Posted on 08/28/2004 7:20:10 PM PDT by plushaye
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Saturday described John Kerry's tour of duty in Vietnam as more heroic than his own service in the Air National Guard, saying his Democratic rival had been "in harm's way."
But the president told NBC's "Today" show that both sides should drop the debate over their wartime service, saying, "I think that we ought to move beyond the past. ... The real question is who best to lead us forward."
Asked if he believed that he and Kerry "served on the same level of heroism," Bush replied, "No, I don't. I think him going to Vietnam was more heroic than my flying fighter jets. He was in harm's way and I wasn't."
Excerpts of the interview, conducted on Saturday for broadcast on Monday, were released by NBC.
The president continued to defend his own service in the Air National Guard, saying, "On the other hand, I served my country. Had my unit been called up, I would have gone."
Kerry's war record in Vietnam has dominated the 2004 presidential campaign in recent weeks, after advertisements by a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth accused him of lying about the events that led to his decoration for bravery.
The White House on Thursday said it would file a lawsuit to try to force the Federal Election Commission to crack down on the ads. Bush says he does not believe Kerry lied about his record, but he has refused to condemn the ads directly.
Kerry accuses the Bush campaign of colluding with the Swift Boat Veterans on the ads, a charge the White House has denied. But its case was hurt this past week when a top lawyer for the Bush campaign, Benjamin Ginsberg, resigned after disclosing he was providing legal advice to the veteran's group.
After Ginsburg's resignation, 50 percent of Americans said they believed the Bush campaign was behind the Swift Boat Veterans ads, according to a survey by the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center.
Pollster Adam Clymer said Ginsburg's resignation heightened the belief that the Bush campaign had supported the ads, but the controversy could fade from public view when the Republican National Convention begins next week.
Federal election rules bar organizations that take unrestricted donations from coordinating their activities with campaigns or political parties.
The issue has also caused tension with Republican Sen. John McCain, another Vietnam veteran and influential lawmaker who has urged Bush to condemn the ads and get them halted.
McCain is backing Bush for the White House, but the Arizona senator has defended his friend Kerry and threatened to raise the issue with Bush when they campaign in Iowa next week.
I am beginning to think that GWB doesn't want to win this election, he wants to dump it all on the demos and go home.
His own instincts are correct here, and he obviously is getting good advice.
I love it. It changes nothing about the facts that Kerry is squirming over.
Now, what's Kerry going to say after unleashing Weasley Clark's attack earlier today?
Bigtime.
He'll catch more bees with honey than he will with vinegar.
Just today, FOX showed a clip of Kerry and Clark slamming Bush's military career. They were rabid.
Bush is a saint!
Our President, God Bless him!
What a Clymer!
Well, unless the media asks him about it, he's not going to say anything.
I definitely think the President wants to win.. and will win. Right now he has to distance himself from the Swift Boat Vet campaign and he is just doing that. But he's a lot more generous with Kerry than I would be. At least he's not putting down the integrity of the Swift Boat Vets like McCain did. And Jeb Bush was defending the Swifties yesterday so that's like an unofficial backing from the Bushes.
LOL! That's what I was thinking too.
There are 2 kinds of board players in the world...those who play checkers...and those who play chess. Kerry has shown he plays checkers while Dubya has shown he plays chess. It's amazing how some weak-kneed yellow bellied RINOs on this board constantly think in checkers terms.
No, no! Bush was very shrewd to praise Kerry. The Dems want GWB to attack Kerry's service, so that they can attack Bush. By refusing to take the bait, Kerry's people look silly when they claim that the Swift Boat Vets are a front group for Bush supporters. Bush is the smartest guy around...and the Dems continue to underestimate him.
Well, thank God you haven't been right about anything yet.
GW should simply say, "To settle this Swift boat thing once and for all so that we may be able to get on to more important issues, I would suggest that Senator Kerry sign the 180 and release all of his records, as I have done!"
"Nothing like giving your enemies ammunition to take you down.
"I am beginning to think that GWB doesn't want to win this election, he wants to dump it all on the demos and go home."
I respectfully disagree. With these remarks, Bush is showing confidence, presidential demeanor, humility, class. This contrasts markedly with Kerry's reactions to the Swifties: whining, lashing out, chest-thumping, and slimeball tactics.
Guess I missed that one. I wonder what rank Clark held when Clinton took office ? Was his a mostly political promotion ?
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