The Reason Behind the Forged Memos

the Manchurian Candidate ^ | 09/15/2004 | Me

[rocklobster11]

Now that we know the memos were forged, the question is who created them and why? It has been reported that these memos came

to CBS from the DNC and may have originated by a disgruntled former Army National Guard member who has an axe to grind with

President Bush. I'm sure the who will be discovered by other news sources soon. I want to focus on the why.

When I originally saw these memos, I couldn't figure out what the purpose of them was. There didn't seem to be any new facts in

them, as everyone agrees that Bush missed his annual flight examination which was scheduled for July 1972, and had his flight

status suspended on August 1. These memos just appeared to provide backup.

However, upon further analysis, it appears that these memos were meant to lay the ground work for further charges that Bush used

cocaine while in the National Guard and had to be quickly shuffled out of Texas to Alabama to cover it up. These are rumors that

have circled amongst the Bush haters, but there has been no proof, and the timeline didn't really support the conspiracy

theories. Lets look at how these memos were an attempt to forward this rumor:

What is behind each of the memos:

Fake Memo	What is says	Why was it created
May 4,1972	Orders Bush to get his annual physical within 10 days	To change the timeline for Bush getting his annual physical, which wasn't actually due until the end of July. Create the impression that Bush left in a hurried panic for Alabama to avoid drug testing
May 19, 1972	Phone call from Bush asking about getting transfered to Alabama because he wants to run a campaign. Followed by discussion of getting the physical later if he decided to keep flying	Show that Bush left town on May 15, called his commander after the fact to see if he could transfer to Alabama. Also, create a confirmation that Killian was aware and ok with the fact that Bush missed the physical. If the order from May 4 was disobeyed, you would expect some sort of official reprimand or follow-up. Since there is nothing in the record, the May 19 memo provides an answer.
August 1,1972	Bush suspended from flight status due to failure to perform to USAF/TexANG standards and failute to meet annual physical examination as ordered. Plus order of the creation of a flight review board IAW AFM35-13.	Make it look like there was something more to the suspension of flight status than just missing the physical. Create the impression that a flight review board was ordered, so that they can then ask why Bush has not released this document (ie, there must be a cover-up). It must show that Bush was suspended for using drugs
August 18, 1972	CYA Memo about being pressured to sugar-coat the Bush review. Mentions something about backdating information	Perhaps to show that there was some pressure from higher up for a coverup. However, I wonder what record would need to be "backdated" in order to fit in with the subsequent conspiracy theory that they plan to release. Perhaps we will find out, or perhaps they will abandon the next phase of the plan now that the forgeries have been uncovered

Why did 60 Minutes run this story last week? I believe it was meant to be a lead in to the Kitty Kelly book, which also makes

these unfounded claims of Bush drug use. 60 Minutes expected there to be a 4-5 day news cycle discussing how Bush had not

completed his guard duty or had been given preferential treatment. After the Kitty Kelly book came out, they could look at them

again in a new light to help spread the rumors of Bush's drug use.

[OldFriend]

If Scheiffer's lips are moving, he's lying.

Trite but true.

[sergeantdave]

I think your analysis is on target.

This, however, brings to the front this question -

If the DNC, CBS and the Kerry campaign coordinated this smear campaign, were laws broken?

[dinasour]

GMTA

Pardon my ignorance.

Georgia Music Teachers Association

Georgia Motor Trucking Association

Genetically Modified Total Annihilation

[Congressman Billybob]

Good afternoon, my friend,

I don't waste much time trying to figure out the specific nasty purpose of each individual memo might be. They are forgeries. There are only two questions to pursue beyond that: What confessions and firings will come from CBS? Will Democrat operatives' fingerprints be found at the scene of this crime?

In my view, no other questions about this are worthy of the time and energy of Freepers.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "Time to Talk about the 2008 Election"

If you haven't already joined the anti-CFR effort, please click here.

[rocklobster11]

The only laws broken were forgery and impersonating a dead man. Collusion between the media, DNC, and Kerry is part of daily life.

[Howlin]

Well, it looks like they're response is going to be "Well, even if they are forged, the content is true."

How they would ever back that up, I have no idea.

[dinasour]

I'm also thinking that these 'memos' were not 'dropped' all at once into CBS's lap (one big document dump), instead, someone 'trickled them out slowly' to SeeBS ...

With more to come as the story "develops".

Say, connecting the other pilot with cocaine.

Nothing that directly fingers Bush, that might be to easy to falsify, but enough so that the useful idiots (or in Rather's case, willing accomplice) will connect the dots.

But they never counted on a pajama party.

[rocklobster11]

In my view, no other questions about this are worthy of the time and energy of Freepers.

Nothing is going to happen at CBS, because the whole chain of command is anti-Bush. They are all high fiving right now about all the other networks having to mention all day long about a supposed CBS press release, and the increase in ratings of CBS Evening News due to people tuning in to see what lies come out of Rather's mouth next

On the other hand, the only important questions are: What lies is the DNC planning on using next to try to bring down this President, and how can we counter it or stop it in advance? I think the content of the memos tells is a good indicator of what they were planning next.

[reformedliberal]

This is dead on.

