Kerry Aide Talked to Retired Guard Officer (Lockhart called Burkett, on Mapes' Suggestion!)

Associated Press ^ | September 20, 2004

[Dont Mention the War]

Posted on Mon, Sep. 20, 2004

Kerry Aide Talked to Retired Guard Officer

Associated Press

NEW YORK - At the behest of CBS, an adviser to John Kerry said he talked to a central figure in the controversy over President Bush's National Guard service shortly before disputed documents were released.

Joe Lockhart denied any connection between the presidential campaign and the papers. Lockhart, the second Kerry ally to confirm contact with retired Texas National Guard officer Bill Burkett, said he made the call at the suggestion of CBS producer Mary Mapes.

"He had some advice on how to deal with the Vietnam issue and the Swift boat" allegations, Lockhart said Monday, referring to GOP-fueled accusations that Kerry exaggerated his Vietnam War record. "He said these guys play tough and we have to put the Vietnam experience into context and have Kerry talk about it more."

Lockhart said he thanked Burkett for his advice after a three to four minute call.

Lockhart said he does not recall talking to Burkett about Bush's Guard records. "It's baseless to say the Kerry campaign had anything to do with this," he said.

CBS News apologized Monday for a "mistake in judgment" in its story questioning Bush's Guard service, claiming it was misled by the source of documents that several experts have dismissed as fakes.

Burkett admitted this weekend to CBS that he lied about obtaining the documents from another former National Guard member, the network said. CBS hasn't been able to conclusively tell how he got them, or even whether they're fakes or not.

Kerry ally Max Cleland, a former Georgia senator, also said he had a brief conversation last month with Burkett, who told him he had information about Bush to counter charges against Kerry's Vietnam War service. Cleland said he gave Burkett's name and phone number to the campaign's research department.

Kerry spokesman David Ginsberg said nobody in the campaign's research department followed up on Burkett's offer of information.

Lockhart said Mapes asked him the weekend before the story broke to call Burkett. "She basically said there's a guy who is being helpful on the story who wants to talk to you," Lockhart said, adding that it was common knowledge that CBS was working on a story raising questions about Bush's Guard service. Mapes told him there were some records "that might move the story forward. She didn't tell me what they said."

[Lurking in Kansas]

....this is only the beginning.

Correct sir.

THIS
IS
THE
BIG
ONE

The Smoking Gun....

Tip of the Iceberg...

And once again, thanks to Buckhead; FReeper of the decade.

[Chummy]

"I don't believe this at all. Burkett would never have gotten through to Rather if not for Kerry's people pulling his ear."

Exactly.

Burkett had already been discredited and dismissed four years ago. Why would Rather have given him the time of day? Why would See BS have tossed aside so willingly all the very basics of journalism, if not to advance THEIR candidate?

[Billie]

Lockhart said he does not recall talking to Burkett about Bush's Guard records. "It's baseless to say the Kerry campaign had anything to do with this," he said.

Of course he didn't talk about Bush's Guard records. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[bushsupporter30]

I dont think they are done saboting the Kerry campaign. Everyone and their grandmother knows that Hillary is waiting in the wings for 2008. Kerry will absolutely not win in 2004 if she has anything to do with it.
Saw this on another web site where someone remarked that its interesting that Lockhart worked on a campaign where Clinton won 43% of the vote and looks like Kerry is on track to win the same % if not less..:) Telling words!!

[Jenya]

Isn't there an enterprising journalist out there who wants to bust this story wide open? Win a Pulitzer...become the next Bob Woodward or that other yo-yo?

[SlowBoat407]

You know, it's pretty easy to put a spot like that together if you already have damaging info to back it up, and a ready supply of NEWS FOOTAGE!!! Hmm. I wonder where they got that so quickly??

Also, I know NBC complained about the use of their footage. Did CBS?

[finnman69]

The ULTIMATE SCHAUDENFEUDE

CBS ends up going after Kerry and bringing him down after they tried to bring down Bush!

