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."

[Peach]

This was so investigated in 2000; McAwful doesn't have anything else to hang his hat on but old, discounted news?

[o_zarkman44]

Terry Mculiff, where are all those Millions of Dollars you made from the Global Crossing Scam? Now there is a charge with some substance! Why do we not hear more about that?

[John Jorsett]

I guess you can't exactly campaign on the premise that the incumbent is doing a good job, but if this is the best they can come up with, they're really running on empty.

[TomB]

Mickey Moore is now setting the agenda for the Democratic Party?

Oh be still my beating heart!

[07055]

John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals

That he said he threw over the fence--but really kept to use for later political gain.

[Consort]

The Dems have been doing that since Bush was Governor. Terry has been good for the GOP; everything he does...... backfires.

[mabelkitty]

.......He said, without a hint of irony.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Is this a trick to get our side complacent or are they really that stupid?

[muawiyah]

Kerry evaded the draft by signing up with the Navy.

Unfortunately for him he did end up on the ground in the Nam, but not for long.

[stylin_geek]

Terry McAuliffe darn near bankrupted the Democratic party in the mid-terms trying to defeat Jeb Bush in Florida. We know how well that turned out, so I going for option two.

[dirtboy]

Since Kerry is emerging as the apparent Dem nominee, McAwful will try to contrast Kerry's war service with Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard. And he doesn't care a whit that the AWOL claim has been refuted - the goal is to make the claim again, set the initial public impression and then hope that only some of the people come across the refutation.

[Ramcat]

"I look forward to that debate with John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals, standing next to George Bush..."

I guess Kerry is McAuliffe's man?
Does this mean anything?

[dighton]

"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."

Biography of DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe

Guess what's not here.

[Dan from Michigan]

Hey! Terry Mac. I'd put Bush's record against John the traitor Kerry any day. He's with Jane Fonda as far as I'm concerned. Those that died in 71? That blood is on John Kerry's hands.

[COBOL2Java]

This was so investigated in 2000; McAwful doesn't have anything else to hang his hat on but old, discounted news?

Ah, but you don't understand. McAwful's not spewing this bilge for the few voters who actually are familiar with the facts. This is for general sheeple consumption - those who get 100% of their news from CNN, SeeBS and other DNC outlets. They'll believe it.

[mewzilla]

You don't think the Toons would allow anyone to run who they couldn't control?

[petercooper]

John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals

Didn't this scumbag throw his medals away? Oh, they were someone else's.

[Ramcat]

I get confused?
Is Kerry backed by the Clinton's?
I thought Clark was their guy?

[Piquaboy]

Hmmmm! Could that be the fault of our great unbiased media?