This is their best shot?

The New York Times "big hit" on the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is a damp squib. Aside from a cute title, "Friendly Fire: The Birth of an Anti-Kerry Ad," it seems to mostly be whining about the Vets getting the seed money for their advertising campaign from two "large" donors. Large in this context is about equivalent to George Soros' pocket change. And of course, there was no word on all the small contributions they have received since then.

Then there's the big "conspiracy" ramblings brought on by John O'Neill (co-author of "Unfit for Command") being a prominent attorney in Houston and knowing a lot of prominent people. Must be the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy's Houston Chapter. Of course, John readily admits that he voted for Al Gore in 2000 and liked John Edwards this year, but that part would spoil the tin foil wingnuttery.

As for anything substantive about the Vet's complaints about Kerry, it was more hauling of the same tepid water that had been carried previously by other Big Media outlets with a steaming helping of ad hominem attacks. If that's the best that is in the Kerry campaign's Brown Books, they better rethink their attack plan. Of course, they could always start by having Kerry sign his form 180 so that everyone can see his all of his military records.

More at The Captain's Quarters, but the really interesting part of this is how unhinged the usual suspects are getting over the Swift Boat Vets. Also at CQ see Malkin: My Evening In Hell With The Moron Twins:

Once again, the failure of the mainstream media to understand basic military terminology causes them to act like idiots, and the reference to the terminal puffery of Keith Olbermann will become apparent later in Malkin's story. Matthews kicked Malkin off the show at the break for being "irresponsible" -- and then immediately runs off with her copy of Unfit For Command to fact-check after the fact:

As the show broke for commercials, Matthews scrambled for his producers to see if what he said was true. And I'm irresponsible? One staffer ran to the office where I had left my copy of the book, and handed it to Matthews, who--for the first time, apparently--started flipping through it. I asked for my book back and politely said thank you. After I left, he trashed me again on the air and his scurrilous charges were repeated by his MSNBC colleague Keith Olbermann, who called me an "idiot."

Olbermann and Matthews are two main reasons why the CNBC/MS-NBC tandem can't scratch the underbelly of Nielson ratings. The meltdown of Chris Matthews has become almost complete, and the only part we're missing is a complete nervous collapse on camera, which would then be reported by Olbermann with the smirk he uses for every story for which he reads copy.

Michelle's full story of her visit to the asylum is at her blog - Ambush Journalism ... or My Evening With Caveman Chris Matthews:

What I take away from all this is that the Democrat Party waterboys in the media are in full desperation mode. I have now witnessed firsthand and up close (Matthews' spittle nearly hit me in the face) how the pressure from alternative media sources--the blogosphere, conservative Internet forums, talk radio, Regnery Publishing, FOX News, etc. --is driving these people absolutely batty.

Keep bringing it on.

I guess they have the uncomfortable feeling of the French aristocracy during the Revolution. Too bad. As the Marines say, "Get some."