Hillary Aide: Bush Should Come Clean on AWOL Charges

Newsmax ^ | 2/5/04

[areafiftyone]

An adviser to New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is daring President Bush to prove he didn't go AWOL from the National Guard in 1972 by releasing his military records.

Asked if he thought Bush needed to produce his Guard records, Howard Wolfson told Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes" Wednesday night: "Absolutely. He could solve this very easily by coming clean with the American people and letting them know what he did and didn't do."

Wolfson, who was Mrs. Clinton's Senate campaign spokesman in 2000 and currently serves as her adviser, attacked Bush's military record despite Bill Clinton's own problems during the Vietnam era with the draft.

However, Mrs. Clinton's one-time spokesman was unfazed by the incongruity of his attack.

"The truth is," he insisted, "the Republicans brought this on themselves. ... They had George Bush go out to an aircraft carrier on a stunt. He dressed up in a flight suit. He tried to tell everyone that he was a pilot."

"The fact is that he didn't serve for much of the time," Wolfson insisted.

Wolfson urged Bush to produce his military records despite the fact that his political team already did so during the 2000 campaign.

At the time the New York Times reported, "Guard records show [Bush} received credit for having performed all the required service."

Mrs. Clinton's adviser insisted, however, that "for 18 months [Bush's] commander at the base says that he didn't see him."

Wolfson was apparently unaware that earlier in the day, the commander in question, Brig. Gen. William Turnipseed, had recanted his allegation, telling NBC News: "I don't know if [Bush] showed up, I don't know if he didn't. I don't remember how often I was even at the base."

[kcvl]

THIS SHOULD BE CALLED THE CLINTON SHADOW GOVERNMENT...

A Partner at The Glover Park Group, Howard Wolfson heads the firm's New York office.

He joined GPG after serving as Executive Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for two years. At the DCCC, he oversaw advertising in over 40 media markets and was responsible for a $50 million budget. He also provided strategic, political and campaign advice on a daily basis to all Democratic House members.

Prior to the DCCC, Wolfson served as Communications Director for the campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2000. He traveled extensively with Clinton throughout New York State and managed the campaign's research, policy and communications departments. During the campaign he made numerous television appearances on shows including Meet the Press, This Week and Larry King Live.

Wolfson was Communications Director for then Representative Charles Schumer's 1998 Senate campaign, developing and implementing extensive political, advertising and press strategies. He had previously served as Chief of Staff and Press Secretary to Representative Nita Lowey

Wolfson graduated from the University of Chicago and subsequently earned a Masters in US History from Duke University. A New York native, he now splits his time between New York and Washington, DC, with his wife Terri.



http://www.gloverparkgroup.com/leadership/wolfson.html


Ever heard of the old agency bait-and-switch? When your business is up for review, the agency's biggest names always seem to make their way to the conference room. But when it comes time to actually do the work, they are nowhere to be found.

At The Glover Park Group, the top people don't just glance over the work. We do it.


Joe Lockhart

is a Partner with The Glover Park Group who specializes in media relations and political strategy. He has served as Chief Spokesman for President Clinton and the Clinton Administration from 1998-2000, where he conducted daily press conferences for White House journalists, briefed the President and senior members of his Administration on all press matters. He also coordinated the creation and dissemination of message for all departments within the administration.


Carter Eskew

is a Founding Partner who has over 20 years of experience in the most high profile corporate and political campaigns.

At The Glover Park Group, Eskew has directed message strategy and advertising for a range of corporate clients, including the United States Telecom Association, Fannie Mae, and the American Insurance Association's asbestos campaign.

Prior to GPG, he was Chief Strategist for the Gore 2000 presidential campaign, leading the message and creative team that helped Vice President Gore win every primary and caucus, secure the nomination, then make up a 20 point deficit in the polls to a victory in the popular vote.



Michael Feldman

is a Partner with The Glover Park Group who has worked on political and public policy issues for nearly two decades, most recently as Senior Advisor to Vice President Al Gore. During the 2000 presidential campaign and Florida recount, he was the senior-most member of the Vice President's traveling team, responsible for directing all staff in support of the Vice President's agenda and supervising the planning and performance of all events and activities involving Vice President Gore. He was appointed to this position in May 1997.


Gigi Georges

is President of The Glover Park Group's New York office. She has an extensive background in political strategy and education policy within the public and private sectors.

Georges most recently served as Communications Director for the New York City Department of Education, where she served as a key strategist in the development of a major reform agenda for the nation's largest public school system.

She previously served as State Director for Senator Hillary Clinton (2001-2002) and as a Special Assistant to the President in the Clinton/Gore Administration, where she coordinated domestic policy issues for the National Economic Council. From 1997 through 1999, Georges served as Assistant to the President for Government Relations at the American Federation of Teachers, where she was a lead policy and political advisor for the one million-member teachers' union. From 1989 through 1993, she was Legislative Director for the United Federation of Teachers in New York City.

Lorrie McHugh-Wytkind

is a Partner with The Glover Park Group with more than twenty years of media relations/strategic communications experience in both the public and private sectors.

