The attacks on Graeme Frost, the 12-year-old who gave the Democrats' weekly radio address several weeks ago, should serve as a wake-up call to all of us as we lurch toward another election season.

The well-coordinated fabrications showed that the right-wing truth assassination squad is oiled up and ready to go.

Graeme received brain injuries in car crash, and gets help from the Maryland State Children's Health Insurance Program - SCHIP - which has been crucial in his recovery. He qualified because his parents' $45,000 yearly earnings keep them from buying health insurance - making him the sort of person that SCHIP was created for.

The parents' employers do not provide health insurance. No matter. The right-wing squad, helped by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, Fox News, and Rush Limbaugh, put out the word that the Frosts were rich because Graeme and his injured sister attend private schools - they receive scholarships - and they live among wealthy homes - the parents bought their house in a poor neighborhood for $55,000 in 1990; since then the area has rejuvenated). Therefore, SCHIP is a fraud, they say.

The attackers also claimed Graeme's father owned a business - which was wrong; it was dissolved eight years ago.

Unfortunately, this is part of a right-wing pattern. In 2004 their successful use of the Swift Boat story - shown repeatedly to be a total fabrication - was important in blocking John Kerry from becoming president. Now they are gearing up to do it again.

We need to beware: The truth assassination squad is in action.

Mark Wyman

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