Memogate: Did Burkett Tip His Hand?

HobbsOnline ^ | September 16, 2004 | Bill Hobbs

[tdadams]

Memogate: Did Burkett Tip His Hand?

Retired Texas National Guard officer Bill Burkett, a long-time Bush-hater who has been named by several news outlets as a possible source for the forged documents in the CBS memogate scandal, wrote the following on August 13, 2004, for Democrats.com, before the memos surfaced:

I have found no documentation from LTC Killian's hand or staff that indicate that this unit was involved in any complicit way to either cover for the failures of 1LT Bush, or to provide him pay or certification for training not completed.

So, if Burkett found no such documentation - did he forge it? And did he then sell CBS a bill of goods, convincing them that the memos were authentic and "accurately reflected" that for which there actually is no authentic documentation? [Hat tip: Mike Hollihan]

Here's a story from today's Washington Post reporting that the forged documents were faxed from a Kinko's in Abilene, Texas, which is the closest Kinko's to Burkett's home 21 miles away in Baird, Texas.

I'll bring you more links later regarding Burkett.

[mabelkitty]

That was how Dan Rather had described the source of the documents. Someone who is above suspicion - in Dan's mind, that would be a DNC operative (or, trusted friend/colleague) - in a normal person's mind, such person does not exist.

Well, that's my take. Hell, last night when I heard "Army term, not Air Force term", I nailed it on Wes "Kerry will implode over an intern issue" Clark. This is just soooo him - clueless, amatuerish, wild-eyed military-strategic.

[TigersEye]

CBS, Rather, wanted to get caught. It is too obivious. The question is why. Who gets hurt, really hurt by this.

Nope. I don't think so. It's just bravado. The arrogance of believing he is untouchable.

As for Burkett I agree with the basic consensus here. Burkett is a patsy, a smokescreen. The source of the forgeries is elsewhere.

[cyncooper]

CBS, Rather, wanted to get caught. It is too obivious. The question is why. Who gets hurt, really hurt by this. In the end, KERRY. That's my point.

No, they didn't. It is not obvious. It is obvious they thought they wouldn't get caught.

[N. Theknow]

There's NO WAY Rather would have said it was an "unimpeachable source" for this kook. Nor would he have worked so hard to try to dodge this.

You may be right. OTOH - I have often thought that MSM considers an unimpeachable source to be anyone with a pulse who hates conservatives.

[danamco]

Faxed from Kinko?
How have they come to that conclusion??
The memos I've seen only had a 1(212)...... CBS New!
(212) is a N.Y. area code??
When I send a fax it has my company name and MY fax number on top of the document!!
To me it looks like the memos have faxed FROM N.Y.???

[TigersEye]

It is hard to impeach a source who is forever "unrevealable."

IMO anonymous source = no source

[cyncooper]

In the end, KERRY. That's my point.

BTW, if you think Kerry is some unwitting pawn in this, guess again. He is pushing this story and is involved himself. Not a victim of the Clinton machinations.

[danamco]

Who is paying the legal bills for Burkett's lawyer?


A real good question!!!

[JesseJane]

That makes a hell of a lot more sense.. (How 'ignert' of me.. LOL).

But, reading KerrySpot today: http://www.nationalreview.com/kerry/kerryspot.asp
.."TWO LIGHTER COMMENTS [09/15 11:38 PM]

Kerry Spot reader Jonathan writes in, "The most self-damning statement of all is the claim that Mary Mapes has been following this story since 1999. She studies Bush's guard record the way biblical scholars study the dead sea scrolls. That isn't journalism; it's political obsession."


Mapes has been on this story for 4/5 YEARS???? So, did they just finally find someone with enough cash (soros) to fund what would be needed to give lift to a lead balloon?

I believe, Burkett did the forgeries.. because of the language used, (Army Guard speak). The elderly lady is in it for the money.. CBS people will accept fake but accurate excuse, and hide under old lady's dress.

