Russert's Low Blow: Ignores Key Witness on Bush AWOL Charge

NewsMax.Com ^ | 2-8-04 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[jmstein7]

"Meet the Press" host Tim Russert repeatedly grilled President Bush in an interview broadcast on Sunday about allegations he went AWOL from the Alabama National Guard - but never once mentioned that the key witness behind the charge had recanted his story.

Sounding like a surrogate for Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe, Russert echoed the DNC chief's words last week on ABC's "This Week."

"I look forward to that debate," Russert told Bush, "when John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals, is standing next to George Bush, a man who was AWOL in the Alabama National Guard. He didn't show up when he should have showed up."

But the NBC newsman never mentioned his network's own scoop, garnered just last week by White House correspondent David Gregory, who interviewed the ex-Alabama Guard commander who first claimed that Bush had gone AWOL from his unit in 2000.

Back then retired Brig. Gen. William Turnipseed told the Boston Globe that Bush had never appeared for Guard drills. But on Wednesday Gen. Turnipseed withdrew the allegation, telling NBC, "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."

While failing to note the exculpatory account, Russert continued in an accusatory tone, bearing down on the issue of Bush's Guard service:

"You were allowed to leave eight months before your term expired. Was there a reason?" he demanded to know. "When allegations were made about John McCain or Wesley Clark on their military records, they opened up their entire files. Would you agree to do that? . . . . Would you allow pay stubs, tax records, anything to show that you were serving during that period? . . . Would you authorize the release of everything to settle this?

Bush responded, "Yes, absolutely," then noted, "We did so in 2000, by the way." But Russert didn't explain why he hadn't taken the time to review the long available evidence.

Instead, the NBC Washington Bureau chief shifted gears, asking why Bush didn't volunteer to go to Vietnam since he was in favor of the war.

For his part Bush remained firmly on the defensive, saying he was proud of his Guard service, but never challenging Russert about why he had decided to carry the DNC's water by raising questions that had long ago been answered.

In several interviews in recent months with Sen. Kerry, the "Meet the Press" host never questioned the top Democrat's controversial activities with the radical anti-American group, "Vietnam Veterans Against the War," including Kerry's testimony before the Senate in 1971, where he painted soldiers serving honorable in Vietnam as war criminals.

Kerry told the Senate that his fellow GI's had "personally raped [Vietnamese civilians], cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephone to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in a fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan."

Though the Democratic presidential front-runner later admitted he hadn't personally witnessed any of the atrocities he claimed his fellow soldiers had committed, he has yet to be challenged on the issue by mainstream journalists.

[PROUDAMREP]

Timmy is Hillary's lapdog. He was like a love-struck schoolboy when he interviewed her. Smiled A LOT during that interview.

[Terpfen]

Rush says that he's fairly objective in comparison to the rest of the mainstream media, which is true: about 60% of the time, Russert calls it down the middle.

[Howlin]

Here's some stuff:

Lottery Numbers, by Birthdate, for Selective Service Lottery Held December 1969

The lottery drawing held December 1, 1969, determined the order in which men, born from 1944 through 1950, were called to report for induction into the military.


Guess who got #35?

It also says:

Student Postponements - a college student may have his induction postponed until he finishes the current semester or, if a senior, the end of the academic year. A high school student may have his induction postponed until he graduates or until he reaches age 20.

http://www.sss.gov/classif.htm

[lainde]

Timmy was old enough to go to war. my brother was at West Point and he was born in 1951. I'd almost stake my life on the fact he's never served!

[David]

Reason Bush's National Guard service has become a media topic during the last several weeks is this.

The Liberals perceive that Kerry has vulnerability on certain elements of his Vietnam military record. This is part of an effort to blunt the issue. Doesn't look very successful to me. I thought Bush handled both Russert and the National Guard issue just fine.

If not being very enthusistic about going to Viet Nam in one of the regular Army units is a problem, most of his generation has much worse problems and most of them are going to vote.

