Democrats Step Up Attack on Bush Guard Record

The Washington Post ^ | 9/10/2004 | Jim VandeHei and Thomas B. Edsall

[Utah Girl]

Democrats unleashed a multi-front attack yesterday on President Bush's National Guard service, as the two political parties escalated a deeply personal fight over the Vietnam War-era activities of both presidential candidates.

The Democratic National Committee -- with the support of John F. Kerry's top campaign advisers -- joined several liberal groups in asserting that Bush lied about fulfilling his National Guard duties and exploited family ties to dodge combat during the Vietnam War. The DNC is lining up veterans to condemn Bush's action, while a group called Texans for Truth will air a new ad Monday alleging that Bush failed to show up for guard duty. "The president lied when he said he did not receive preferential treatment and when he said he fulfilled his duty," the DNC's Howard Wolfson said.

Republicans are planning to fire back with a more intense attack on Kerry's antiwar protests during the early 1970s, when he conveyed stories of atrocities by U.S. troops to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and tossed war ribbons at the White House lawn.

The anti-Kerry Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is spending nearly $700,000 on a new ad that asks, "How can the man who renounced his country's symbols now be trusted?" House Republicans are stepping up the criticism of Kerry after four lawmakers viewed a new documentary by POWs that blames Kerry's words for years of emotional and physical torture. "It's pretty powerful," said Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) after viewing the film.

[Utah Girl]

From National Review Online

UPDATE: One Kerry Spot reader makes me laugh out loud by emailing in, "Doesn't all this business of fonts, typefaces, superscripts, centering, and spacing on 30 year-old documents, purportedly from the files of a man long dead, just make you appreciate the nicely-done, legally sufficient affidavits and personal testimonies of the still-breathing Swifties just that much more?"

[Ken H]

It would be important to know who is behind these forgeries? Whose idea, who paid, who actually drafted the documents, who arranged the signatures , etc. Does it go to the highest levels of the Democratic party and the Kerry campaign? Is it the news agency - first it was AP and now CBS? The public deserves to know. It needs to know.

Craig Livingstone? < /half joking>

At the risk of sounding like Mr. Obvious, I'd guess some slimey Clinton operative is up to his or her neck in it.

[dr_lew]

Back in the 70's they didn't do drug tests.

"Got good and drunk the night before, so I looked and felt my best."

[River_Wrangler]

Have not had time to research and verify but heard a caller to a local (Houston) talk show that said he did a Selective Service search and Bush was number 321 at the time he enlisted in the National Guard. If true he would not have had to worry about the draft for years IMHO this makes his service voluntary and most honorable.