The Obama administration has turned on the former Army comrades of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, managing the aftermath of his release in part by trashing their accounts of his disappearance in Afghanistan nearly five years ago. 'I've had a few aides describe it to me as "we didn't know that they were going to swift-boat Bergdahl",' NBC News Chief White House Correspondent Chuck Todd told Today show host Matt Lauer on Wednesday. Asked later on Twitter if the Obama administration officials used those exact words – 'swift-boat' – Todd tweeted: 'I didn't make it up.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . 'Swift-boated'? Video released by the Taliban and obtained from the 'Voice of Jihad' website shows Bergdahl preparing to be handed over to U.S. Special Forces on Saturday; White House aides are now attacking his former comrades for calling him a wartime deserter . 'Go Google it on the web': State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf questioned Tuesday whether Bergdahl deserted his post, advising reporters to turn to Google for conflicting accounts . In 2004 John Kerry's presidential campaign failed to swat away claims from his former naval comrades, 'Swift Boat Veterans for Truth,' that he exaggerated his combat record and was a failed leader . The 'swift-boat' line is reference to Secretary of State John Kerry's failed 2004 presidential campaign, in which a group of his former Vietnam war naval shipmates publicly and loudly questioned his leadership abilities and his record of service, in a series of television ads. 'So there’s some fighting words there,' Todd said. Seven former Bergdahl platoon-mates has made the rounds in major media since Monday, with overlapping groups speaking to MailOnline, Fox News, CNN, the Wall Street Journal and other news outlets. 'I'm positive that he's a deserter, and that it was all premeditated,' said Gerald Sutton, a 31-year-old Michigan college student who told MailOnline that he was 'a good friend' of Bergdahl when they were deployed to the Middle East together. 'This soldier knew what he was doing,' added Cody Full, 25, who also served in Bergdahl's unit. 'He left us. He willingly and premeditatedly deserted his comrades.' 'And he put his team, his squad, his platoon, his company, and thousands of other American soldiers in Afghanistan at a very high risk trying to find him.' It's statements like those that the White House appears eager to discredit as it scrambles to quell concerns – both among the general public and members of Congress – about a deal to trade five high-ranking Taliban terrorists for Bergdahl's safe return on Saturday. A State Department deputy spokeswoman joined in the fray Tuesday, suggesting that the Idaho native's onetime brothers-in-arms aren't telling the whole story. SWIFT BOAT: John Kerry (L) was photographed in 1969 with William Rood (R) at the Swift boat base at An Thoi, Vietnam; In 2004 as Kerry ran for president, Rood challenged the future secretary of state's account of the battle for which he won the silver star . Deserter? The Taliban released a propaganda video showing US soldier Bowe Bergdahl in 2010, a year after he left his post in a rural area of eastern Afghanistan . 'We don’t know the facts about what happened yet on that day,' said Marie Harf during a daily press briefing, referring to the June 2009 night when Bergdahl was last seen with his unit. 'There are conflicting reports out there about this,' she said. 'Are there?' asked a Fox News Channel producer. 'There are. Go Google it on the web and you’ll find a ton of conflicting reports,' Harf replied. 'The fact is we’re still establishing a fact pattern about what happened, how he ended up in Taliban captivity.' 'I think people need to be really careful about believing every second or third-hand report out there,' she added – in a direct slam on Full, Sutton and the other eyewitnesses who have stepped forward. Challenged about 'his squad mates who served with him overseas said he walked off the [base], Harf took exception and insisted that 'there’s a lot of rumor and "telephone" game that’s being played here about what happened.' 'He’s been in captivity,' she scolded. 'I think he’s probably the person who knows best what happened on that night.' 'But – well, I think that his squad mates have the best indication what happened that night,' the producer responded. 'I don’t think that that’s the case,' came Harf's retort. Three more members of Bergdahl's platoon spoke to the Associated Press on Wednesday, saying they, too, believe he is a wartime U.S. Army deserter. Bergdahl, the unit's medic recalled thinking at the time, was 'that one guy that wanted to disappear, and now he's gotten his wish.' The now-rescued sergeant 'willfully deserted his post,' he said, 'and he needs to be held accountable for that.'
Obama administration officials told an NBC correspondent that Bergdahl's platoon-mates were 'swift-boating' him .
The line refers to 2004 presidential campaign attack ads in which Secretary of State John Kerry's onetime naval shipmates complained that he had embellished his record of service .
A State Department spokeswoman said Tuesday that she doubted stories from Bergdahl's comrades about his disappearance, saying that conflicting reports were swirling everywhere .
'Go Google it on the web,' she told journalists at a daily briefing .
Nearly a dozen members of Bergdahl's platoon have now accused him of deserting them, creating a scenario that the White House didn't anticipate .
