  urlLink McGehee at blogoSFERICS thinks the Swift Vets ad and subsequent debate is to Kerry's advantage: I think that attacking...Kerry there only plays into his hands.
He wants the focus of the campaign to be on something that happened over 30 years ago, before he came back to the States, discovered his service wasn’t a political plus after all, and joined the anti-war movement. He wants the focus of the campaign to be kept away from his Senate record. If it were Cheney making these charges or other high-profile people in the Bush campaign doing it--I'd agree.
Since then the Kerry camp could highlight Cheney's lack of service and Bush's lack of overseas service. But it's not either of them doing it--it's fellow veterans. And since Kerry has made veterans' apparent support for him THE cornerstone of his campaign, I don't see how it plays into his hands to note that lots of veterans are mightily pissed at him. Nor do I think this substantially detracts from the attention that can be given his Senate record--primarily because it's NOT the campaign making these charges.
The Swiftees/Swifties/Swifters(? ) can have their own private war with Kerry over this issue--while the campaign can go full on out against his Senate record. And when you combine his anti-defense votes with separate charges that he maligned and slandered fellow soldiers--that he is "reporting for duty" looks less and less credible. 