Bush served in the military; flew military aircraft; qualified as a military aircraft pilot. No record of him being AWOL or otherwise in violation, he got an honorable discharge--end of story.

Further, many of you Bushbots have a very thin skin--the Russert interview was a hands down win for Bush in every possible way. Russert is clearly a motivated liberal on the other side--Bush handled him perfectly and came away with a win. If he can do this every day, he wins reelection.

[elbucko]

"You were allowed to leave eight months before your term expired. Was there a reason?" he demanded to know. "

There is a good answer to that. The services, including the Guard were bloated with personel at the end of "Nam in the 70's. "Early outs" were more than common. "RIF's, Reduction In Force, were the order of the day when Bush was allowed to attend Yale. Other servicemen were released early for college, police and fireman openings. If the town dog catcher needed a kennel cleaner one could get an "Early Out".

I don't see any perfidy on Bush's part, but I do see a lot of ignorance on the press's part.

DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY, RUSSERT! You ignorant puke!

[Howlin]

Deon singing "I'm A Wanderer?"

I can hear it, but I can't write it! Maybe Doug can!

[PattonReincarnated]

>> I agree with you, but that is almost exactly what he said in the interview. Here's the relevant excerpt:

As I wrote my post, I was thinking about not posting it as I went down the number of points, because I realized that Bush did make most of those points. But I posted anyway. Now thinking about it, I was more upset with the way that Bush handled the interchange with Russert.

I think Russert truly believes the following about this issue - whether Russert thinks Bush was AWOL or not - that by bringing up the AWOL charge, that Russert (aren't I so nice to do this for your Mr. President) was giving the President a chance to respond to the charges. That's fair and balanced journalism in his mind. Personally, I think it is an issue off the table. It's a lie. It's been proven a lie, and nothing more needs to be said. So in a way, I see Russert as a lackey of the liberals - despite of what he may really think or feel (I doubt the thinking part sometimes).

Now thinking *even* more about it, I think Bush probably said exactly the right thing. My approach would be meant for conservatives and probably turn off independents and moderate democrats that might vote for Bush. Bush’s responses in the interview were not intended for the likes of me. Bush knows that people like me are not going to vote for Kerry in November. All that Bush has to do is make sure I don’t get so pissed off that I don’t vote in November. Aren’t politics great?

I think that I just came up with a way to describe how conservatives will be treated by Bush the rest of election year; Bush will throw us an occasional bone, but we are not going to be given any red meat.

[The Wizard]

Bush was great

[PattonReincarnated]

>> 4. The term AWOL is not even used in the National Gaurd.

>> Wrong.


According to Brig. Gen. William R. Turnipseed, who was in command of the Alabama National Gaurd at the time Bush was in the Texas National Gaurd, the term AWOL is not used by the National Gaurd. I'm not slitting hairs here. I am simply repeated what the Gen. said.

[BluH2o]

Russert did not say this to Bush, but was quoting someone else. Geez, no wonder things get screwed up.

Tim Russert echoed the accusation/remark made by DNC chairman Terry McAuliff(sp?)recently. What's interesting ... neither McAuliff or Russert ever served a day in the U.S. military. Further the democ"RATS" and their enablers in the liberal mainstream press back in '92 gave a real bonifide, lying, draft dodger Slick Willy a pass.

[W04Man]

Me too. Russert used to have respect, but that is down the tubes.

ANY VETS OUT THERE? PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR LIST:

http://W-04.com

[deport]

The transcript of the exchange.... forget newsmax and their attempts......

Click

Russert: And we are back in the Oval Office talking to the President of the United States.

Mr. President, this campaign is fully engaged.  The chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Terence McAuliffe, said this last week:  "I look forward to that debate when John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals, is standing next to George Bush, a man who was AWOL in the Alabama National Guard.  He didn't show up when he should have showed up."

President Bush: Yeah.

Russert: How do you respond?

President Bush: Political season is here.  I was  I served in the National Guard.  I flew F 102 aircraft.  I got an honorable discharge.  I've heard this  I've heard this ever since I started running for office.  I  I put in my time, proudly so.