McHugh-Wytkind joined The Glover Park Group after serving seven years in the Clinton Administration, where she held a number of positions including Deputy Press Secretary for Media Affairs and Operations, running both the White House press office and the regional media and press advance operations. In this role, McHugh-Wytkind was responsible for setting up all Presidential interviews and served as Chief Liaison with the Cabinet Press Offices and the White House Correspondents Association.

During the Clinton Administration, McHugh-Wytkind also served as Chief Spokesperson for Health and Human Services Director Donna Shalala; FDA Associate Commissioner for Public Affairs and member of the FDA Executive Committee, running the media, publications and FOIA offices; and director of the Department of Labor's OSHA public affairs office.

McHugh-Wytkind's government experience also extends to Capitol Hill and state governments. On the Hill, McHugh-Wytkind was Senator Edward M. Kennedy's press secretary for the then Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee.


Amy Phee

is a Senior Vice President at The Glover Park Group where she directs the firm's market analysis and research practice. Skilled in both quantitative and qualitative research, she has experience with a broad range of research methodologies, including copy and concept testing, public opinion surveys, employee research and focus groups.

Phee first acquired her marketing and research expertise at Procter & Gamble, a leading consumer products company. At P&G, she managed the market research and strategic product development for Pampers diapers and Tide laundry detergent.

Prior to joining The Glover Park Group, Phee was a Managing Director and Vice President for Organizational Research for Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, a D.C.-based firm specializing in the use of research tools to promote public policy and to advance corporate strategies. In this role, she assisted such clients as BP Amoco, Boeing, Monsanto, the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, the International Committee for the Red Cross, the Democratic National Committee and EMILY's List. She was a key member of the merger team for BP's acquisition of Amoco. Her work with Monsanto helped that company assess the risks and opportunities associated with the controversial public introduction of the use of biotechnology in food.


Chip Smith

is a Partner with The Glover Park Group specializing in corporate positioning and strategic communications. Over the last decade, he has advised a wide range of clients, including Fortune 50 corporations, prominent non-profit associations and candidates for political office. He has well-rounded leadership experience in corporate strategy, media relations, advertising, operations and investor relations.

Prior to joining GPG, Smith was Deputy Campaign Manager and the Chief of Staff for Al Gore's 2000 Presidential campaign. As a member of the senior strategic team, he designed, built, and directed day-to-day operations and was the architect of the campaign's financial strategy, including the primary and general election budgets. At the Gore campaign, Smith managed 450 paid employees and roughly $160 million in expenditures.

From 1996 to 2000, Smith was an Executive Director of Strategy and Communications at MCI and the Chief of Staff to the President and COO. At MCI, Smith managed external and internal communications and directed messaging for Wall Street and industry analysts, media, regulators, customers, shareholders and employees.

[Paulus Invictus]

And you are a DU troll and should leave this forum with an appropriate ZOT!

[BigSkyFreeper]

This garbage didn't work the first time around, what makes them think that if they put teeth on this charge again, it will work? While in the same breath the Democrats go around telling everyone not to put into question their patriotism.

[prairiebreeze]

I think he slunk off mystery. Sorta had his balloons popped it seems.

Prairie

[prairiebreeze]

I agree. Has anybody summoned the Viking Kitties?

Prairie

[kcvl]

Howard Wolfson, AB'89, helps Hillary Clinton meet the press Starting at the U of C, where he worked at the Maroon and served on Student Government, Howard Wolfson, AB'89, has pursued his interests in journalism and politics all the way to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's staff. This past June, Wolfson--formerly chief of staff for Representative Nita M. Lowey (D--New York)--became press secretary for the Hillary Rodham Clinton for U.S. Senate Exploratory Committee and subsequently for her Senate campaign. In 2000, she will run for the seat being vacated by Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D--New York), who has endorsed Clinton.

Wolfson arrives at the Clinton campaign headquarters in New York City by 7 a.m. to scour the nation's newspapers, handle press inquiries, and "respond as her spokesperson to the full range of questions and issues that might come up in any given day." He doesn't leave the office until at least 8 p.m. "There's a fair amount of stress in the job," he notes. "There's an enormous amount of interest in Hillary Clinton, both as a person and as a potential candidate, and in addition to the New York media, there is a great deal of attention focused on her from press as far away as Japan and Europe."

When Clinton travels anywhere in New York state, Wolfson goes with her to field questions from the "very large press contingent that goes wherever she goes." The hundreds of reporters might ask about the Senate race, Clinton's international trips, environmental issues affecting New Yorkers, and even Hillary Clinton Web sites. He won't answer any questions related to her role as First Lady, preferring to keep that part of her identity separate. Balancing the daily deluge of phone calls, meetings with Clinton, press events, and the long--term goals of the election is difficult, according to Wolfson, "but it's the sort of balance you have to strike in any political job." He should know.

After receiving his master's degree in American history from Duke University in 1991, Wolfson took a newspaper job covering the political beat in Fairfax County, Virginia. "The more I covered it, the more I realized I'd rather be doing it than reporting on it," he says. "I figured it would be easier to be behind the closed doors than watching from the outside."

