In an interview with the New York Times, President Bush said that "he did not believe Senator John Kerry lied about his war record, but he declined to condemn the television commercial paid for by a veterans group alleging that Mr. Kerry came by his war medals dishonestly."
Nonetheless, Bush's comments "undercut a central accusation leveled by the veterans group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, whose unproven attacks on Mr. Kerry have dominated the political debate for more than two weeks."
Meanwhile, the Washington Post notes Bush and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) "joined forces yesterday to seek legal action to reduce the influence of 527 political organizations, but the two remained in disagreement over whether Bush should condemn a television ad by the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth attacking John F. Kerry's Vietnam service."