Hi Gang,
Getting away from the horse race arguments for a moment it appears that the smoking gun has surfaced showing that Bush got preferential treatment while serving in the Texas ANG. Now, Werner von Brawn is from Texas (I hope I'm not telling secrets) and he and his wife both say that the particular unit Bush was in is well known in Texas as having been really corrupt during the Vietnam era. It was THE place for favored sons to sit out the war in safety. But even if its an open secret in Texas, there hasn't been anything like a smoking gun. Until now.
CBS ran a story on 60 Minutes II in which Ben Barnes admitted that he exerted pressure to get Bush preferential treatment in being admitted to the Texas ANG. This comes at the same time that yet more documents have come out (see CNN story) detailing Bush's suspension from the Texas ANG. Bush has always claimed that he "served honorably." However these new documents are full of accusations of preferential treatment, interference on Bush's behalf by higher authorities and assertions that Bush's piloting skills did not meet ANG standards.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Smoking Gun on Bush ANG Documents?
Posted by Raised By Republicans at 8:35 AM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I heard this story on NPR this morning. It must suck to be Scott McClellan. They are all whiny now that this is dirty politics. I love how Republicans operate. THey are like my kid brother who would torment me until I snapped. Then he'd pretend to cry to get me busted.
Just for the record from http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040909-2.html
Press Gaggle by Scott McClellan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Colmar, Pennsylvania
11:53 A.M. EDT
MR. McCLELLAN: As you are aware, I let you know that he participates in NSC meetings on -- when he participates in these NSC meetings, but there is not going to be a readout of that meeting.
Q Why did the President defy a direct order to get a physical in 1972?
MR. McCLELLAN: Scott, these are the same old recycled attacks that we see every time the President is up for election. It's not surprising that you see a coordinated effort by Democrats to attack the President when Senator Kerry is falling behind in the polls. And we had a very successful convention, and that's what this is about. It was well known that the President was going to work in Alabama and seeking a transfer to perform equivalent duty in a non-flying status. And that's what he was doing.
Q Did he decline to take it because he was moving to Alabama?
MR. McCLELLAN: He was transferring to a unit in Alabama to perform equivalent duty in a non-flying status. That is nothing new.
Q This was a direct order he defied, right? I mean, he did have a direct order that he defied?*
MR. McCLELLAN: John, these issues have come up every year. This was all part of the records -- that he was seeking to transfer to a unit in Alabama because he was going there to work in a civilian capacity. And he was granted permission to do so. And he was proud of his service and he was honorably discharged in October '73, after meeting his obligations.
*The memos that were released, in fact, show the President was working with his commanders to comply with the order.
Q Do you think that the Kerry campaign was behind these allegations surfacing again now?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think you absolutely are seeing a coordinated attack by John Kerry and his surrogates on the President. The polls show Senator Kerry falling behind, and it's the same old recycled attacks that we've seen every time the President has been up for election.
Q Do you think it's retaliation for the Swift Boats attacks on Kerry?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think it's -- I think it's in response to Senator Kerry falling behind in the polls and a successful convention that we had last week in New York.
Q Scott, even if these are old and recycled, and he was --
MR. McCLELLAN: This -- there --
Q I'd like to ask --
MR. MCCLELLAN: I would like to finish my answer.
Q But I didn't ask my question yet.
MR. McCLELLAN: But I haven't finished my answer to Steve. This race is about the future and the choices that the American people face. And there are clear differences on the issues. And I don't -- Senator Kerry will do anything he can to avoid defending his record and talking about the clear choices that the American people face. And this President -- the President will continue to focus on his agenda for the future. And that's what the American people want this election to be focused on. And that's where our focus has been and where it -- well, where it will continue to be.
In the interest of fairness: the news cycle today is full of talk about how the most damning documents released earlier this week are probably fakes. This is more than just White House spin or I wouldn't mention it. Apparently there are some strangely modern and Microsofty looking bits to some of the documents. CBS continues to insist that they had the documents vetted by independent experts and that they are genuine.
Frankly, I'm not sure it matters. The point is that the media is talking about stuff Bush would rather they not talk about. Every day spent debating the authenticity of Bush's Texas ANG records is a day not spent hyping the 9/11 anniversary. Last year, there was close to a weak of special broadcasts and "in memorium" editorializing. I'm glad to see its not that bad this year.
It's also probably Bush's bad luck that 9/11 falls on a Saturday this year and everyone will be watching College Football! Go Buckeyes! Go Bruins!
Post a Comment