Bush's Youth Under Scrutiny (ZOT!!! Mod's patience just ran out.)

Washington Post ^ | 9/7/04 | Dan Froomkin

[Forrest2320]

After weeks in which the political discourse was nearly dominated by the scrutinizing of Sen. John F. Kerry's conduct in the Vietnam War era, President Bush now may find himself under the microscope and on the defensive for actions in his past. Kerry supporters are actively questioning Bush's spotty record as a stateside National Guardsmen during the Vietnam War. A former senior politician in Texas is telling people he pulled strings to get Bush into the guard. And an Associated Press investigation has concluded that key documents that should have been written to explain gaps in Bush's guard service are missing.

Jill Zuckman writes in the Chicago Tribune: "In a television advertisement to begin airing Friday, Bob Mintz, a lieutenant colonel in the Alabama Air National Guard during the time Bush was supposed to have been there in 1972, will say he never saw Bush at the base even though he looked for him, according to a spokeswoman for the group." Michael Dobbs writes in The Washington Post: "A former senior politician from Texas has told close friends that he recommended George W. Bush for a pilot's slot in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War because he was eager to 'collect chits' from an influential political family.

The five kinds of missing files identified by the AP are: • A report from the Texas Air National Guard to Bush's local draft board certifying that Bush remained in good standing in 1972 or 1973. • Records of a required investigation into why Bush lost flight status. • A written acknowledgment from Bush that he had received the orders grounding him. • Reports of formal counseling sessions Bush was required to have after missing more than three training sessions.

[Mr. Mojo]

Pure desperation. The Dems remember the bounce Algore got after the Bush DUI revelation in Oct. of 2000 and they're now trying to replicate it. ......Doomed to failure.

[NRA1995]

The Kerry campaign is desperate enough to start THIS again??? Looks like defib time!

[TBarnett34]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1209233/posts

[YaYa123]

Such bunk!

http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=9259

[gunnygail]

LOL!

You KNOW the libtards are in a real panikkk when they start rehashing old garbage.

I'm waiting for Al "Blubberbutt" Sharpton to yell out, "Stay out da Bushes."

Wake me up when a liberal has an original idea that DOES NOT involve raising my taxes.

[lugsoul]

Yeah. I think they call themselves the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

[bigbob]

Go back over to DU and gripe about the "right wing media bias"

[Admin Moderator]

Welcome to FreeRepublic.

So, whaddaya think of all that?

[luvbach1]

I don't give squat what Bush did in the National Guard. He's not running on his record in the National Guard (i.e., his military record) unlike the second coming of JFK; Bush has a recent record as POTUS to run on.

[isthisnickcool]

Ah the Swiftys.....

I wonder what John O'Neill has in store for Kerry in the near future. Whatever it is it's going to leave a mark.

[HEY4QDEMS]

You've had your fun, go away now.

[TSgt]

Forrest2320
Since Sep 7, 2004

Hello...Goodbye...

[CanisRex]

Well, given the fact that he didn't post a commentary... Three letters, starts with Z...

[cyncooper]

After weeks in which the political discourse was nearly dominated by the scrutinizing of Sen. John F. Kerry's conduct in the Vietnam War era, President Bush now may find himself under the microscope and on the defensive for actions in his past

Really? Has President Bush not been put under the microscope for his past for years? What's this "now" garbage?

Who, pray tell, put Kerry's conduct in Vietnam on the national stage. Why, it was Kerry himself. His running mate demanded we assess Kerry based on his service and the words of those who served with him. That's exactly what the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth are doing.

So, Forrest, what's your comment on this trash?

Why does the media think they have an obligation to examine every last rumor about George W. Bush?

Why does the media feel it is beneath them to investigate credible charges of substance made against Kerry?

[Darkwolf377]

This simply shows their desperation. NOT that it's an attack on Bush's past, but that it's an OLD attack on Bush's past.

This will now be at least the THIRD go-round on this issue.

The next Dem who says criticism of Kerry's past is "old hat" will have this rerun stuck in his face.

Many people, like it or not, think Bush skimped on his service...and they don't care. NO ONE is voting against Bush only because of his NG service, but there are plenty who hate Kerry for his Vietnam stuff.

I am one of those who, when I heard about the midnight rally, thought, "OK, there goes Bush's lead, Kerry's REALLY going to bring it on now." I am stunned by how horribly wrong Kerry's campaign has gone. No one could be doing such a bad job unless their is something in his personality that makes this crash inevitable.

I think Kerry is starting to rerun his primary run because it worked so well--he is veering to the left. That's not going to help him in a general election. Apparently he is going with his original plan and ignoring the south, but this Dean-like path can only lead to a Dean-like meltdown as Kerry realizes he has trapped himself in his constantly-changing points of view.

[MeekOneGOP]

Good grief!! November 2nd is EIGHT weeks from today!
It's gonna be a LOoong homestretch I'm afraid.

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Viking Kitty/ZOT ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[ErnBatavia]

I wonder what John O'Neill has in store for Kerry in the near future.

There's a thread indicating he gets the full hour with O'Reilly tonite....rather, Bill-O gets the full hour with O'Neill tonite, since he'll undoubtedly be in full attack/bloviating mode.

[Kenton]

Didn't work the first time the lefties threw it up, and it won't work on the re-release. Ever since the Clinton years, America has learned to "move on" past minor innuendo like this.

If the neo-commies have to resort to this kind of crap with only 56 days left, I think it pretty much indicates they're out of ammo. I expect any day now we'll start seeing the faithful commit seppuku...

[cyncooper]

I thought Kerry himself presented his Vietnam veteran status as the reason to elect him president.

I guess it is he who made this an issue. The Swiftboat Veterans for Truth are doing their duty.

God bless them.

[MeekOneGOP]

The five kinds of missing files identified by the AP are: • A report from the Texas Air National Guard to Bush's local draft board certifying that Bush remained in good standing in 1972 or 1973. • Records of a required investigation into why Bush lost flight status. • A written acknowledgment from Bush that he had received the orders grounding him. • Reports of formal counseling sessions Bush was required to have after missing more than three training sessions.

Here! Read THESE before you leave us:

08-26-2004
Bush Guard Service, The True Story

08-26-2004
The Facts about Bush and the National Guard
- The Democratic charges fall apart

07-18-2004
Q and A- F-102, Vietnam & George W. Bush

01-24-2004
Bush 'Desertion' Charge Debunked

11-17-2002
What did Dubya do in the war, daddy?

10-15-2000
The Real Military Record of George W. Bush:
Not Heroic, but Not AWOL, Either

July 28, 1999
At Height of Vietnam, Bush Picks Guard
(Washington Post article)

07-04-1999 (Posted on 02/03/2004)
"Bush's stint in Guard scrutinized":
REBUTTAL TO TODAY'S WASHINGTON POST HIT PIECE