Bush Guard Memos Scrutinized (Kerry's lying pals at CBS begin a slow back-peddle)

CBS supposed "News" ^ | Friday, September 10, 2004

[JohnHuang2]

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Bush Guard Memos Under Microscope
NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2004


Questions were raised Thursday about the authenticity of newly unearthed memos purporting to have been written by one of President Bush's National Guard commanders in 1972 and 1973.

The memos, which were publicized on CBS News' 60 Minutes, say Mr. Bush ignored a direct order from a superior officer and lost his status as a Guard pilot because he failed to meet military performance standards and undergo a required physical exam.

The network defended the memos, saying its experts who examined the memos concluded they were authentic documents produced by Lt. Col. Jerry Killian.

But Killian's son, one of Killian's fellow officers and an independent document examiner questioned the memos.

Gary Killian, who served in the Guard with his father and retired as a captain in 1991, said he doubted his father would have written an unsigned memo which said there was pressure to "sugar coat" Mr. Bush's performance review.

"It just wouldn't happen," he said. "No officer in his right mind would write a memo like that."

The personnel chief in Killian's unit at the time also said he believes the documents are fake.

"They looked to me like forgeries," said Rufus Martin. "I don't think Killian would do that, and I knew him for 17 years." Killian died in 1984.

Independent document examiner Sandra Ramsey Lines said the memos looked like they had been produced on a computer using Microsoft Word software. Lines, a document expert and fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, pointed to a superscript — a smaller, raised "th" in "111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron" — as evidence indicating forgery.

Microsoft Word automatically inserts superscripts in the same style as the two on the memos obtained by CBS, she said.

"I'm virtually certain these were computer generated," Lines said after reviewing copies of the documents at her office in Paradise Valley, Ariz. She produced a nearly identical document using her computer's Microsoft Word software.

In the Wednesday broadcast, 60 Minutes said the purported memos were "documents we are told were taken from Col. Killian's personal file. The program says it consulted a handwriting analyst and document expert who believes the material is authentic.

"As is standard practice at CBS News, the documents in the 60 Minutes report were thoroughly examined and their authenticity vouched for by independent experts," CBS News said in a statement. "As importantly, 60 Minutes also interviewed close associates of Colonel Jerry Killian. They confirm that the documents reflect his opinions and actions at the time."

The White House distributed the four memos from 1972 and 1973 after obtaining them from CBS News. The White House did not question their accuracy.

Robert Strong was a friend and colleague of Killian who ran the Texas Air National Guard administrative office in the Vietnam era. Strong, now a college professor, also believes the documents are genuine.

"They are compatible with the way business was done at the time. They are compatible with the man that I remember Jerry Killian being," says Strong. "I don't see anything in the documents that is discordant with what were the times, what was the situation and what were the people involved."

The documents were described in a 60 Minutes that featured a retired Texas politician's claim that he pulled strings to get young Mr. Bush, then a college graduate at the height of the Vietnam War in 1968, into the Guard — a posting that made service overseas unlikely.

Former Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes — then the 29-year-old speaker of the Texas House — told CBS News Anchor Dan Rather that he used influence on Mr. Bush's behalf at the request of a Houston businessman friendly with the Bush family, oilman Sid Adger.

Mr. Bush has denied he received special treatment. The White House ascribed Barnes' remarks to political motives. Barnes is an adviser to Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry.

The president's service record emerged as an issue during the 2000 race and again this winter. The Killian documents revived the issue of Mr. Bush's time in uniform after weeks in which Kerry, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, has faced questions over his record as a Navy officer and an anti-war protester.

In May 1968, Mr. Bush signed a six-year commitment to fly for the Air Guard. Mr. Bush was honorably discharged from the Guard in October 1973 and left the Air Force Reserves in May 1974.

Early in his military career, Mr. Bush received glowing evaluations from Killian, who called Lt. Bush "an exceptionally fine young officer and pilot" who "performed in an outstanding manner."

Documents released this week show Mr. Bush with scores of 88 on an airmanship test, 98 on aviation physiology and 100 on navigational abilities.

The questions about Mr. Bush's service center on how Mr. Bush got into the Guard and whether he fulfilled his duties during a period from mid-1972 to mid-1973.

After taking his last flight in April 1972, Mr. Bush went for six months without showing up for any training drills.

That May, Mr. Bush skipped a required yearly medical examination. In response, his commanders grounded him on Aug. 1, 1972.

In September 1972 he received permission to transfer to the Alabama unit so he could work on a political campaign there.

