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February 13, 2004 |
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THIS IS PART 2 OF THE FEBRUARY 13, 2004 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG. CLICK HERE FOR PART 1. Subj: A Question Not Being Asked... Dear Media People: Mr. Bush is defending his record in the National Guard on the basis that he got paid at various points during the years in question. That record still appears spotty, but... There is another HUGE issue for his service record. Why was he grounded from flight status on August 1st, 1972? He was grounded because he failed to report for his annual flight physical that year. Please see http://www.kings.edu/twsawyer/awol/docs/grounded.gif Why did he fail to perform his physical? EVERY military pilot knows he has to do this every year or he loses his flight status and becomes "mission incapable" (the primary mission of a military pilot being to "fly"). The orders for Bush's grounding went into effect on August 1st, 1972, and likely reflect a failure to report for the physical several months prior to that date. The August '72 order comes PRIOR to Bush's own request to transfer to Alabama for three months at the end of that year. Please see Bush's request dated September 5th, 1972, at http://users.cis.net/coldfeet/doc2.gif. In other words, Bush failed to perform this important duty (getting his annual flight physical) well before he requested permission to go to Alabama in a non-flying status. How is this to be explained? Article 92 of the UCMJ, in pertinent part, states: (3) Dereliction in the performance of duties. (a) That the accused had certain duties; (b) That the accused knew or reasonably should have known of the duties; and (c) That the accused was (willfully) (through neglect or culpable inefficiency) derelict in the performance of those duties. Please see http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/mcm/bl92.htm for more information. Bush was derelict in his duty WELL BEFORE the pay records now released by the White House even pretend to become relevant. Airborne! Rob Olson Subj: Bush's Solution to Iraq Quagmire.. What's the quickest and easiest way out of the mess he created? It's not a military solution- there's a guerilla war going on. It's not free elections- too many groups and disarray. The Fraud will never admit he's wrong and simply withdraw. The only logical action is for him to support, foment a civil war. Then it's "Their" doing, not ours. "We're just trying to help.. giving humanitarian aid.. Good thing our troops are there.." The sudden increase in news stories about Iraqi in-fighting seems to bear out this plan. Theory: Not only will Osama be captured/killed before November, but an all out civil war will break out in Iraq. -Joe Weber Subj: Bush military service issues media strategy Hi Buzz, I think it's important for those of us who have problems with Bush's military record to codify what our outstanding questions are that are distinct from the "days on duty - days paid - did he show in Alabama" questions. Even though the press corps got riled at McClellan yesterday on the fine points of the "new" docs and what they proved regarding attendance, that issue could be put to rest for many Americans if it's explained that the Guard was lax enough in those days to allow makeup work(basically exonerating Bush). My guess is that this may be the next WH tactic. There are other issues (and I am not well versed enough to encapsulate them) that are troubling, and someone who is could come up with a short and discrete and powerfully cogent set of outstanding questions that will remain even if these pay records put that issue to bed. Examples are: 1. Why did Bush avoid his physical, especially when random drug testing had just begun, during a period when he won't deny cocaine use; and why did he lie about the unavailability of his PERSONAL doctor being a valid reason to neglect the exam? 2. Why did he train on a model of airplane that apparently was somewhat obsolete and possibly known by him not to be deployed in Vietnam? 3. Why did he lie in his autobiography about continuing to fly after he was grounded? 4. Why did these new records just conveniently show up when this issue has been mentioned in his other campaigns and Dan Bartlett had gone to one or more facilities to gather info in 2000? 