[Joan Kerrey]

hope that she could prove that George W. Bush, as a member of the Texas National Guard, had joined the Guard (thanks to help from family friends) as a way to avoid going to Vietnam.

What difference does it make at this point? How many others in high office have used contacts to avoid tough life experiences?

[FredZarguna]

It makes a difference because Bush didn't do that. Bush volunteered to go to Vietnam, and was turned down by his superiors because his experience was with jets no longer flown.

Mapes knew he had volunteered from the beginning, and tried to perpetrate a hoax.