Someone ran the forgeries through a fax machine to fuzz up the copy, then through a copy machine a few times. Then Faxed it to a CIRCLE of people in the inner-sanctum of the DNC, a 527 communications group like moveon. (think Jake Exley).. to begin coordination of ads to support the accusations from documents JUST RECIEVED (but being discussed for a least 6 weeks) . Then, I think copies were handed off to Rathers daughter, (the unimpeachable source) to get to her DADDY. Once Dano confirmed reciept of the docs, little effort was made to give the field players a heads up that he was going public with the story. Someone (?) coordinates the following: 527 release Fortunate Son ad. Kitty Kelly is booked for 3 days on the Today show. Dan Rather hits the waves with ANG fraud docs..

[TigersEye]

The "Fortunate Son" video ad sure puts the Kerry machine smack in the middle of "Memo-Gate." Just call that move "Ra^ther late."

[gobucks]

" A setup this elaborate, this meticulously planned and executed is far beyond these bumbling Arkanas bumpkins."

I'm really surprised you rate these Arkanas bumpkins this low. I don't. Let me be more specific. I don't rate their native ability very high. I rate their creativity, in response to their nearly infinite lust for power, very high. It's this lust that makes these two utterly atypical compared to, say .... John Kerry. Kerry is typical.

My point is that it is NOT that elaborate or meticulously planned. It didn't need to be. Additional validation for this will come forward following the answers to these two questions: will CBS can Dan Rather and will we ever know who gave Dan the docs?

No. and No. Dan will retire, but not for awhile. We'll never hear who gave him those docs. We'll never hear how the USA Today got them (forwarded from CBS, btw).

Just like we'll never know how the soponeaed white water docs somehow 'appeared' on the table and we're discovered by .... anyone, anyone?

The fact this blow up over 4 memos is so, ahem, huge, points directly to a very familiar modus operandi. Come on now ... does this not smack of Filegate, troopergate, Monica, Rich, ad nauseum?

In the end, long before Nov. 2, it will blow over, but the damage, to whom?, will be complete.

[agrarianlady]

I thought 1LT was right, too, but I noticed that an actual memo written by President Bush was signed "GEORGE W. BUSH, 1st Lt" so I wonder if 1st Lt was ok to use? I ought to probably look for more examples.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/daily/graphics/guard_091404.html

It's so interesting, though, that the dates like 5 Sep 73 on the above-linked memo are so different from the modern forgeries, which put a "0" in front of a single-digit date.

[BallyBill]

Burkett is the new Lee Harvey Oswald? The Patsy? This whole thing reminds me of Oliver Stones JFK. The whole scene where they talk about WHO would profit from this. Of course Kerry was supposed to profit from this, but if it fails you have the Lone Gunman to blame. This conspiracy already has more credibility than Oliver Stone.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Which follows my theory that a government employee was involved.

[SPRINK]

Burkett has been lawyered up for some time now with a democrat lawyer from San Antonio. why?

[gobucks]

"He is pushing this story and is involved himself. Not a victim of the Clinton machinations."

We agree on this. I don't think Kerry sees himself as a victim either. I also don't think Kerry is trying, REALLY trying, to win 'hearts and minds'. Call me a kook, but I watch this guy, I watch him speak. Does he even act like he wants to be president, or sound like it? The debates will be the proof. He'll come across much worse than Gore did.

Windsurfing for crying out loud???? And his wife, the incredible, utterly 'no clothes' incredible mouth on her. This whole thing, like Rush has said, seems utterly, utterly scripted.


Kerry pushes the story merely b/c its part of the script.

[Fenris6]

"but the damage, to whom, will be complete"

I initially thought CBS had decided to take a hit to stop Kerry's hemorraging over the SwiftBoat Vets. I know CBS didn't expect to get nailed so quickly by Bloggers, but they did put the memo's up on the net after being advised by experts that they were suspicious. Having trouble believing that a network with such a history of investigative journalism would do this by accident.

CBS execs are NOT stupid, they are just pretending to be.

[Fenris6]

"This conspiracy already has more credibility than Oliver Stone."

I agree. We're just brainstorming for now. We need to get back to the facts on the ground. Any way to get passenger info from airlines on when the CBS producer was in Abileene?

[gobucks]

"Having trouble believing that a network with such a history of investigative journalism would do this by accident. "

Exactly. But, be careful now... people will wonder if you own stock in Reynold's Wrap!

[Fenris6]

Mapes. When was she in Texas? What windows of time?