5. Your choice - as I say, there are folks far more informed than I..... The next step could be to make sure that these codified questions are gotten to all available members of the White House Press Corps (from Milbank to Bumiller to Bash and King to Helen Thomas et al) with as many emails as possible to give them some weight. The questions document could also be emailed to (or left on the answering machines of reporters and news anchors by as many people as possible. (Aaron Brown to Jennings to Rather to Moyers). The questions should be submitted to the DNC, and Kerry's campaign in as obvious and formal a fashion as possible - notifying the press about said submission. The same to all progressive organizations (MoveOn, Center for American Progress, F.A.I.R., etc.) Same to other major Websites, blogs. Maybe the list could be developed as a collaborative effort - but with some public notoriety (a contest like the MoveOn ad submissions??) . Ads could be paid for by targeted fundraising - a la MoveOn or maybe actually overseen by MoveOn and run in major papers or on the air. The hallmark of the effort would be to keep the concepts and queries simple and direct and limited in number so as to awaken the skepticism they warrant in the minds of the public. My point is to try to develop a somewhat standard set of these questions and maybe even give the document a name that we keep using. The idea is not wholly formed as you can tell, but right now this info and these questions are scattered and incoherent and all over bizarre web sites which makes these issues easier for the media and public to ignore. I am concerned that not enough of the other issues regarding Bush's service are being addressed (besides attendance), and am convinced that some form of organization could benefit our search for the truth. Lastly, if successful, this mechanism could be reused with discretion on other issues during the campaign season. Comments? Dave Dorsett Hey Buzzers, Let me make sure I have this right: Bush's current reasons for invading Iraq are; 1) Saddam was a madman whom no one could trust. 2) Saddam might have had a weapon, wanted a weapon, had used weapons in the past. 3) Saddam might have allowed one of his dream weapons to fall into the hands of some shadowy network which might commit terror using a weapon. Hey, using that reasoning, why is Bush not staring down the barrel of a Canadian musket? Dot Subj: WMDs-National Guard-Dean Dear Buzzers, Lo and behold just as the debate heats up on gwb's military non-record, he's giving a major speech today on WMD's so says Ms Rice this morning on Today. How convenient. I'm going to set up a hotline ala Miss Cleo and make a lot of money predicting the future. In fact, many of us BuzzFlash readers could do that. The number of times she mentioned "WMD's" reminded me of the speeches given by this administration during the build up to the war. I think this speech will backfire, and I for one will be rooting for that to occur. I was happy to hear Katie bringing up the point of the timing of this speech. It's funny to hear Rice trying to eat up time during these interview so she won't have to answer so many questions. On the military non-record, wouldn't you think someone serving with Bush would step forward to vouch for him (a) just to say they knew gwb way back when and get their 15 minutes of fame or (b) they decided not to step forward because although they might have been in the champagne unit, they weren't "in" the champagne unit and were possibly overlooked for flight training. I hear they're offering a reward to whoever steps forward. That ought to bring out the nuts. gwb's claim that people questioning his military non-record are bashing the National Guard is really a reach. I can do two things at once--question gwb's non-military record in the National Guard while totally supporting a family member who's National Guard unit is on it's way to Afghanistan. I'm still a Dean backer, but was sorry to see Clark drop out. He was my second choice. I'm very upset the media once again decided to pick the candidate and not give those of us with later primaries a voice and a choice. (I wish I could have called Shirley in St. Louis and ask her to cast a couple more votes from me and my husband for Dean in the Missouri primary.) Now I know how Californians feel during the general election. I think primaries should be held all in the same day just as the general election. Regarding all the candidates running as a team, I thought at first that was really coloring outside of the lines and just wasn't normal. However the more I think about it--SO WHAT! These are not normal times. It is going to take every single good, intelligent person the democratic candidate can gather together--a team--to repair this broken country and restore our dignity and hope. ABB! Travis Subj: Iraq, WMDs and Occam's Razor Let's apply Occam's Razor to whether or not Saddam Hussein's Iraq possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction prior to the invasion by American and British forces nearly a year ago. The Iraqi Army did not unleash chemical, biological or nuclear weapons against the invading U.S. Army, Marine Corps or British Army at any time during the fighting. Therefore, Iraq did not possess Weapons of Mass Destruction at that time and, most likely, had not for some time. I would