My father was on the investigative (permission) side of ATF. His techniques were similar. He particularly liked to get responses in bits and pieces over time, so that the slips would show up. He was always smiling and interested in the lies someone was telling and would encourage them to elaborate on them. then, later, he would refer to it again and watch their responses.

I know a retired journalist whose interview technique is quite similar.

[rocklobster11]

I'm also thinking that these 'memos' were not 'dropped' all at once into CBS's lap (one big document dump), instead, someone 'trickled them out slowly' to SeeBS ...

I think they were all dumped on CBS at the same time, and that the delivery guy from the DNC told them to how to release them over time. CBS was specifically told to hold back 2 memos so that they could use them in Phase 2 to get the cocaine angle going.

[okie01]

Outstanding work.

Initially, it was clear that individual memos are not, by themselves, terribly incriminating. They only led to speculation.

I was at the point of wondering why Rather and CBS were making such a big deal of them. And defending them so fiercely. I had written it off to their simply becoming irrational about Bush's success and Kerry's failures.

But your work makes it clear there was a larger plan behind it all. The memos had a critical, well-defined role to play in a much larger scheme.

In my view, uncovering this larger strategy belongs on the same plane as the earlier revelations about the forgeries. That the strategy now lies in a shambles doesn't diminish that accomplishment.

Thanks for the ping, Howlin. Rocklobster's work has uncovered the VLWC that existed beneath these shabby forgeries.

No wonder Gunga Dan doesn't want to abandon the Grand Strategy. There is way too much at stake -- for him and the entire Democrat party.

If this plot were to be revealed, think of the consequences...

[wvromania]

FREEP THE JUSTICE Department/ FBI/ IG of ANG., as it doesn't matter if the content is true of false.

SOMEONE COMMITTED A FORGERY....NOT JUST ON A SIGNATURE...BUT USING A US MILITARY INSTALLATION, NAMES, RANKS., ETC.

THIS IS NEXT TO TREASON. THIS IS WORSE THAT PRETENDING TO BE A COP. SINCE IT WAS BROADCAST ALL OVER THE WORLD. AND NO WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

PRINTERS.....COPIERS....ALL LEAVE A FINGERPRINT...IF THEY STATE THE DOCUMENTS ARE FORGERIES THE THE JUSTICE DEPT SHOULD LOCK DOWN CBS//DNC//KERRY HEADQUARTERS//THE LT COL'S HOME WHOM SUPPOSIBLY SIGNED THE LETTERS., SO ON.

++++The family of the officer should bring civil charges for slandering their family name. OPEN THE WHOLE CAN OF WHOOP ASS.++++

[MizSterious]

But were they done routinely (with the physicals) in the military? My retired USCG hubby says no, not until the 80's.

[txrangerette]

"who cares if someone took drugs 30 yrs ago?"

The Kitty Kelly book has Sharon Bush saying W used Coke at Camp David while his dad was Pres. - 1989-1993(Jan.)

That is part of this smear.

Then they hope people will think if that's true, Bush could be using Coke etc. at the WH today. & Laura could be smoking pot etc. as Kelly's book paints her in college.

[Common Tator]

I know a retired journalist whose interview technique is quite similar.

I resemble that remark.

And you are right.. going over the same ground separated by time .. can often establish that the subject can't remember which lie they told the last time.

[ride the whirlwind]

Make it look like there was something more to the suspension of flight status than just missing the physical.
Create the impression that a flight review board was ordered, so that they can then ask why Bush has not released this document (ie, there must be a cover-up). It must show that Bush was suspended for using drugs

So memogate is morphing into Kitty Kelly style tabloidism?

[MizSterious]

Good charts and dot-connecting. It's quite a plot, and it might have succeeded if not for all the pyjama-clad bloggers out there. One thing made very clear is that there is more than just "winning the election" at work here--something like this had to have sprung from pure, unadulterated hatred. They wanted not only to win the election, but to also utterly destroy the President.

[OldFriend]

Great Minds Think Alike

I posted the same comments as you did.....without reading yours first.

That happens a lot on FR

[reformedliberal]

The memos were the only way to make it look like Bush went to Alabama in a panic as a result of a direct order to get a physical on short notice.

---

Except, from the descriptions by vets of how these things worked then, no physicals were given on short notice. No administrator ordered the physicals. They were done within a known time frame and the reminders came from the Medical Officer or the Corpsman.

Not disputing your theory, which I think has merit and may be accurate. I am just noting another gap in the knowledge of the forger.

Given these gaffes based on lack of knowledge of how things worked, I am not prone to place this on Burkett (sp), the disgruntled Guardsman w/a history of mental/emotional instability. Seems to me, he would know those details cold.
He's there as a conduit in making the link, IMO.

On another facet:
Is there some way to track down the other typists in the pool that were used by Lt Col Killian? Killian's son and widow say this 86-year-old secretary (sorry, I forget her name) wasn't a private secretary, just another typist in the pool. My experience is that typist pools are full of catty backstabbing and gossip. It would be instructive to find out more about this woman from her then-peers.

[self_evident]

But were they done routinely (with the physicals) in the military? My retired USCG hubby says no, not until the 80's.

That's what I was trying to get at. If the research behind them was only starting in '72, then clearly there was no use of them during Bush's tenure.