Memo Firestorm Continues
Reported by Eleanor - September 10, 2004 -
Big Story with Andrew Napolitano replacing John Gibson (Sept. 10, 5:00 p.m.) spent the first 20 minutes on the Bush National Guard documents with Charles Black and William Campenni, republicans, and Dick Harpootlian, democrat.
Gary Killian, the son of Jerry Killian, officer who wrote the document in question, is quoted as saying the document is not his dad's work. Also, it doesn't reflect his dad's feelings about Bush. He thought Bush was a fine pilot who twice volunteered to go for a temporary assignment in Viet Nam, but he was turned down for lack of enough flight time. (And Bush didn't know this when he volunteered?)
The White House is steering clear of the controversy, saying this comes up every time Bush seeks elective office. Napolitano asked Charles Black, "What if someone in the Kerry campaign typed this up in the last month?" Charles Black responded that it is typical of the way the Kerry campaign is being run, and that Bush met all requirements. He also said that all John Kerry wants to talk about is Viet Nam. Napolitano asked if Karl Rove is worried. Black replied that he's not worried. It's a phony accusation.
William Campenni said Bush met minimal requirements, and sometimes above minimum. He earned an honorable discharge. The National Guard allows for flexibility. The Guard was downsizing by 1972, and they had extra pilots. Sometimes they got time off, but not a year.
Dick Harpootlian said that John Kerry couldn't take time off to run a political campaign, since he was in a shooting war. Napolitano said that John Kerry saluted with "reporting for duty" at this convention, as if his service in Viet Nam qualified him to be commander-in-chief. He called attention to it himself. Harpootlian replied that Bush could have volunteered, but he didn't. Kerry saw men die in war, and that is related to Iraq, in that you can be much more certain than one who has not been to war. Kerry knows what war looks like. Bush has not been candid with the American people. He took time off.
Comment: This story is definitely another distraction from the important issues in the campaign, but the service of both men is now on the table. There was no technical discussion here about the authenticity of the document itself.
