Not when the intention is simply to smear or spread misinformation. T. Boone must have figured that the whole Kent Hovind Creationism campaign was getting tremendous traction with the drooling classes and decided to replicate it.

The group is working with Mr. Kerry, who himself seized on the challenge soon after Mr. Pickens made it at an American Spectator dinner. In a letter, he offered to meet with Mr. Pickens to rebut the charges. Mr. Pickens wrote back to say he was good for his money, but that Mr. Kerry would have to provide his military record, the journal he kept during Vietnam, and all copies of movies and tapes made during his tours there.

Mr. Pickens also qualified his challenge, saying he meant that someone would have to prove false things in the group’s television ads – putting aside the bestselling book and extensive media interviews that attracted them the bulk of the attention. He challenged Mr. Kerry back: if you can’t prove anything inaccurate, give $1 million to the Medal of Honor Foundation, a charity.

Wait a minute, Mr. Kerry wrote back, you said nothing at the dinner about just the ads. (At least, that’s how blogs sympathetic to Mr. Pickens quoted his challenge.) He said he’d meet with Mr. Pickens – “no variations, no back peddling, no retreat, no new bets, no changing the subject” – and direct his reward money to a charity that helps veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Pickens did not reply.

In the June 25 letter sent from Pickens to Sanudsky, Pickens thanks the veterans for their research but still denies any obligation to pay them the $1 million.

"Unfortunately, key aspects of my offer of $1 million have not been accurately reported," Pickens wrote in the letter obtained by ABCNews.com. "In reviewing your material, none of the information you provide speaks specifically to the issues contained in the ads, and, as a result, does not qualify for the $1 million."