Bill Burkett admits to reassembling Bush's TANG file.

Online Journal via Captiansquartblog ^

[Maria S]

[Burkett]...one of the sources for information in the Michael Moore's film "Farenheit 911." He is decorated soldier and recognized military process expert."


What's a "military process expert"?

I did not realize Mr. Burkett was helpful to Michael Moore!

[Born to Conserve]

There is a difference between a physical document, and hearsay from a disreputed witness.

This guy should go to jail, Rather should get fired, and CBS should get sued into bankruptcy.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

"George W. Bush, you may be the president(sic). But I know you lied.

I know from your files that WE HAVE NOW REASSEMBLED."


Reassembled, lied, forged, this lad has some very real problems, and they are about to get worse, much worse.

[Born to Conserve]

"What's a 'military process expert'"?

A clerk.

[icarix]

he says "WE" reassembled. Define we?

[longshadow]

THe statement that "we reassembled" the file suggests that Burkett had help... my guess is he had more help than he was counting on.

Burkett sounds like the "perfect patsy": he's appears to be paranoid, and is clearly obsessed with Bush and his NG records. So under the guise of "reassembling" Bush's NG records, some operative conveniently passes on to Burkett some bogus documents that "confirm" all the bad stuff that Burkett and the Democrats have long suspected. Burkett takes the bait of course, and runs with it.

The rest is history. And if it gets traced back to Burkett, he'll won't be able to prove who gave the forged docs to him.

The real forgers have successfully used Burkett as a "cut-out" .....

That's my theory du jour.

[AmericaUnited]

Burkett is the DNC's Oswald.

[MattMa]

Was the four page document typed on a typewriter or done with MS Word?

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

"Wonder if Burkett is also responsible for the documents which are apparently missing from Bush's file."

You have raised one hell of a question? Did he pilfer the files, is he holding something he could get some filtered sunlight time for?

I am beginning to think Dan Rather is much more complicit in this than our wildest dreams

[dodger]

Interesting backgroung on some of the old TANG bulls. Such are, seemingly, 'unimpeachable' sources to Dan Rather & CBS!

[andy58-in-nh]

[dep]

um, the entire piece by burkett was posted here, earlier.

[Brad from Tennessee]

My brother, who has been in the National Guard for more than 20 years, told me tonight on the phone that Bush's records would not have been retained by the TANG after he was discharged (early 1970's). The records would have been sent to the DOD records storage facility in Kansas City where they would have been transposed to microfiche and stored. This makes Burkett's story about the Bush file being laundered in the 1990's false.

I wish someone with hands-on knowledge about the records handling would opine on this subject.

[TaxRelief]

Bill Burkett in an interview with Paula Zahn- Feb 2004

---

ZAHN: And the third point?

BURKETT: And the third point occurred approximately 10 days later in which, in a very roundabout way, I ended up guided to the state museum, the old state museum facility, where I was introduced in the form of a very informal conversation. And I saw files on a table. But I also saw at the edge of that table a 15-gallon, roughly 15- gallon, old-style waste can, metal waste can.

At the top of that were several pages, 20 to 40 pages, approximately. I glanced down at the top of those documents. In ink was the word Bush, George W., 1LT. This was a performance report. I did something that I probably should not have done. I was right at the trash can. I filtered through the top five or six pages in that. And they were all copies and originals of old performance documents and pay records for Bush, George W., 1LT.

ZAHN: And what was so damaging about what you saw and why would those documents be thrown away?

BURKETT: I can't answer the question why those documents would be thrown away. A personnel file contains all of the positive and any potential negative things. It's an administrative file, is all that it is. But it contains every history. It is the pure paper trail. And the Army and military and all government entities, but certainly the Army and Air Force, have the most redundant paper trail that there is in the entire world.

(CROSSTALK) ZAHN: But, in your own words, you were only able to filter through some of the top pages. In your reading of those pages, did you see anything that would have been particularly embarrassing to the governor at that point?

BURKETT: I did not scrutinize the files itself, but I think it was the action that struck me more than anything else.

But I think also, even through my shock and maybe my disappointment, remember, I was working in the administration of Governor George W. Bush. And everything that I did as the team chief for a strategic planning effort that was going to make the Texas National Guard more effective, more efficient, and more relevant to the active force, just what your previous guest has said, all of those efforts I felt had been -- had undermined our cause.

ZAHN: But, Mr. Burkett...

BURKETT: I think it was the action.

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: Let me just ask you this. You no doubt have heard the criticism coming your way. The White House, or particularly Scott McClellan has called your charges absolutely ridiculous. Joe Allbaugh, the man you apparently overheard talking, has denied ever having the conversation you talked about and has denied any record dumping at all.

BURKETT: Ms. Zahn, I'm not going to get in the mud.

---

Bill Burkett absolutely admits having his hands on those files.

[Law is not justice but process]

1. Undeniable signs of composition on a computer
2. Army terminology instead of Air Force
3. Citing a retired officer as a source of "pressure"
4. Out of date address for Bush
5. Forged signatures
6. Traced to Abeline Kinkos
7. Confession

Does anyone else think this was just too easy? Any reporter with half a brain and the resources of a large newsroom could have traced this down in 48 hours. Why didn't they? And why was it so easy?

Clearly Burkett doesn't care whether he was caught or not.

[rwfromkansas]

intersting.......

[faithincowboys]

Who's WE??? That is the question, no??

[TnMomofTwo]

OMG...Dan Rather considers Burkett to be an "unimpeachable" source because Michael Moore says Burkett is a highly decorated military expert??? ummmmmmmm....o...k....

[TnMomofTwo]

I don't think Burkett had his hands on the files....he just SAID that he did. Someone earlier in this thread referred to the process that takes place to TANG files ergo, the "alleged incident" that has pushed Mr. Burkett over the proverbial edge, only happened in his angry, bitter, twisted mind.

On a somewhat related note, my now-deceased great-aunt was a Baird TX native...she was (I think) the postmaster there for ages and ages. Baird is a tiny town--so small that I could easily throw one of John Kerry's spitballs from from one end of town to the other without breaking a sweat. Many many fond memories of a quaint little old-fashioned soda shop in Baird, TX, during the 70s...

[LSU Engineer]

Kudos to Bandit for this scoop!

In reading Burketts' article, I just have to say.... jeeezzz... does he think he's getting paid by the word, or what? Pssst... Bill... Here's a tip: GET TO THE POINT.

Not only is everything he writes false, he is a piss-poor writer. Which is good, I guess!