[terilyn]

Maybe that's what he was advised to do during that 90 minute phone conversation? Hmmmm?

I want to know when the "Fortunate son" DNC commercial first ran. It has video in it of Barnes and the documents. If CBS provided it to the DNC so they had it in the can ready to go on Thursday morning after 60 Minutes II aired...

I want proof of cooperation between CBS and the DNC/Kerry Camp.

I want the Clinton goons exposed.

I want the Clinton's exposed.

I want Mapes fired.

And I want Danny Boy to apologize to GWB.

I don't want much do I? LOL

[CJ Wolf]

Let me guess...Kerry was at the meeting where they discussed the forging of the documents but voted against it.

[Ethyl]

Blatant lies.

Check the archives in various newspapers for Kerry campaign press releases. They were pushing stories about the President's TANG service as far back as August.

This was exactly the time frame when Burkette was boasting he'd contacted Cleland about some information about the President for a 'counterattack'.

They are lying. Whenever they open their mouths.

How long has michael moore and terry mcawful been saying that Mr. Bush was awol from his service in the Guard??? At least before the demon convention, where did they get that? They had these forged memeos at least from that time, probably forged them themselves and sent to burkett. Who knows, the dnc is definitely involved as well as the kerry kamp and now cbs. This needs to be brought to the forefront. I despise these freaks that call themselves demoncrapts. Guess what, they are all history.

[Tempest]

Sounds more and more like a coordinated effort going on here. Does anyone else find it just the least bit inappropriate for the producer of 60 minutes to contact and cordinate with a politcal campaign just prior to them running a hit piece against the President???

Anyone?

[Lurking in Kansas]

And all along the Poker playing Bush/Rove team are just holding thier cards and stoking the fire.

And it ain't even October yet! Ol' Karl still has a few aces up his sleeve.

[BigKahuna]

Forgery of official government documents is a Class 3 felony in the U.S. criminal code. If these documents are tied back to anyone in the CBS/Kerry/DNC camp, there'll be some people going to jail. Let alone Bill Burkett, who's going to be receiving a visit from the U.S. Attorney's office, I'd bet.

[Martin Tell]

Don't forget that the Boston Globe and USA Today also came up with the documents independently.

Since everyone knows the docs are forged now, are these other outlets still protecting the "source"? Are they all going to claim it ends with Burkett?

[InterceptPoint]

Well Sept 14th is 6 days after the release of the document and that looks to me to be plenty of time to do the spot. Too bad, it would have been nice to nail them on this.

[samantha]

I seem to remember Lockhart went to work out in Caleeforneeya for that big demoRat Billionare Campaign donor,but that did not last long. I cannot believe I have forgotten the Company name and his name. Long tough days will screw up your memory. Might be Oracle!!

[IrishGOP]

Let me guess...Kerry was at the meeting where they discussed the forging of the documents but voted against it.

Yeah, he was there, but he stepped out to the bathroom while the final decision was being made .. you know too much iced tea.

[Vinomori]

Mapes told him there were some records "that might move the story forward. She didn't tell me what they said."

So Lockhart, hearing this, called Burkett. He called Burkett because she told him this. YET he now says he can't recall if he talked to Burkett about the very thing he called him about. He doesn't recall. He may have called him about the records and then just talked about other things, like the Texas Rangers, he can't recall. "I might have talked about what she told me to call him about, but I really don't recall. And I, a member of the Kerry campaihn, called him myself, but to say there is a link is baseless. A Link? That's beseless. I called him, yes. And we used the CBS footage in our ad against Bush, but a LINK? Baseless."

[Fledermaus]

Of course he didn't talk about Bush's Guard records. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

And Bill Clinton was "mentoring" Monica! ;-) Boy, these guys are one hit wonders and they can't sell the "fooling some of the people all of the time" routine any longer.

[Chummy]

"Lockhart said he does not recall talking to Burkett about Bush's Guard records...."

Slick taught us to keep a wary eye on what these wordbenders are pushin', and what Lockhart is not saying is that they talked about phonied-up records....