PFAW email

Dear matthew,

Remember the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth?

It was the organization that ran TV ads against John Kerry in 2004 attacking his war record in Vietnam, even going so far as to characterize him as a potential war criminal.

The "Swift Boat ads" were based on lies. But the Bush campaign was able to distance itself from these heinous smears because the group running them was technically independent. Well, the right-wing donors and fundraisers behind the Swift Boat ads are back with a vengeance in 2008.

But you can help counter their efforts. Here's how.

People For the American Way Action Fund is an independent political organization affiliated with PFAW. The Action Fund will be running ads in key states that expose the true records of candidates as well as who's behind the right-wing smear machine.

Help counter 2008's swift-boaters by supporting PFAW Action Fund with a critical donation today.

The Action Fund is needed more than ever, as the right-wing groups have already begun.

Defense of Democracies is one that has already started running ads against vulnerable freshman Democrats in some "red" districts -- ads that include images of terrorists including Osama bin Laden, in an obvious attempt to whoop up hysteria around terrorism and mischaracterizing their positions.

Freedom's Watch, a right-wing political organization that spent tens of millions of dollars in ad buys supporting the administration's "surge" in Iraq, will be targeting progressives in 2008 and will have an IMMENSE war chest. In January, the Washington Post reported:

Freedom's Watch will have money -- a lot of money. While initial reports suggested a budget of $200 million, people who have talked to the group in recent weeks say the figure is closer to $250 million, more than double the amount spent by the largest independent liberal groups in the 2004 election cycle.

Progressive candidates -- for the House, the Senate AND the White House -- can only do so much to fend off these attacks from so many angles. But while the right-wing groups are smearing progressive candidates, you can help People For the American Way Action Fund tell the TRUTH about the Right.

Please contribute now.

And let your friends know about People For the American Way Action Fund, and that help is on the way.

Mary Jean Collins, Political Director
People For the American Way

P.S. In recent weeks, we've seen the White House use lies and smears against members of Congress who have tried to defend Americans' constitutional rights against warrantless spying. These groups want to use their hundreds of millions of dollars to escalate those smears, on the airwaves and in your communities. You don't have to sit back and let them.