“Incredibly Offensive”: Rep. Mikie Sherrill Defends Tim Walz Against Attacks on Military Record
Andrew Harnik / AP
A New Jersey Democrat and Navy veteran, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, has strongly defended vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, calling the recent accusations questioning his military service “incredibly offensive” and comparing them to the “Swiftboat bulls—” that Senator John Kerry faced during his presidential campaign.
Speaking with CNN host Kaitlan Collins on “The Source” Thursday night, Sherrill described the attacks on Walz, who served in the National Guard for 24 years, as “slanderous” and an affront to his “honorable service.”
Sherrill emphasized that Walz retired from the military before the announcement was made that his troops would be deployed, making the allegations even more baseless. “To try to make up some kind of story against his service is really offensive and even more offensive because these accusations are being lodged by another veteran,” she said.
During the interview, Collins noted that Chris LaCivita, one of Donald Trump’s campaign managers, was the “driving force” behind the infamous “Swiftboat” ads, which cast doubt on Kerry’s military service during his 2004 presidential run.
Sherill urged Walz to speak proudly about his military service, dismissing the attacks as part of a “same old, tired playbook” used against those who have served. “They’re like one-trick ponies against people who serve,” she remarked. “Those of us who are veterans find it incredibly offensive because it’s not the details, it’s the fact that here’s a person who has spent his entire life in service to his country.”
In addition to his long tenure in the National Guard, Walz was also a teacher for more than a decade and served as a congressman and governor, Sherrill noted. “So to come at him and suggest that his service wasn’t honorable, or that despite all the records to the contrary he somehow left his troops wanting leadership is just ridiculous and really, really offensive,” she asserted.
The comparison to the Swiftboat ads harks back to Senator John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign, where his Vietnam War record and military honors, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts, were questioned by a group called “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” Despite Kerry making his military service a central part of his campaign, the group launched a series of ads and a book challenging his war record. Fact-checkers at Snopes have since debunked the claims, labeling them as “false.”
Sherrill’s passionate defense of Walz highlights the ongoing political tactic of questioning the military service of candidates, a strategy that continues to draw strong reactions, especially from fellow veterans.