He got his first job in politics in 1992 with Representative Jim Jontz (D--Indiana), who lost his bid for re--election that year. Lowey hired Wolfson a year later. He worked in her office for six years, except for several months in 1998 when Lowey "loaned" him to Charles E. Schumer (D--New York) to serve as director of communications for Schumer's successful Senate campaign against Alfonse M. D'Amato.

When Lowey decided against a 2000 senatorial bid, Clinton adviser Harold M. Ickes called Wolfson to offer him the press secretary job. Wolfson says that he jumped at the chance: "I can't think of a better opportunity than the one I have now."

Still, the 33--year--old notes, "Politics is something that's easier to do when you're in your 20s than when you're in your 30s, because the amount of time required to do it well is incompatible with having a full, decent life outside the office."

For now, he's happy to make the trade--off. "The amount of scrutiny of Mrs. Clinton as a person and a candidate is, in my experience, unprecedented," he says. "If this race comes together and she runs against [New York City] Mayor [Rudolph W.] Giuliani, it will probably be the most exciting and historic Senate race of the century." --B.B.

[ohioWfan]

Do you think he was STUPID enough to think anyone would believe his TRIPE??

Oh, yeah.....he probably is. He's a RAT........can't be TOO bright.

[mystery-ak]

Well, we know Bill doesn't wake up to that!

[BigSkyFreeper]

Bush's service record

[prairiebreeze]

He ran off BigSky. He got skeeeeeered! And Skewered too, Heh!

Prairie

[kcvl]

He is a FREAKING IDIOT...


Howard Wolfson, a consultant for the state Democratic Party, said he understands why Bloomberg tried "to hide" the fact that he is "one of the biggest Republican donors in the country" and a contributor to Bush's reelection campaign.

Bloomberg has contributed $275,000 to the Republican National Committee and $2,000 to Bush's reelection committee. Last year, the mayor held a fund-raiser for Bush at his upper East Side townhouse.

"It's too bad the mayor was too embarrassed to tell the caller that he has already endorsed George Bush's reelection," Wolfson said. "Mayor Bloomberg's support of George Bush is just another example of how out of touch this billionaire is with the people of New York."

POT MEET KETTLE AND MARC & DENISE RICH...(I bet Bloomberg didn't sleep with Bush either). Of course, this is only something that I have heard about Hillary's "husband".

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/159349p-139835c.html

[SeeRushToldU_So]

Zot.......

[No Truce With Kings]

"Doesn't one have to be active military before the term AWOL can even be applied? Or are the libs just being loose with words, as usual."

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Give the Freeper the prize. Bingo. DEAD ON.

You cannot be AWOL from National Guard -- unless you are active duty. When your unit is in the reserves, and your only obligation is monthly meetings AWOL is a non-sequitur.

Nor did Bush "desert." That is a criminal charge. If you miss one or even a bunch of Guard meetings you are not "deserting." It's like saying that someone who overdraws a bank account has committed bank robbery.

And, there is no evidence that Bush missed more meetings than he was obligated to go to anyway. In fact, there is plenty of evidence that he more than fulfilled his Guard obligations.

What these charges *really* boil down to is a cheap gotcha game based on the absence of records more attributible to bad record-keeping in a Guard unit than anything else. And -- oh yeah -- 30 years after the fact a General failed to remember a junior lieutenant who was in his unit for only a short time, when neither was required to attend meetings more than a few times a month.

All this demonstrates is (a) how little exposure Democrats have to Reserve or Guard Service (big surprise that, huh?) and (b) the Democrats don't really count on the votes of Guard or Reserve veterans for the 2004 election, or they would not be denigrating Guard and Reserve service the way they have had to in order to attempt to count coup on President Bush.

[Constitutional Patriot]

Yeah...and maybe Hillary! can release her graduate thesis where she wrote about the wonders of Marxism and how it is the natural course of humanity...

I have to start thinking of new words to describe her...I can't think of anything vile enough.

[kcvl]

Howard Wolfson seems to be nothing more than a smart*ss...


Democratic consultant Howard Wolfson in Salon.com on Dean's sacking of Joe Trippi: “I guess it was Joe Trippi who told Dean to act hysterical and say dumb things every day. If there was ever a situation where a candidate should have fired himself, it was this one.”

Of course, he is "working" for the most corrupt female politician known to man. Howard, please let us know when Hillary REMEMBERS a damn thing she did in the Monica White House, like where she put the billing records, or where she was the day Bill dipped his cigars in his personal humidifier.

[sport]

What you got against cows?

[Constantine XIII]

Wouldn't help, they'd still vote. :p

[sport]

You are too kind to her.

But, on a serious note, There is no name, word, phrase, in any language, in the past or in the future that has or will be designed that is vile enough, derogatory enough, nor obscene to describe either a clinton or democrat.

[Tamzee]

Yep, he slunk off...

This is the kind of garbage we have to see peppering DU, IndyMedia, The Nation, etc... nasty, lying leftist media. I can't believe people at FR are spouting the same poison.

[sport]

You forgot Vince Foster.

Of course Michael Medved says she had nothing to do with Vince's early demise.