think that is the only intelligence one needs to prove George W. Bush lied to the American people and Congress and continues to do so. Bob Jewett Subj: research help needed on bush awol issue any readers in Alabama who are willing to head to the library and spend a few hours reading through microfilms of local papers to see if they can find any mention of Bush that weekend? The newspaper dates to look for are October 29 and 30, 1972, and the most likely cities are Montgomery and (I assume) Birmingham. The question is this: are there any news reports indicating that Bush was actually working on Blount's campaign on those days Karen Bush’s Branch Caught in a Shredder The White House released documents Tuesday that prove President Bush did get paid while a member of the Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. But not one witness or commanding officer can confirm that he ever showed up during the time Bush claims to have served in Alabama. Retired Brigadier General William Turnipseed is the former commander of the 187th Air Squadron in Montgomery, Alabama where George Bush claims to have served. "I just don't think he came to the base," ... "I would have remembered him”... “But actually, I don't think he made an appearance." -- Gen. Turnipseed, February, 2004 In the upcoming book "Bush's War for Re-election" author James Moore exposes the cover-up of Bush’s service record. Starting in 1994, according to Moore, friends and political aides of George Bush "began contacting commanders and former roommates who would spin and cover up his guard record. When the book comes out, people will be on the record testifying to that fact". Bush's gaps in National Guard service will become even more prominent because it's no longer just an issue of patriotism, it relates directly to his credibility. While lofty claims of WMD and new jobs have not materialized, the Bush administration has created a larger issue of “credibility”in the upcoming presidential election. Does our president tell the truth? Is he responsible and accountable? "Bush's greatest asset was his unimpeachable integrity in the eyes of most Americans. But with no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, that integrity has been chipped away and right now some large lumps are falling off it," -- Pollster John Zogby All the kings horses and all the kings men, can't find Bush's DD214? Every veteran knows what a "DD214" is. Statement of Service DD Form 214, is similar to a bank statement that lists all military activity. Every person discharged from military service receives one and it is required to apply for any veterans benefits or VA loans. Every US veteran has one except for George W. Bush. His father has one. John Kerry has one. Wesley Clark has one. But for some reason our current president Bush can't find his. Even his most rabid supporters are questioning the presidents competence and credibility. Bill O'Reilly said in an ABC interview, he is "much more skeptical about the Bush administration now" ... "I was wrong. I am not pleased about it at all and I think all Americans should be concerned about this," Peggy Noonan commenting on Bush's White House interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" this past Sunday said: "The president seemed tired, unsure and often bumbling. His answers were repetitive, and when he tried to clarify them he tended to make them worse. He seemed in some way disconnected from the event." While in the midst of a war against terrorism Bush can no longer put his service record behind him with a press release or interview. With war hero John Kerry closing in on the Democratic nomination, and without his DD214 the Democrats can beat this drum all the way to November. I think the shredder is just cranking up and we’re gonna to see some mulch. Todd Smyth
Subj: Pentagon Clip Service's Clips Clipped (washingtonpost.com) According to the Washington Post [at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24536-2004Feb8.html], the Pentagon Clip Service's culmination of excerpts, available on the Defense Dept. web site, is now censored to avoid any unflattering news articles. Ah ha! It's all becoming more understandable, now. We have a President who is proud that he avoids the news, not even reading the headlines, thereby insulating himself from what the American people think about our government and are saying about him and his administration. Supporting him is a government bureaucracy that reads a popular daily press summary, in which any criticism is excised. So, as far as anyone running this country is concerned, everything is rosy and they are all performing perfectly. This is worst than the Peter Principle. Now when someone moves up the government's organizational chart to a position in which he is totally unsuited, there's no way he'll ever find that out! The President is