Is Chris Matthews Unable or Unwilling to understand a simple exchange between Bush and Russert?

MSNBC

[rocklobster11]

I just saw Chris Matthews on Lester Holt, and Lester asked him whether the National Guard issue would continue. Chris said that it would because Bush didn't answer the question.

Lester mentioned Terry McAuliffe's statement about Bush being AWOL. Chris brought up the president's answer about people not bad-mouthing the National Guard, and said that Terry McAuliffe had not said anything bad about the National Guard. Well, Russert did not ask Bush to comment on Terry McAuliffe, he asked Bush to comment on the National Guard issue. I've seen many stories in the press about how the National Guard is not real service and that people enlisted in the National Guard as a way of avoiding going to Vietnam. Thus, I think Bush's statement was right on.

Then Lester asked Chris about Bush getting out of the Guard 8 months early in order to go to HBS. Chris responded that HBS started in September and the period in question was from May of the previous year to May of that year. Well, that may have been Chris's period in question, but Tim Russert specifically asked the president if he had gotten out of the Guard 8 months early in order to attend HBS, and the president said yes.

So it seems that we have people saying three things about Bush's service

1. Bush got into the Guard as a political favor to his father. Note that there have been several stories that specifically countered this claim, and there have been no stories mentioning anybody who can back up the claim of political favor. It appears that the Texas Guard did have a waiting list when Bush enlisted, but there was no waiting list for pilots, because of the amount of full time training required and because of the physical and mental requirements to become a pilot.
2. Bush was AWOL during the time he was supposed to have been reporting to the Guard in Alabama. Bush specifically answered that he did report and did serve in Alabama, and the other side has provided no proof to the contrary, other than a story from the Boston Globe in 2000, in which the source has since said that he was misquoted.
3. Bush got out the Guard early due to somebody pulling political strings. The fact is that Bush went thru proper channels in getting released early. Bush had been trained as a pilot (of F-102's I think), and the Guard was in the process of switching to a new generation of Fighters. It would not have made sense to retrain Bush on those Fighters when he only had 8 months of service left.

Here's the text of the Russert interview, and I think the president answered the questions fully.

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.

[hole_n_one]

Matthews is now "grilling" Russert on Hardball (MSNBC)

[Helms]

MATTHEWS IS MENTALLY UNSTABLE.

[westerfield]

Then Stone Phillips asked a very SERIOUS looking Russert, right out of the gate, if this AWOL story had been adequately addressed and Russert said NO.

What Russert is referring to is this exchange:

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

President Bush: Yes, absolutely.

We did so in 2000, by the way.

What the President's campaign authorized to be released in 2000 were his records from Texas National Guard files, not his full service records from Air Reserve Personnel Headquarters in Denver. I think the media and the dems are hoping that there is more to this story and they fully intend to pursue it. I think Bush can expect a very nasty and negative campaign from the dems as they attempt to attack his credibility over this and the WMD issue.

[colorado tanker]

As usual, the "journalists" will only look for dirt on Bush and will make it up if they have to. Samoh, samoh.

[Peach]

You know, the whole issue is such nonsense.

But furthermore, considering that Bush's father was what back then - a Congressman? What kind of "special" favors did his father do him that hundreds of other Congressmen didn't do for their sons? If any favor was done at all, which has never been proven.

[hole_n_one]

I watch him for the comedic value.

[cyncooper]

Hardball starts and right off the bat Chris has Tim Russert on about this issue.

I have posted since Russert came out on this last night (to my shock).

Notice out of the whole interview THIS is the issue that Russert and now Matthews have decided is the weak part.

[cyncooper]

I realize what he was referring to. The fact is those records were looked for in the past, too, AS THE PRESIDENT SAID, and all that is available has been released--for years now. Nothing held back, contrary to the smarmy Russert implications.

[jwfiv]

Both Matthews and Russert hear what they want to hear, like most true-believers.

Fact and history mean nothing to them...they are both hacks and propagandists.

I can't stand Matthews...he's a rude, constantly interrupting egomaniac.

[RoseofTexas]

STUPID RATS!! They don't know the HARM they have caused their own party by WAKING UP THE GAINT REPUBLICAN PARTY!! I am sooooo freakin upset at the way W has been treated that I'm GOING TO WALK THROUGH GLASS to bring tons of voters to VOTE for W!! I'm pissed and I'm ready to RUMBLE with the hellish rats!!

[rocklobster11]

I think it's great that they're focusing on this, because it is a non-issue. At the start of the show, they showed the entire exchange between Bush and Russert, and then have Russert and Matthews try to make something of it.

All I can say is that they look kind of stupid trying to spin after Bush's direct response of "I reported to Alabama, I completed my service, I was honorably discharged. We authorized release of all records in 2000". Obviously, nothing was uncovered in 2000 or since.

[CaptainK]

Watching those two cretins right now. The side by side shot of those two big potato heads is frightening

[Peach]

Matthews is practically rabid and is certainly rude to his guests.

[jackbill]

Brit right now quoting Kerry before Congress in 1971 where he lies about our soldiers over in Vietnam.

He also mentioned that Kerry, in his inimitable fashion, is trying to distance himself from his testimony. Probably because most of the guys that he was quoting have been shown to have never served in Nam.

Kerry needs to be beaten over the head about this, and his voting record which attempted, time after time, to reduce the effectiveness of the military and the intelligence services.

Kerry isn't Irish. He's not even Jewish. He's French.

[EllaMinnow]

The side by side shot of those two big potato heads is frightening.

It makes me very happy that my ancestors came from the proportional head side of Ireland, unlike the families of Matthews, Russert, and especially Kennedy.

[hole_n_one]

Matthews: Up next we'll have former Senator and war hero Max Cleland to discuss President Bush's war record, or lack thereof.

[cyncooper]

Thank you for the positive points. The only thing about the war Russert could come up with to bash Bush with was that President Bush appeared to hesitate when asked if this was a war of choice or necessity.

Timmy reports how Bush then said "necessity" and then Tim helpfully supplies what Kerry will say, "choice".

Tim gone, but Matthews promises Max Cleland coming up to discuss the service records of Bush and Kerry. Well! As I said, I think it very interesting that the only weak spot they really must have seen in this interview was this issue, and only because they have some room to be creative.

This indicates the president was very solid indeed yesterday if this is what they're reduced to.

[Neets]

Both.

[cyncooper]

It makes me very happy that my ancestors came from the proportional head side of Ireland

LOL!

really!

[Pubbie]

And what was NoBalls Prissy Pissy Matthews doing during the Vietnam War?

Where was "Meet the Prick" Russert during Vietnam?

They were both old enough to serve...