What the Killian memos purported to show is that Mr. Bush defied a direct order to appear for the physical, that his performance as an officer was lacking in other ways and that Mr. Bush used family connections to try to quash any inquiry into his lapses.

In a separate revelation, the Boston Globe this week reported that Mr. Bush promised to sign up with a Boston-area unit when he left his Texas unit in 1973 to attend Harvard Business School. Mr. Bush never signed up with a Boston unit.

Bartlett claimed in 1999 that Mr. Bush had joined a Boston unit. Bartlett told the Globe this week that he "misspoke."



©MMIV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[68skylark]

I don't understand something about this article. If the documents are probably fake, why did they go ahead and mention the central charges from the documents in the second sentence of the article? Aren't they just giving undue emphasis to information that is wrong? Shouldn't they be embarrassed, and trying to retract the bad information they've already put out, rather than repeating the charges over and over?

[IamConservative]

Are you suggesting there is a vast left wing conspiracy? :)

[ohioconservative]

Questions were raised Thursday about the authenticity of newly unearthed created memos purporting to have been written by one of President Bush's National Guard commanders a DNC operative in 1972 and 1973 2004.

[igoramus987]

Dear Sir/Madam,

60 minutes and especially Dan Rather have been totally irresponsible and unprofessional in presenting and dealing with the fradulent Bush memos.

Kleenex tranishes its Brand by sponsoring 60 minutes. Until they are held accountable, I am boycotting ALL Kleenex products, and I will be asking all my friends, family and associates to also boycott your products as well.

[xzins]

This is a hit piece against the president and does more to dispute that these are forgeries than to be balanced.

It also contains the provably false assertion by the Boston Globe that Pres. Bush was to train with a Boston unit.

Pres. Bush was given a DISCHARGE. Why would someone NOT in the military train with a military unit? Ridiculous.

I received my honorable discharge 3 years ago from the Army. What -- am I supposed to be reporting for duty someplace and I don't know about it????

It's so hilariously STUPID that it's evil.

[veronica]

Ha ha ho ho hee hee! :)

[AFPhys]

FReepers Buckhead, TankerKC, Howlin, and some others I can't recall (...cook, PE) HONESTLY deserve a Pullitzer Prize for uncovering this fraud.

I AM NOT JOKING.

[OldFriend]

Guess you can't run for President now can you????

After all you're not reporting for duty!!!!!

The left knows so little about the military that they were the perfect pawns for this type of bull story.

[AFPhys]

A Pulitzer Prize would probably be more appropriate, though.

[Graymatter]

>>Independent document examiner Sandra Ramsey Lines

I like that. A doc examiner named Sandy Lines. Do her grandchildren call her Grainy Lines? :)

[Jet Jaguar]

I like the way you think.

[truthandlife]

Good stuff. This stuff came directly from McAwful and the DNC. I know it did because they kept bringing this stuff up during the campaign and we were wondering why they were bringing up something that was so irrelevant. This was what they were waiting for and it backfired on them BIG TIME.

Put a stake in Kerry's campaign. It is done!!!!!

[xzins]

This is a justice department issue.

It is also fodder for a congressional investigation. The congress is in session.

Write letters for a congressional investigation....immediately!

[OXENinFLA]

THEY'RE STILL GRASPING AT STRAWS!!!

What the Killian memos purported to show is that Mr. Bush defied a direct order to appear for the physical, that his performance as an officer was lacking in other ways and that Mr. Bush used family connections to try to quash any inquiry into his lapses.

[JohnHuang2]

Amen to all you said :-)

[republicanwizard]

Not surprising at all...

[xzins]

Call for an immediate Congressional investigation of CBS News.


This is grossly negligent abuse of their permission to use the people's airwaves on behalf of the people.

CBS should lose their charter. There should be investigation to see if laws were broken....forgery! The Justice Department should move immediately in that area.

[Carolinamom]

I agree. They lit the fire that is now raging and burning up the straw "reputations" of Rather et al. I am estatic, not only that it is happening, but that our own Freepers flipped their cyberspace Bics!

[Jet Jaguar]

You can add Al Gore, seeing as he invented the internet.

[OXENinFLA]

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040910-124215-9844r.htm

Chairman Terry McAuliffe, who in February accused Mr. Bush of being "AWOL" in the Guard, this week vowed that Mr. Bush's tenure as a fighter pilot will be a main Democratic crusade — day in, day out — until the Nov. 2 election.
"It's going to be on the table from now until November 2," Mr. McAuliffe told reporters this week as new press reports surfaced questioning the devotion of Guard Lt. George W. Bush.
"These new documents show the president did not serve honorably, and they did not have all the documents out.