figuratively stumbling around in an intellectual darkness, while the poor and middle-class are virtually being mugged by their own government. Jack Ballinger Subj: Keep Hammering Democrats! Dear Buzz: Assuming Kerry has secured the nomination, here are several attack points the Democrats should use. 1. Not only did Bush avoid serving in the war, but so did Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz, to name a few. I'm sure there's more. Keep pressing how these men think nothing of sending our children off to die when they themselves hightailed it out of harm's way. 2. Speaking of war, mention the draft. The democrats should be warning people that if these people are re-elected, there's no doubt a draft will be put in place. Not a word will be made of it now, but you can bet, February of 2005 those wheels will start turning and there's nothing to be done. 3. Women can kiss goodbye all abortion rights, even if the mother's life is in danger. There's already been rumblings about that. Medicare and social security are also at risk. Money that would go to education, healthcare, and infrastructure will be diverted to the military. 4. Poverty will be rampant. There will be a ever-widening gap between the rich and poor, as more middle-class people can't find jobs and file for bankruptcy. As long as the rich get richer, who cares? The thought of having Bush re-elected makes me feel like a child being brought back to a mean, abusive step-father. Even if Bush wins (and there's an excellent chance they'll hack this election), it'll be by a small margin. I believe a great majority of Americans are on to this guy and truly hate him, and he knows that. But remember, he's a man who likes to take revenge on his enemies. He'll show all of us by immediately putting in the draft and taking away abortion rights. After all, he's the President. Who's gonna stop him? That'll show all of us lefties and liberals and turncoats who's really the boss.. Laurie Subj: it's the character, stupid Dear BuzzFlash, I want all my Repuglican friends and relatives to understand that "it's about CHARACTER, stupid!" when we are dealing with the pResident's records from the National Guard. Many young people have made stupid mistakes, especially when they are into cocaine addiction. And since he has claimed that "Jesus changed my heart", why can't he use this youthful lapse as an opportunity to make more points with his base? They would lap it up and say what a good Christian he is that he can admit his earlier sins, and go on to redeem himself. So what does he do??? He LIES and STONEWALLS about his record. How stupid is that?? These self-righteous Repugs have claimed the moral high ground because they have daily prayer meetings, but they LIE with impunity, and believe they are somehow above reproach because God is on their side. Oh, PLEASE!!! Sue in Florida Subj: Postmodern fascism Whereas the dictators of the 20th century nationalized private enterprise; the 21st century American fascists have privatized government and are in the process of militarizing the economy to form a state monopoly wherein security is sold as freedom. These people are not proletariat; they are capitalist. Left and Right no longer apply. Its a Business paradigm. There is no historical model for this regime,if for no other reason than the use of depleted uranium by the thousands of tons. Mendacity at home; Genocide abroad. The dialectical process of history is playing out as chaos. David Subj: Those payroll microfiche show something Scotty didn't know For the 3rd qtr 1972 there is no record. This is when Bush put in for a transfer to AL didn't get it but went anyway. For the 4th qtr 1972 there is a record but no dates worked for that qtr. For the 1st qtr 1973 - inactive duty dates show up for late October and November retroactively. Now, was that late paperwork or did someone notice the Red Zone alert and save Bush's ass? There is more including the key FOI document on the web that the WH didn't release but shows what they are hiding - an extra six months tacked on to Bush's service. Gary Denton Subj: Bush on MTP If there’s one word to describe Bush on Meet the Press, it has to be “disturbing.”How in the world can a graduate of an Ivy League College have such a limited command of his native tongue? The world would be a better place if he could only work out an agreement between subjects and verbs. Much has been already been written about the various prevarications and obfuscations, but the worst one was this: BUSH: If you look at the appropriations bills that were passed under my watch, in the last year of President Clinton, discretionary spending was up 15 percent, and ours have steadily declined. And the other thing that I think it's important for people who watch the expenditures side of the equation is to understand we are at war, Tim, and any time you commit your troops into harm's way, they must have the best equipment, the best training, and the best possible pay. That's where we owe it to their loved ones.