I would be careful to not denigrate the Guard.  It's fine to go after me, which I expect the other side will do.  I wouldn't denigrate service to the Guard, though, and the reason I wouldn't, is because there are a lot of really fine people who served in the National Guard and who are serving in the National Guard today in Iraq.

Russert: The Boston Globe and the Associated Press have gone through some of their records and said there’s no evidence that you reported to duty in Alabama during the summer and fall of 1972.

President Bush: Yeah, they re  they're just wrong.  There may be no evidence, but I did report; otherwise, I wouldn't have been honorably discharged.  In other words, you don't just say "I did something" without there being verification.  Military doesn't work that way.  I got an honorable discharge, and I did show up in Alabama.

Russert: You did  were allowed to leave eight months before your term expired.  Was there a reason?

President Bush: Right.  Well, I was going to Harvard Business School and worked it out with the military.

Russert: When allegations were made about John McCain or Wesley Clark on their military records, they opened up their entire files.  Would you agree to do that?

President Bush: Yeah.  Listen, these files  I mean, people have been looking for these files for a long period of time, trust me, and starting in the 1994 campaign for governor.  And I can assure you in the year 2000 people were looking for those files as well.  Probably you were.  And  absolutely.  I mean, I

Russert: But would you allow pay stubs, tax records, anything to show that you were serving during that period?

President Bush: Yeah.  If we still have them, but I  you know, the records are kept in Colorado, as I understand, and they scoured the records.

And I'm just telling you, I did my duty, and it's politics, you know, to kind of ascribe all kinds of motives to me.  But I have been through it before.  I'm used to it.  What I don't like is when people say serving in the Guard is  is  may not be a true service.

Russert: Would you authorize the release of everything to settle this?

President Bush: Yes, absolutely.

We did so in 2000, by the way.

[end excerpt]

[claudiustg]

---What's interesting ... neither McAuliff or Russert ever served a day in the U.S. military. ---

Most folks don't want to hear about Vietnam, and those folks that do, don't want to hear about it from the likes of these piss-ants that never served a day.

[W04Man]

I don't think he lost. I think if Bush keeps bringing this up, he'll be on top of the Guard issue: "I would be careful to not denigrate the Guard.  It's fine to go after me, which I expect the other side will do.  I wouldn't denigrate service to the Guard, though, and the reason I wouldn't, is because there are a lot of really fine people who served in the National Guard and who are serving in the National Guard today in Iraq."

[Howlin]

Russert: You did were allowed to leave eight months before your term expired. Was there a reason?

I assume he won't ask Kerry that.

[W04Man]

You know something Wizard, my wife is a Tim Russert fan, and she thinks Bush did Great also. She thinks Russert asked the hard questions and Bush had good answers.

She says George Bush is NOT A WIMP!

[claudiustg]

Kerry, by contrast, won honors for himself, then came home and attempted to blacken the honor of his fellow servicemen.

[longtermmemmory]

Perhaps Russert has befriended Rush and Rush does not want to ridicule a friend's poor journalism.

Russert stayed away from the recent issue of homosexual marriage. An obvious strong point of the President.

Russert stayed away from DIRECTLY asking about new tax cuts and making current cuts permanet. Bush had to slip in the democrat efforts to raise taxes.

He als tried to make the capture of Osama Political with that absurd quote that we would capture osama before the election.

[BushMeister]

Here is the point Bush needs to make about this AWOL debate:

I am the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed forces of the United States, and have served in that capacity for over three years. The troops support me and have faith in me. John Kerry served honorably in Vietnam during 3 months of combat, but he has been an anti-military liberal for the last 35 years. That's who he is, and what he would bring to the White House. Even if we could put John Kerry in a time machine and pull out a 25-year-old Lieutenant Kerry, what good would that do the nation? How can you compare his long-ago war service as a Lt. to a battle-tested Commander in Chief with 3 years' experience?