Could it be possible that Lockhart wrote the "fake memos" and handed them to Bill Burkett and Burkett to Rather?
Posted on 09/20/2004 5:32:23 PM PDT by Dont Mention the War
Posted on Mon, Sep. 20, 2004
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."
The worst punishment is to leave Mapes, et al slowly, slowly twisting in the wind. It's like a death from a thousand cuts, brah.
Did you see the "effective speech", or did you see "parts of it" (all over the media), there is a difference.
Did he resign from the committee before or after he voted against it?
Mark for later...
What I saw was effective. In my judgment. It needs to be dealt with in the way I suggested In my judgment.
Mapes is a goner. Will she show up on CNN?
For the most part, it was a rehash of the "Bush lied" argument, and then he ended up essentially arguing that we would be better off if we had left Saddam Hussein alone.
That position will not play well with swing voters.
That is a Bad idea .. we are not the DU
"There's more inbreeding here than an Arkansas family reunion!"
Lie Detector Tests for everyone! I'll pay!
Dr. Walid Phares has some good insight into the current Iraq situation and how we might manage it from a military and social point of view. Google him and you should find links to his writings. Hell, he's been on practically every talking-head news show over the last year.
Could it be possible that Lockhart wrote the "fake memos" and handed them to Bill Burkett and Burkett to Rather?
I hope you are right. But I don't think so, unless Bush responds skillfully. Kerry got back into the game on Iraq, after being out of the game, and in fact so inept was he, that he was squirting blood all over the carpet over it. Now his self inflicted cuts have been potentially stiched up.
It was red meat for the base .. that speech of his can be slammed down in so many ways
Don't worry ... Bush & the RNC will deal with it
Right on! And in addition to the phone number of Burkett, Cleland as a former Army Captain, was probably very familiar with the form and content of Officer Fitness Reports. Maybe that is how Army terminology slipped into a falsified document, as the former Texas Air National secretary stated.
Other heads will roll.
It*s going to be fun watching the RATS roll over on their own. When they realize that they could be facing criminal charges, they will start eating their own. Stay tuned....
Because that was part of the deal. Burkett would only give up the docs if CBS would facilitate a contact at the Kerry campaign.
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