Bush: But again, I repeat to you, I don't want to sound like a broken record, but David Kay, who is the man who led the Iraqi survey group, who has now returned with an interim report, clearly said that the place was a dangerous place. When asked if President Bush had done, had made the right decision, he said yes. In other words, the evidence we have uncovered thus far says we had no choice. “Repetition is the lynchpin of propaganda.”Joseph Goebbels Turk Meister SUPPORT OUR TROOPS: PUT SOMEONE IN OFFICE WHO ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT THEM! Subj: Crazy Saddam Ploy I see that Bush (on "MTP") is falling back on the "Saddam was a madman" who "had the ability to make weapons" justification for war in Iraq. This last desperate attempt at justification is the most ludicrous yet. Imagine how this defense would play in court if an individual tried it: "He looked crazy to me, so I shot him. He didn't have any weapon, but I found some plans for a gun buried in his basemen ...so he definitely had the ability to make weapons." This is clearly a crime--- even if everyone on the street is glad that scary nut is gone. And invading and occupying a country that has not attacked you because you think the leader seems (dangerously) crazy is also a crime--- even if everyone says "good riddance" to that leader. Albert Clark, NY Subj: Yet another intriguing mystery regarding George Bush's service in the Air National Guard Note George Bush's service record is on an ARF document. According to Bob Roger, a retired Air National Guard pilot, "ARF stands for Army Reserve Force, and among other things it's where members of the guard are sent for disciplinary reasons. As we all know, Bush failed to show up for his annual physical in July 1972, he was suspended in August, and the suspension was recorded on September 29. He was apparently transferred to ARF at that time and began accumulating ARF points in October ..." http://www.calpundit.com/archives/003220.html A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Mailbag 2/10 Cole, I agree with you! It is not over until the fat lady sings....and Dean has vowed that will stay until Kerry gets all the delegates he would need for the convention. The only good thing about all this, is the sign that maybe the democratic voters, this time, want nothing that the repub..rightwingnuts will accuse...that they are not worse. I have backed Howard Dean and contributed to him...and thought all along he was the front runner...And, I will be a little sad if he isn't. But, I am wondering if this country is so sick and tired of the administration, that they want the Kerry War Record to rub in their face. Personally, I think Howard Dean would be the best...just my opinion! But, I fear this was a plan....and even though I do not like plans in my party, if it gets Dubya out.....I will vote for any democrat. I would have loved for Wesley Clark to have been up there, too. I will suffer through any disappointment, to get bush out of the White House!! Shirley...............St.Louis Subj: Protest "not-my Presidents day" Dear Buzz In respect to the 42 presidents that were legitimately elected, I will honor presidents day by taking off work. Then I will go in and work for 11 minutes in defiant of the 43'd (1/43) currently squatting in the White House. Tell your listeners to work for 11 minutes on presidents day...(don't celebrate the illegitimate one!!). Best John Subj: Pulling The Plug Until Bush Wins Will Be Part Of Their Game Buzzzzz, I read that Ashcroft is pulling the plug on one of his quests to undermine the freedom to assemble and the right to speak freely. The people who take it upon themselves to standup and fight for the rights we all have and should love are waking up. I believe the Bush Regime has awakened a sleeping giant. We love to express our feelings through many mediums like, singin songs and carryin signs if that is what it takes ! We love to express our feelings straight to the point of no holds barred, except when it comes to violence to have our voices heard ! Our love of freedom and the rights we have under the Constitution of Our United States of America should be near and dear to our hearts always, especially during the times we live in now. The times of antigovernment because our government takes it upon themselves to be our watchdog when We The People speak out against fascism and total disregard to Our America's foundation of liberty and justice to all. The regime at the top hates us being free. They hate the idea of us telling the truth to others especially when it paints a bad picture of them. They are to be squeaky clean, all supreme ! They are to be all saintly with divine