Swift Boat Zell

Zell Miller and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ... two great tastes in one!

"Hey! You got misrepresentation of a voting record in my character assassination!"

"Hey! You got character assassination in my misrepresentation of a voting record!"

Who says lying doesn't pay? The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, those lovable rapscallions who slithered from the muck last year to help derail John Kerry's presidential campaign, will be presented the Courage Under Fire award from the American Conservative Union in mid-February. Presenting the honors for the ACU will be none other than former U.S. Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, the beady-eyed human equivalent of Irritable Bowel Syndrome who delighted Republican National Convention delegates last summer when he swallowed a puppy dog whole.

Swift Boat Vets for Truth founder Roy Hoffmann told Associated Press he's proud his group played a part in crippling Kerry's campaign bid. ''That was our primary concern, and we are pleased someone recognized the effort, or at least the impact we had on the election," he said.

But talk about not being able to exit the stage gracefully. Now the Swifties tell the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that they will stay active speaking out against Kerry. Can you say "cuckoo"?

For his part, Zell Miller praised the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth for their "invaluable" service to America. He then clapped his hands together and demanded someone put on a minstrel show.