Rangel: Bush Had 'Good Reason' to Avoid Nat'l Guard Drug Test

News Max ^ | 5 DEC 04 | News Max

[dts32041]

Rangel: Bush Had 'Good Reason' to Avoid Nat'l Guard Drug Test

If the White House was hoping that the bitter personal attacks against President Bush would subside after the election, Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-NY, disabused them of the notion on Saturday, when he suggested during a radio interview that Bush used illegal drugs while serving in the National Guard.

After alleging that Bush "deliberately avoided service in Vietnam" by joining the Texas Air National Guard, Rangel told WABC's Mark Simone that Bush missed a 1972 physical, which was required for Guard pilots.

"He must have had a good reason why he didn't take that physical and lost his flyer's license," the Harlem Democrat mused. "We have the same problem with baseball - guys have to take a urine test, you know. They've got very important reasons why they shouldn't take that test."

With his comments on Saturday, Rangel becomes the first congressional Democrat to publicly invoke the drug allegations against Bush, which had been largely confined to the lunatic fringe.

In the 2000 presidential campaign, the media exhaustively investigated rumors that Bush had used cocaine in the 1970s, but failed to find a single witness who could corroborate the ugly speculation.

[ohCompGk]

I stand corrected. Sorry.

[Bernard]

The bigger issue for the Democrats is, how do they get themselves out from under the lunatic fringe like Charley Rangel without alienating a large special interest group in their party?

How sad for the Democrats. Unless and until they find a new party for the Charley Rangels to destroy, they will continue to become more irrelevant in most parts of this country.

[Petronski]

Oh, I know you didn't write it. Newsmax does this too often.

[skr]

From what I've read here on FR, pilots' physicals were required in their birth month and it wasn't Bush's birth month yet. Somehow this point is constantly ignored.

Mr. Rangel is one of the leaders of the lunatic fringe, so I'm not surprised. It would be nice to have someone require evidence of such, just to show him for what he is, at least to rational people. I didn't hear this joke of a Congressman demand Kerry's medical records.

[Bullish]

This coming from the party of high morality.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Am I the only one to remember that drug tests in the military didn't start until '80-'82?

I'd like to see a link or source to that.

[DaveTesla]

http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20040210-082910-8424r.htm
First, there is no instance of Lt. Bush disobeying lawful orders in reporting for a physical, as none would be given. Pilots are scheduled for their annual flight physicals in their birth month during that month's weekend drill assembly — the only time the clinic is open. In the Reserves, it is not uncommon to miss this deadline by a month or so for a variety of reasons: The clinic is closed that month for special training; the individual is out of town on civilian business; etc.
If so, the pilot is grounded temporarily until he completes the physical. Also, the formal drug testing program was not instituted by the Air Force until the 1980s and is done randomly by lot, not as a special part of a flight physical, when one easily could abstain from drug use because of its date certain. Blood work is done, but to ensure a healthy pilot, not confront a drug user.

[goldstategop]

Of course getting a BJ means its time to move on. But serving in the NG a quarter of a century ago is a life and death matter. This from the party of forgive and forget - except whern it comes to a Republican.

[Bullish]

Well, since they want to continue to destroy themselves, I say, go for it Charlie.

[Jay Howard Smith]

Never mind that their guy admitted to it, but he didnt inhale..!...

[ohCompGk]

No link available. It was from memory. I joined in '78 at which point I was tested. Never heard anything else about tests till about '81 when the hammer came down and they started random (by SSN) tests. That was true for the fleet during those years but I don't know about the Air Det. Makes sense they would be more concerned with someone they strapped a $?Million jet to :)

[DoughtyOne]

It must be very frustrating to tell yourself 'everyone does it' for eight years, then find out that not everyone does it after all. Poor Charlie. It's desperation time.

Charlie is such a positive image for Congress. LOL

[Jaysun]

"He must have had a good reason why he didn't take that physical and lost his flyer's license," the Harlem Democrat mused. "We have the same problem with baseball - guys have to take a urine test, you know. They've got very important reasons why they shouldn't take that test."

Quit spoiling the airways with your squirrelly concocted malarkey Chuck. The President won reelection - remember?

[Elle Bee]

One word: Pimp

.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

No. What you had back in the 1970's was mostly a hoax. A baldfaced lie. The tests were evpensive and took alot of lab resources just to do one. Those caught were by the tests were mostly bluffed by law enforcement. It was rarely called as law enforcement was using other evidence. A semi reliable cost effective test wasn't available until the early 1980's. The reliable mass produced test wasn't even available until the mid 1980's. Rangel is full of it.

[LADY J]

Grow up Charlie! It's 2004. Your cock and bull ramblings are of no concern to anyone.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

See post#14.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Charlie Rangel, like Julian Bond and Jesse Jackson is just sad to watch and listen to. What a disgrace for American Blacks!!!

[MadAnthony1776]

Consider the source and forget it. Even Kerry didn't bring this up so he must not have felt there was any proof out there. If he had thought there was a shred of truth to it he would have used it.

[SirLurkedalot]

He also leaves out the answer to this question: How many CLINTON staffers had to leave because they would'nt take the drug tests for security clearances? I think Rangel should put down that bent car antenna and steel wool himself.