providence from the maker, therefore we should shut up, listen and keep our mouths closed. Remember, they know, we don't. Their god told them so. Pulling the plug on investigating antiwar protestors is a ploy by the Bush Regime because it's election time ! See people, we love you having the rights granted you in the Constitution. Bushit ! If Bush and his handlers win in November, guess what ? They will be back attacking our right to free speech and the right to assemble with more passion and vigor. It's a "War Of Man". Tom in Hibbing Mn Subj: The Ducksters Dear Buzz, I heard on "The Connection" yesterday (on NPR) that Cheney used Air Force 2 to ferry himself and Antonin Scalia to the duck-hunting trip, and that the Secret Service came along. Did we, the taxpayers, pay for this hunting trip? Just asking. Leslie in Boston Subj: During Vietnam, Air National Guard Draft Haven for Rich White Men -- Their Own Words This from the Air National Guard's own web site -- about the history of the Guard http://www.ang.af.mil/history/Forging.asp "Vietnam revealed a negative aspect of relying on reservists.... The Reserves and the Guard acquired reputations as draft havens for relatively affluent young white men." As John Kerry so aptly stated, the Guard, going to Canada, CO status and jail were all alternatives to going to 'Nam. Regards, BC Subj: I was there and no one attacked Houston from 1968-1973. February 10, 2004 Folks, I was there, in Houston, with George W. Bush (Well not physically with him, I wasn't a drinker and was from way the other side of the tracks.) and I can say without any reservation we weren't under attack, but I am not sure I am willing to say Dubya or the Texas Air National Guard were the reason for my safety. I am still waiting for someone to explain why during the same time as his AWOL, he suddenly become socially conscious and volunteered, so he says, to do a few months of duty at an Inner City Youth Center, when he never did before and hasn't since, as far as I know. That could have been connected to his choosing not to take a flight physical. The idea that guys my age joined the Guard out of patriotism and not to keep their butts off the front lines in Vietnam is a crock. Nearly every guy I knew was trying to get into the reserves or the guard including several family members. My brother and one cousin were in the Air Force Reserves and the other cousin was in the Marine Reserves. However, all three, like George joined before the lottery. My cousins and brother were older than George and near the end of their Reserve or Guard duty before the draft lottery. My brother ended up with 172. Dubya's number was 327 and he must have kicked himself for signing up. Had I been male, mine would have been 142. As I recall the most coveted Guard or Reserve duty were in the Air or Navy because there was less danger, because fewer guys were used. I think Dubya joined the Air Guard and went for pilot training because his dad had been a pilot. I recall how many times we had to watch his dad being fished out of the water in campaign ads. What seems strange to me is that I don't recall either Bush continuing to fly, even as recreational private pilots. I remember celebrating when friends made it into the Guard and were therefore saved from Vietnam. Incidentally there are only 9 Guard members on that wall in Washington and the idea that Guard members, who weren't called up, were in as much danger as the regular army grunts on the ground is laughable. Houston was not attacked from 1968-73. I don't even recall the Texas Guard being used in hurricane rescue or riot duty which would have been the primary call up duty. There were a lot of riots after the death of Martin Luther King, but that was before Dubya joined in May of 1968 and I don't remember many riots in Houston. Dubya, like most of the guys my age, didn't want to go to Vietnam, but he did support the war. Our entire family pitched in to keep my middle brother in college and out of Vietnam and we were not alone. Because he had the connections and money, Dubya managed to get the benefit of military service for his political career, but without any danger, except crashing his F-102 during training. I have said this before, in defense of Bill Clinton's draft-evading, I went to college with millions of draft-evaders and they were called college students and many spent more on tutors than tuition. There were many who joined the regular army to help "win" the war, which was never the intention in Washington. Anyone who actually wanted to go to Vietnam, especially during or after the Tet Offensive, were suspected of being more suicidally insane, than patriotic. I have no problem, whatsoever, with so-called draft-evaders, who were opposed to the war and I support all the veterans whether they were drafted or signed up. I am opposed to the government using