2. What was the difference between Joe Ponder's account of his injury and Kerry's account of the same incident, and how does O'Neill refer to Ponder's part in the reunion?

3. What is significant about the location of Lupetti's observation and who was responsible for it?

4. How do the authors plan to answer the questions they pose at the end of the Introduction, and are their methods effective?

5. Who is Roy F. Hoffman and why is his opinion regarded so highly?

6. How many signatures are on the open letter to Kerry by the Swift Boat veterans, and why is that important for the book's main point?

7. What is the general purpose of an Introduction, and how do O'Neill and Corsi use it to establish their intentions in Unfit for Command?

8. Why do the authors make it a point to mention that their purpose for writing the book is not political?

9. What does the quote from John Edwards say and why is it so effective?

10. What inspired O'Neill and the other Swiftees to contact Kerry with regards to his actions in Vietnam and after the war was over?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How was Kerry thought of by the other officers he served with in general? Describe specific situations and examples that illustrate and support their opinions of Kerry. What is so important about the way quotes are used throughout the book and who they are from? How does that help the authors show the reason for their objective?

Essay Topic 2

What were the events leading up to Kerry's service in Vietnam? Explain how he attempted to avoid active duty and why he chose to be stationed with the Swift Boats. How did the Swift Boats' mission change and what was Kerry's response? Why is this significant for the authors' case against Kerry becoming the Commander in Chief? Use the information and quotes from Part 1 to support your analysis.

Essay Topic 3

O'Neill gives a first hand account of the Swift Boat Veterans Reunion in 2003.

1) Describe the events of the reunion, Kerry's reception and actions, and how they compared with the other Swift Boat Veterans' reception and actions. Why is that contrast significant?

2) Who is Joe Ponder? Why does O'Neill think he had the most memorable moment of the reunion? How does Ponder's part in the reunion add to the doubt the authors are showing as far as Kerry's credibility is concerned?

(see the answer keys)

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