Can't insert variable using SWFObject

I'm trying to 1) read a txt file, then 2) insert a string from a txt file into a flash textfield using SWFObject.  The string though has double quotes around each element (see below).  Here's my SWFObject script but the flash movie doesn't even show up in the page:

<CFFILE ACTION="Read"
    FILE="path\whatsnew.txt"
    VARIABLE="getthisText">
      

<cfoutput>
<script type="text/javascript">

            // <![CDATA[
            var flashFile ="whatsnew.swf?noCache="+(new Date().getTime());
            var so = new SWFObject("whatsnew.swf", "whatsnew", "766", "700", "7.0.0.0", "##000000");
            so.addParam("wmode", "transparent");
            so.addParam("menu", "false");
            so.addVariable("gettext", "#getthisText#");
            so.write("flashcontent");
            // ]]>
</script>
</cfoutput>

Here's the txt file:

<TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="_sans" SIZE="12" COLOR="#000000" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0">test</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>


Any ideas?