The Obama administration has turned on the former Army comrades of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, managing the aftermath of his release in part by trashing their accounts of his disappearance in Afghanistan nearly five years ago. 'I've had a few aides describe it to me as "we didn't know that they were going to swift-boat Bergdahl",' NBC News Chief White House Correspondent Chuck Todd told Today show host Matt Lauer on Wednesday. Asked later on Twitter if the Obama administration officials used those exact words – 'swift-boat' – Todd tweeted: 'I didn't make it up.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . 'Swift-boated'? Video released by the Taliban and obtained from the 'Voice of Jihad' website shows Bergdahl preparing to be handed over to U.S. Special Forces on Saturday; White House aides are now attacking his former comrades for calling him a wartime deserter . 'Go Google it on the web': State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf questioned Tuesday whether Bergdahl deserted his post, advising reporters to turn to Google for conflicting accounts . In 2004 John Kerry's presidential campaign failed to swat away claims from his former naval comrades, 'Swift Boat Veterans for Truth,' that he exaggerated his combat record and was a failed leader . The 'swift-boat' line is reference to Secretary of State John Kerry's failed 2004 presidential campaign, in which a group of his former Vietnam war naval shipmates publicly and loudly questioned his leadership abilities and his record of service, in a series of television ads. 'So there’s some fighting words there,' Todd said. Seven former Bergdahl platoon-mates has made the rounds in major media since Monday, with overlapping groups speaking to MailOnline, Fox News, CNN, the Wall Street Journal and other news outlets. 'I'm positive that he's a deserter, and that it was all premeditated,' said Gerald Sutton, a 31-year-old Michigan college student who told MailOnline that he was 'a good friend' of Bergdahl when they were deployed to the Middle East together. 'This soldier knew what he was doing,' added Cody Full, 25, who also served in Bergdahl's unit. 'He left us. He willingly and premeditatedly deserted his comrades.' 'And he put his team, his squad, his platoon, his company, and thousands of other American soldiers in Afghanistan at a very high risk trying to find him.' It's statements like those that the White House appears eager to discredit as it scrambles to quell concerns – both among the general public and members of Congress – about a deal to trade five high-ranking Taliban terrorists for Bergdahl's safe return on Saturday. A State Department deputy spokeswoman joined in the fray Tuesday, suggesting that the Idaho native's onetime brothers-in-arms aren't telling the whole story. SWIFT BOAT: John Kerry (L) was photographed in 1969 with William Rood (R) at the Swift boat base at An Thoi, Vietnam; In 2004 as Kerry ran for president, Rood challenged the future secretary of state's account of the battle for which he won the silver star . Deserter? The Taliban released a propaganda video showing US soldier Bowe Bergdahl in 2010, a year after he left his post in a rural area of eastern Afghanistan . 'We don’t know the facts about what happened yet on that day,' said Marie Harf during a daily press briefing, referring to the June 2009 night when Bergdahl was last seen with his unit. 'There are conflicting reports out there about this,' she said. 'Are there?' asked a Fox News Channel producer. 'There are. Go Google it on the web and you’ll find a ton of conflicting reports,' Harf replied. 'The fact is we’re still establishing a fact pattern about what happened, how he ended up in Taliban captivity.' 'I think people need to be really careful about believing every second or third-hand report out there,' she added – in a direct slam on Full, Sutton and the other eyewitnesses who have stepped forward. Challenged about 'his squad mates who served with him overseas said he walked off the [base], Harf took exception and insisted that 'there’s a lot of rumor and "telephone" game that’s being played here about what happened.' 'He’s been in captivity,' she scolded. 'I think he’s probably the person who knows best what happened on that night.' 'But – well, I think that his squad mates have the best indication what happened that night,' the producer responded. 'I don’t think that that’s the case,' came Harf's retort. Three more members of Bergdahl's platoon spoke to the Associated Press on Wednesday, saying they, too, believe he is a wartime U.S. Army deserter. Bergdahl, the unit's medic recalled thinking at the time, was 'that one guy that wanted to disappear, and now he's gotten his wish.' The now-rescued sergeant 'willfully deserted his post,' he said, 'and he needs to be held accountable for that.'
The Obama administration has turned on the former their accounts of his disappearance in Forces on Saturday; White House aides are now wartime deserter . 'Go Google it on the web': State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf from his former naval comrades, 'Swift Boat 'swift-boat' line is reference to Secretary of State John Kerry's failed 2004 presidential campaign, in which a group of his former Vietnam record of service, in a series of television ads. said. Seven former Bergdahl platoon-mates has him.' It's statements like those that the White Bergdahl's safe return on Saturday. A State a daily press briefing, referring to the June unit. 'There are conflicting reports out there more members of Bergdahl's platoon spoke to the