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.

[VRWC_minion]

Killian's wife says he did not type, yet the prevailing theory yesterday was that he had prepared the documents on an IBM Executive, a particularly complex typewriter.

And for a guy who didn't type, not one spelling error, not one miskeyed letter, perfect alignment and centering. Not bad.

[TheCrusader]

"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?"

The problem is that you are a man of morals and conscience, while Dan Rather and his CBS buddies are uninhibited, unremorseful liars who are only too happy to perpetrate fruad and commit character assassination with fake documents.

[babaloo]

The books that will be written after this election are going to be marvelous reads--particularly those that examine how the campaigns reacted to or manipulated events.

[kittymyrib]

According to Kilian's son, also in the Guard, no. His father had no such personal files and CBS did not get them from the family.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

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.

Is it this Professor Robert Strong

[randita]

How very interesting if it goes back to the DNC. McAulife has been the most vigorous fanner of these flames.

On another thread, it was pointed out that the DNC was in possession of these documents for some time and even some at the DNC questioned their authenticity.

[b4its2late]

McAuliffe must be soiling his pants about now....

[Physicist]

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

Who is "Bartlett"? He's not mentioned anywhere else in the story.

[VRWC_minion]

"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."

THis Killian guy was some kind of liar. He lied on official documents and he lied to his wife. The only time he told the truth was when he was off the record writting to his files or to "close associates".

[Joe Brower]

The very fact that the DNC propaganda ministries of NBC, CBS, etc. are even reporting this tells the tale: This whole thing was an absolute fraud, and they know it. Whether they colluded in this willingly, or were simply duped because, in typical leftist knee-jerk fashion, they ran with it because it was something they wanted to hear, makes no ultimate difference.

If it wasn't for the internet, FR and blogs, they would have gotten away with this bit of political murder. The old media is dying; we simply need to continue to keep pushing it into it's self-dug grave.

[glock rocks]

[Joe Brower]

The very fact that the DNC propaganda ministries of NBC, CBS, etc. are even reporting this tells the tale: This whole thing was an absolute fraud. Whether they colluded in this willingly, or were simply duped because, in typical leftist knee-jerk fashion, they ran with it because it was something they wanted to hear, makes no ultimate difference.

If it wasn't for the internet, FR and blogs, they would have gotten away with this bit of political murder. The old media is dying, we simply need to continue to keep pushing it into it's self-dug grave.

[OXENinFLA]

[OXENinFLA]

they ran with it because it was something they wanted to hear,

[Blood of Tyrants]

And it was a pitifully poor forgery at that. At least the fools could have done is drag out an old manual typewriter and pound out a memo.

[Mercat]

McAuliffe is a Clinton mole.

[dinasour]

The most important thing you can do is to contact CBS and voice your disgust about Dan Rather.

This is the content of my letter to CBS and my local affiliate.

[Apologies for the cross post, but this was more appropriate here]

----------------------------------

Dear xxx,

As I am sure you are aware, CBS News 60 Minutes II is embroiled in a controversy over forged documents that were used to smear the President of the United States.

At this writing, CBS News is just issuing denials and hiding behind their so called confidential sources. As a computer professional, who has worked in the document imaging business for many years, I have looked at the evidence and can certify for myself that it is incontrovertible.

At one time, I might be willing to give CBS News the benefit of the doubt and be willing to believe that it was also a victim of a fraud, but no longer. Dan Rather has been so openly partisan and I am inclined to believe he was at least a willing participant, if not an actual perpetrator.

CBS News has lost all credibility, and in my opinion should be disbanded. CBS, Inc. would do better if it just continued to produce “reality” shows. At least the producers of this kind of content do not pretend that the events are not staged.

[DadTXB]

The line breaks are actually more telling here than the font, the superscript, or the lack of any typographical errors.

I work for Microsoft, and have supported Microsoft Office for a long time. If you type that memo in Word 2003, under default settings with the same font, the linse auto-wrap EXACTLY like the *ahem* 1970's memo. The chances of that actually happening, for every line, on a variable type font as opposed to monospace, are exactly nil.

They might as well have written the damned thing in crayon.

Dad

[Blood of Tyrants]

Do you have access to DU now? (I am blocked at work) Are the DimmuhcRats over there still in denial?

[Alissa]

Just heard CBS top of the hour news report on the radio, and they claimed that they were standing by their story! This was 8:00 am CDT.