McAuliffe: Dems Will Focus on Bush AWOL Charge

NewsMax ^ | 2/1/04 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe insisted on Sunday that President Bush "never served in the military," and said that Democrats would make reports that the president went "AWOL" from the Alabama National Guard in the early 1970s a central focus of the presidential campaign.

"George Bush never served in our military in our country," McAuliffe told ABC's "This Week," apparently discounting Bush's stint in the National Guard from 1968 through 1973. "He didn't show up when he should have showed up."

McAuliffe then echoed the charge by discredited filmmaker Michael Moore, who said three weeks ago that he wanted to see a debate between Gen. Wesley Clark and "the deserter."

Said McAuliffe:

"I look forward to that debate with John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals, standing next to George Bush - a man who was AWOL in the Alabama National Guard."

During the Democratic debate in New Hampshire two weeks ago, ABC News anchorman Peter Jennings said Moore's Bush desertion charge "is not supported by the facts."

After the Boston Globe claimed during the 2000 presidential race that Bush had not appeared for Guard service for 17 months, its sister paper, the New York Times, admitted that report was wildly inaccurate.

Referring to the May 2000 Globe report, the Times said in Nov., "A review of records by The New York Times indicated that some of those concerns [about Bush's Guard service] may be unfounded. Documents reviewed by The Times showed that Mr. Bush served in at least 9 of the 17 months in question."

One document, the paper said, showed that "Mr. Bush served at various times from May 29, 1973, through July 30, 1973, a period of time questioned by The Globe."

The Times said that other records showed that Bush received permission from his superiors to make up the drills he missed during the nine month period still in question.

Still, despite the fact that the Bush AWOL charge has been completely discredited, McAuliffe insisted that the president's guard service would be a major campaign issue.

"The facts are what they are," he told "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos. "[Bush] used his father's contacts to get a spot in the Texas Guard. He then wanted to go work on an Alabama Senate race. He went to Alabama for one year. He didn't show up. Call it whatever you want, AWOL - it doesn't matter."

[NYCVirago]

Disgusting, but typical Clintonian politics.

[NYCVirago]

Let's see, Kerry was getting shot at in Nam and winning medals. Bush took a leave from defending Texas to work on a political campaign in Florida and failed to report back for duty. Humm . . . going to be a tough choice on the military service issue.

Hmmm, the Democrats never seemed to consider military service a qualification for president when it was the draft-dodger Clinton running against G.H.W. Bush and Dole!

[Just mythoughts]

This does explain why from day one JFKerry put himself as a "Vietnam" war hero.

Now maybe JFKerry hasn't been totally honest with his record. He surely wasn't the only one other than that 1 Republican on the river that day.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Um.....didn't I read a few months back that Terry said he was retiring from the DNC in Jan 04?

Or was it Feb?

Or was it just another lie?

[The Wizard]

perfect.....show themselves for who they are....

[KevinDavis]

They are getting desparate.

[KevinDavis]

Cause Dole served with Honor while Bubba did not.

[Himyar]

I'm so sick of this BS. The Alabama Air National Guard unit was my husband's unit for 35 years and is now my son's unit. I am incensed that the Dims consider the Guard "not to be military". This unit was deployed in Operation Iragi Freedom and did it's duty with high honors. The basis for the Bush AWOL charge is nonsense. The records for that time period are awful. The fact that "no one" remembers some lowly little Lt. more than 30 years ago is stupid. He got an honorable discharge. He's proven beyond a doubt that he is a great CIC. Case closed! The source they all cite, Col. Turnipseed, is notorius for having a terrible memory. If they are going to prove this using him, they are going to really screw up.

[G.Mason]

"Humm . . . going to be a tough choice on the military service issue."

Sure is.

Seems your boy Kerry was dumber than a box of rocks.

He went off to war [like his Kennedy friends] to get a name, and came back lame.

Rave on.

[TracyPA]

I don't believe Kerry threw someone else's medals over the wall. If he has his medals now, he probably bought them from a catalog.

I hope someone would ask John McCain how he felt about Kerry the anti-war protestor. You have to know the Viet Cong tormented all those POW's with newpaper articles of the Traitor, Jane Fonda and Kerry before Congress claiming his fellow soldiers were murdering rapists.

[G.Mason]

"I can tell you for those in the 30 and under bracket.....WHO CARES ANYMORE WHO SERVED IN SOME OLD WAR AGES AGO?!?"

Go away little girl, your not needed anymore.

[woodyinscc]

Hopefully, we will stop Bush and the neocons before they take us down that losing hole again in Iraq.

You are forgetting(along with the press) who took us into the quagmire of VN. Kerry, in a recent debate even called it "Nixon's war" President Bush is working for a complete sea change, of the Middle East. This will not happen over night, but will benefit the whole world. Business as usual cannot be allowed to continue, as the documentation of 270 corrupt individuals and countries points out.

[CasearianDaoist]

They did ask McCain about it and he gave an interesting answer. I cannot quote him precisely but he said something to the effect that "Well I do not personally approve of it but I do not condemn it or wish to Kerry. He had earned the right to make whatever protest he saw fit." The impression was that he did not think that it was appropriate but he also did not think that the whole topic should be part of the political discussion. It also seemed to me to be a dig at war protesters that had not served. I think that we all know what McCain feels deep inside (and what any combat vet must feel.)

I am not a McCain fan but I thought it was a good response. Actually he said something more interesting about Clark "pulling rank" on Kerry. He said that by far and large the amount of high medals were given to enlisted and NCOs and that is was rather shameful for officers to brag about combat service (I am paraphrasing here.) Now that was the right answer. It when right over the reporters' heads though.

[NYCVirago]

One other thing I just thought about:

Said McAuliffe: "I look forward to that debate with John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals, standing next to George Bush - a man who was AWOL in the Alabama National Guard."

Not only is this pretty much a direct quote from Michael Moore, with the exception of Clark being replaced by Kerry, but why is the Chairman of the DNC already declaring a winner for the nomination, when only two primaries have taken place? I thought his job was to stay neutral, and support all the candidates!

[MattAMiller]

"I look forward to that debate with John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals, standing next to George Bush - a man who was AWOL in the Alabama National Guard."

Got anybody you're supporting for the nomination there Terry?

[CyberAnt]

Here's the scoop! The NEW YORK TIMES did a story about Bush's military service. What they found was that Bush had taken a leave (which reserves are allowed to do), in order to help with a campaign. When that was over, he rejoined his unit (in another location), and FINISHED HIS TOUR OF DUTY WITH THE RESERVE UNIT.

THERE WAS NEVER, NEVER, NEVER AN A.W.O.L. charge against Bush, and HE WAS NEVER A DESERTER.

Don't allow these hate-filled democrats to get away with this SLANDER!! If you see any media outlet spewing this garbage, correct them.

If the NYT can come up with the truth, and Peter Jennings can say the charge was "reckless and lacked proof", it's a non-issue. It's just the democrats are so devoid of issues, they will use anything to try to discredit Bush; and I believe Peter brought it up for a reason .. to get the issue out there again (where they believed the stupid sheeple will not know the truth).

[lawdude]

Unless hillary is the nominee, mcawful won't play a part in the campaign. Should Kerry or Dean win, terrie is just SO out of power.

[cyncooper]

One, according to Lexus-Nexus there were a measly 49 stories on this during the 2000 election cycle, so I do not believe this has really been looked at. Two, Why won't George release his military record for all to see.

Uh, excuse me, but lies don't cut it here. This has been most thoroughly "looked at", and "George" as you so quaintly call President Bush, is not keeping any records from anybody as you falsely imply.

Peddle it somewhere else.