns. In fact, this is exactly what the Kerry campaign hopes to prove in its case against the group.

It’s very disturbing to think that Bush could be behind these attacks on a genuine American hero, but recent history shows that he isn’t above it. John McCain and Max Cleland can attest to these kind of tactics being used against them. Is it a coincidence that, where Bush is concerned, attacks on his opponent’s patriotism have a recurring theme?

It’s an interesting political maneuver since if the American public gets to choose between a patriotic and an unpatriotic candidate, they’ll choose the patriot every time, despite their stance on issues.

Why is it that when Al Gore yells Bush “betrayed this country,” conservatives get up in arms, but when an ad with a veteran saying Kerry “dishonored our country,” the criticism is only leveled by moderates like John McCain?

The point is not to say Kerry’s campaign and the liberal left are above making personal attacks on Bush, but that when one campaign resorts to these character assaults it forces the other to respond and it’s the middle voter that loses out. They want to hear about health care, the economy, education and the war on terror, not childish name calling.