Meet the Attack Lads – John Kerry Windsurfing

Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.

Instructions: Click on the images below to watch the ads and meet the attack lads. Red links will take you to an appendix with more information.

Windsurfing ad (2004): Anti-Kerry spot claimed that senator “surfs every direction on Iraq”.

created by
McCarthy Marcus Hennings

Home to Larry McCarthy, creator of Progress for America Voter Fund’s “Ashley’s Story,” which showed Bush hugging the daughter of a 9/11 victim

corporate clients:
Fox TV, The Washington Post Company

McCarthy Marcus Hennings also created the Willie Horton ad (1988)

this ad was comissioned by

Progress for America/PFA Voter Fund

founded by
Tony Feather

now works for:
Mitt Romney

contracted with
Tom Synhorst

cofounded
Feather Larson Synhorst with Tony Feather.

was run by
Chris LaCivita

has worked for:
DCI Group
consults for:
Mercury Public Affairs
was linked to:
Phone jamming (2002)
chris lacivita did consulting for:
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (2004)

Transcript:

[Music] Female Announcer: John Kerry’s hobby? Windsurfing huh issues dude. He claims to be the big kahuna on terror but votes to cut defense and intelligence. The Patriot Act? Whichever way the wind blows, Kerry rides the wave. And Kerry surfs every direction on Iraq.

Kerry: I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.

Female Announcer: Windsurfing: hot on water; bad on issues. Total wipeout.

[SFX: chorus “total wipeout”] Progress for America Voter Fund is responsible for the content of this surfin’ message.

Download the PDF of this chart as it appeared in the magazine.
Click here to see the whole chart