[Servant of the 9]

At that time, GHWB was just a former Representative from Houston, who had lost a race for the Senate and no one but Houston Republicans (there weren't many then) knew who any of them were.

So9

[Hon]

That makes FOUR eyewitnesses.

(As I've mentioned, there are exactly ZERO eyewitnesses to the event for which Kerry got a Silver Star.)

[demlosers]

Hey McAuliffe! Are you going to retract your AWOL accusation?

[RobRoy]

The last two quoted questions in the article do need to be addressed. Or have they already been?

[Polybius]

Years ago, my wife once performed one of her monthly Navy Reserve drills in Miami instead of in San Diego because we were visiting my realtives there at the time. I am sure that nobody from the C.O. of the Miami unit to the lowest E-1 would remember her today.

If my wife ever runs for President as a Republican, the news media will label her as having been AWOL or being a deserter.

If my wife ever runs for President as a Democrat, the news media will gush over her and hail her as a military heroine.

[YaYa123]

I just finished watching as much as I could stand of HARDBALL. Mathews is doing his whole show on VietNam. Well, that's what he said...actually he's doing a show on the cowardice of George Bush for going in the National Guard to avoid Viet Nam.

Chris Mathews is one sick dude!

[alnick]

So we're up to six eye witnesses to GWB serving in Alabama:

Calhoun
the girlfriend
LaFever
the doctor
Holcombe
Copeland

[KQQL]

MEDIA to BUSH...NOT GOOD ENOUGH...We want more.......Proof.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Copeland said Bush trained on an F-106 fighter plane in Texas, so he was not qualified to fly the planes at Dannelly.

Bush Flew the F-102 which looks nearly identical to the F-106, both being the only (as far as I know) Delta wing aircraft in our inventory at that time.

My father worked on the F-106 and I probably have more time in the cockpit (on the ground of course) of one than Bush but only a trained eye would be able to spot the difference without a sign haning on it.

[nutmeg]

read later bump

[Wild Irish Rogue]

The question for the White House now, would seem to be-when to hold the reunion for President Bush's ANG unit, including those from the Alabama air base. I am sure the pilots from the 111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron will be a lot more strack than the love beaded, rag tag bunch of peaceniks that Kerry attracts. I look forward to the photo ops.

[montag813]

Former Dannelly worker: Bush not AWOL [another eyewitness steps forward]

The Shot Across the Bow

It's real hard to get excited about articles such as this. It's like people stepping forward to say "GWB does not beat his wife". The problem is that the entire manufactured "crisis" was was designed by the DNC. The only good news for the Bush team is that election day is still 8 months away. There is still time to learn from their own weak response to this.

We have seen Bush on the total defensive, releasing documents when he should have just said "judge me as Commander-in-Chief" and refused to say another word. The White House failed miserably by accepting this as a legitimate story to begin with, instead of ridiculing it out of hand, chastizing the press for mentioning it, and deflecting the press onto Kerry's own outrageous behavior as an anti-war leader. It was bizarre to see the White House scrambling to answer every inane attack, while never mentioning how Bill Clinton's blatant draft-dodging was NOT an issue in 1996.

So I fail to rejoice in articles such as this. It is a depressing reminder that the campaign so far has been entirely on Kerry's terms. Bush's team can learn from this, or continue running a defensive campaign like those of Jimmy Carter, Mike Dukakis and George H.W. Bush--with similar results.

--
John Bruder, Big Sky Group (GOP Consultants)

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

At the risk of being redundant--the media didn't give a rat's rear end about Bill Clinton's lack of service. He wasn't in the Guard or the Reserves. He was in the Draft Dodger Corps, and nobody cared. As for Clinton/s medical records--we're still waiting! Hypocrisy doesn't even begin to explain it.

[cookcounty]

"Bush got into Harvard grad school because his father was famous!"

"Bush got into the Air National Guard because his father was famous!"

"Bush got out of the Air National Guard because his father was famous!"

But no one asks the question:""Way back then. exactly what was his father famous for?"

[FreedomPoster]

Ping. Are you collecting Bush AWOL refutations?

[river rat]

Eye witnesses.......
Now that's a novel concept....

I wonder if there are any eye witnesses coming forward to discuss the specifics of the events that led to Kerry's Bronze Star, Silver Star and 3 Purple Hearts....

I think Kerry's crew would be HAPPY to come forward and go on record.....
Perhaps the Corpsman that treated him, the field hospital?
After all - the gentleman he pulled from the river, came forward --- at a convenient time, ON CAMERA.. His gallant crew should not be denied their moment of fame and glory.

Inquiring minds would like to know...
Fair is fair....

Semper Fi

[CommandoFrank]

Ha, this will shut up the Dumbocrats...

Ya, right!

[My Dog Likes Me]

Excerpt from the Montgomery Advertiser, 13 Feb 04

start of excerpt-

On Wesnesday, a military dental exam was released, dated Jan. 6, 1973, and signed by Montgomery dentist James Andrew Harris, who was a captain with the 187th at the time.

The exam was routine and done for forensic purposes, in the event that an airman needed to be identified through dental records, said Harris, who did not recall examining Bush.

"We would do 40 or 50 exams per weekend. It was open your mouth and let's go. I would recognize them more from their open mouths," said Harris, who said there was nothing unusual about the president's dental record.

end of excerpt-

The 187th had around 800 members in 1972, FYI.

[oldgrunt]

Maybe you should read this letter:

COL. WILLIAM CAMPENNI (retired)
U.S. Air Force/Air National Guard
Herndon, Va.5

www.washingtontimes.com

---

Letters to the Editor
Published February 11, 2004

---

[DallasMike]

Bump for later investigation