Debunking The Bush AWOL Story - From The Horse's Mouth

Brig. Gen. Turnipseed | February 6, 2004 | Hon

[Hon]

I just got off the phone about an hour ago with Brig. Gen. William R. Turnipseed. He is the sole source for the four year old story that Bush was AWOL during his National Guard service.

Mr. Turnipseed is very unhappy with the way what he said "casually" four years ago has been twisted by the "Bush haters" (his words) in the media, especially the Boston Globe (who first reported the story) and the New York Times.

In a nutshell here is what happened, according to Turnipseed. Back in 1972 his Alabama National Guard unit received a letter from Bush (who was in the Texas Nation Guard) asking if he while he was in Alabama do some equivalancy training with the Alabama unit.

Turnipseed said that this request was as a matter of routine turned over to his administrative assistant, Lott, who wrote back to Bush, giving him the dates of the next unit drills. Lott told Bush he could report for those dates.

Neither Turnipseed nor Lott can now remember whether Bush appeared for these drills or not. Turnipseed says he himself might not have even been around the base at the time, so he wouldn't know one way or the other. And he says he has always said this.

The points Turnipseed wanted to stress are these: Bush was never ordered to report for duty to his unit. Since Bush was in the Texas National Guard and Turnipseed was in the Alabama National Guard, he couldn't have ordered him even if he had wanted to. But he didn't want to.

He (or his assistant, Lott) simply gave Bush the dates he could report if he wanted to do equivalency training with them. There were no orders given. If he showed up or didn't show up, it wasn't their concern.

Additionally, Turnipseed says that he never once said anything about Bush being "AWOL." He said it isn't even a term used in the National Guard. And anyway, as already noted, Bush's training record was not his concern, but the Texas National Guard's.

He said that since the Texas National Guard gave him an honorable discharge it shows that he fulfilled his training requirements.

Turnipseed said that the media has constantly misrepresented what he said and edited him so as to make Bush look bad.

He also said that he had no idea who Bush was, and that he certainly didn't do him any special favors. Nor would he have.

He said that when he first spoke to the Boston Globe reporter about this four years ago he didn't realize he was talking to a "Bush hater."

Turnipseed is a strong Bush supporter. He said that he has been contacted many times especially recently, by "Bush haters" in the media, who try to get him to say that Bush was AWOL. Once they realize that he won't cooperate they lose interest in talking to him. When they do quote him, they say he is backpedaling--even though he is still saying the same exact thing he told them four years ago.

He has been recently asked to go on with Peter Jennings and NBC's Dateline, but he is concerned that they will edit him in such a way as to misrepresent his story again. I have been in touch with Fox news, in hopes that they will have somebody talk to him and try to present his story fairly.

Bottom line, this whole AWOL story was media spin from the git-go. The Boston Globe reporter simply cherry picked Turnipseed's comments and totally misrepresented him--to make Bush look bad.

And the media are still doing it four years later. They should be ashamed--but they have no shame. They have only their agenda.

[Hon]

"Is AWOL Story Source Will Turnipseed Related To "Iraqi Shield" Left-Wing Bush-Basher Tom Turnipseed?"

Yeah, and I was all wet about that. In fact, the William Turnipseed who gave Edwards money is another William Turnipseed in Montgomery Alabama. (What are the odds?)

But William Rufus "Sonny" Turnipseed didn't give money to Edwards. That isn't his zip code. (In fact he gave money to the RNC.)

[Hon]

Actuall, William Rufus "Sonny" Turnipseed, Junior.

You gotta love the South.

[gaspar]

I believe the original Boston Globe story that started this off was entitled "1-year gap of airman at drills from 1972-73." It appeared in the 5/23/2000 edition and was written by Walter V. Robinson.

[socal_parrot]

That thread was started by Carl/Newsmax. I'll ping him/them to this thread.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Bump - I'd send this to Rush, Sean, and Drudge.

Don't worry.

They already got it.

hehe

[Rocko]

Bumped and bookmarked.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Yeah, I heard this AWOL garbage from some of by DemonRat colleagues. If Bush was AWOL, why wasn't he ever brought up on charges or assigned an administrative punishment for being UA (Unauthorized Absence)? A gap in record-keeping, if there even was one, doesn't mean anything. Crappy record-keeping is SOP for the military.

[jocon307]

Here is my suggestion, purchase of paid adverts in the NY Times, Wash Post, Wash Times, Boston Globe, ,LA Times, Wall Street Journal, etc. where Gen. Turnipseed states his case in his own words. I'm sure we all would be willing to donate $ to defray the cost. I'd pony up a small bit. These ads are expensive but it can be done, they will certainly sell you the space.

[Johnny_Cipher]

Well done.

A note to Limbaugh might be in order.

[Hon]

Thanks, using that headline, I was able to find this site, which very lovingly has preserved all of the AWOL stories:

http://awol.gq.nu/AWOL_Globe%20series.htm

Notice how often Turnipseed is quoted. Is really is their only source. And he is misquoted or mischaracterized at best.

He says he never ordered or "directed" Bush. Bush wasn't in his command.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Hmmm. I Googled the Brig Gen. William Turnipseed and here's what I found.

[Happy2BMe]

BUMPING FOR REFERENCE

[onedoug]

I stopped showing up for training once I was honorably discharged, too.

[socal_parrot]

ping.

[cinFLA]

---He said that when he first spoke to the Boston Globe reporter about this four years ago he didn't realize he was talking to a "Bush hater."---

Out of respect I will refrain from commenting on what should have been the obvious.

[SwinneySwitch]

Tanks!

[deport]

I was wondering the same.

---

Now ... now. This story has been around since 1999 and basically debunked in toto..... I guess it got legs again when such military giants such as Clark and Kerry began to banter it about..... In 99 & 00 they ran rampant with it and a book or two was written about it......

[Johnny_Cipher]

I stopped showing up for training once I was honorably discharged, too.

Please post your full name, last rank held, Social Security number, and current address so I can forward it to Michael Moore. He'll take it from there and make sure you get the punishment you deserve :)

[Hon]

From the original Globe story (that started all of this):

"From May to November 1972, Bush was in Alabama working in a US Senate campaign, and was required to attend drills at an Air National Guard unit in Montgomery. But there is no evidence in his record that he did so. And William Turnipseed, the retired general who commanded the Alabama unit back then, said in an interview last week that Bush never appeared for duty there."

http://awol.gq.nu/AWOL_Globe%20series.htm

Bush was NOT required to attend those drills according to Turnipseed. And Turnipseed doesn't know whether he attended them or not. Why would he have known? He said he didn't know who Bush was (he wasn't famous or anything at the time). This is all made up by the Boston Globe reporter.

[McGavin999]

You should tell he to go on the networks, but to get a signed agreement in writing that he gets to approve any edits.