the lives of Americans for purely political reasons and they did it in Vietnam and are doing it in Iraq. The only people I ever referred to as "baby killers" were the ones who waged the war and kept it going and they were also "baby boomer killers." The only guy I know who is on that wall was a conscientious objector for religious reasons and was drafted and did his duty as a medic until his death in July, 1970. I remember you Bro. Bobby. Karen Webb, Moore, Ok. Here's another example of Dubya's duplicity, this time from the 2002 SOTU. Do you see a pattern here, too? We ought to make this a prominent example, considering how much money has been wasted on protection of the homeland schemes which are designed only to feather the pockets of Dubya's contributors. A BuzzFlash Reader * * *
Subj: Powell is beginning to crack! Dear Buzz I was amazed to see Collin Powell losing it at a hearing yesterday. Rep. Sherrod Brown questioned him about Bush's military service,and he flew off the handle in an unexpected manner. I guess all the pressure of trying to explain why he lied at the UN, and to the nation, to drag us to an unnecessary war must be finally getting to him. Rep. Brown should have told him to use his anger against Bush for putting him in this situation, and not on him! I also heard that he had snapped at a staffer for shaking his head in disagreement. LOOKS LIKE THE GOOD GENERAL CANNOT STAND THE HEAT!!! The other Bushevik who irritated me yesterday was the White House mouthpiece, Scott McClellan, who when the reporters bombarded him with questions about Bush's (unanswered) National Guard services, called it "gutter politics". I THINK THAT MCCLELLAN IS A BIT CONFUSED, MAYBE HE WAS REFERRING TO THE "GUTTER POLITICS" THAT WAS PLAYED BY THE REPUBLICANS ON SENATOR MAX CLELAND, A REAL VIETNAM WAR HERO, WHO LOST HIS LIMBS FOR THIS COUNTRY, AND WAS WRONGFULLY PORTRAYED AS UNPATRIOTIC IN THOSE REPUBLICAN SMEAR ADS. NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL VICIOUS GUTTER POLITICS. I will not have any peace until this lot in the White House has been kicked out. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: "Deserter" not accurate "Most informed observers agree that [Michael] Moore's choice of words was sloppy and inaccurate. "Deserter" is a criminal term: It refers to a military personnel who abandons his post with no intention of ever returning." (Eric Boehlert, Salon.com ) Why is it only "sloppy and inaccurate" to conjecture that Lt. Bush's did NOT intend to return to duty, but just fine to conjecture that he DID intend to --- based on the very same evidence? It seems to me that those who believe Bush was "merely"(!) AWOL, but intended to return to duty, make a leap of faith much greater than any made by Mr. Moore. Those who believe that Lt. Bush intended to return to duty -- but never did, are at odds with the evidence in a way those who believe he did not intend to (and didn't) are not. A theory about what Bush intended that explains what he actually did is to be preferred over one that requires us to believe that he intended to do one thing but inexplicably did its opposite instead. Albert Clark, NY Subj: Bush's Dental Visit in Alabama Looks to me like the Boy Prince showed up at the base, but let someone else do the drilling for him. A Loyal BuzzFlash Reader. Subj: Uncovered Hey Buzz, This past week I saw a screening of the movie Uncovered. This was followed by a talk and a O&A period with its maker Robert Greenwald. This is powerful stuff! Very well done and the comparison of the truth with what bush, cheney, rice and the rest of the crew said was amazing! It really brings it home to see it laid out back to back that way. I was really surprised by the amount of senior citizens that attended. I think that we younger folks were outnumbered. This really gives one hope. They were also very vocal and really knew their shit!! I would urge everyone to see this film if possible. If it isn't being shown anywhere locally the purchase price is very cheap. Get one and share with as many people as possible. I can't imagine anyone coming out of this film and still supporting bush if they did before. According to Greenwald he is now working on the next in this series. Bless him! Phil Rowland "Bush Defends War in Rare TV Interview" "I expected to find the weapons". So he admits they have not already found them?? What happened to those mobile chem labs? Were those not propped up immediately by this administration as WMD?? There should be an investigation into those conclusions, too, and why AFTER the fall of Saddam, and with full scientist available for review, W rushed to judgment about those so-called weapons labs…If that doesn't prove that this was not an intelligence failure (other than between W's ears), I don't know what does... Marc L.
Lippincott If Laura told the truth, if she knew how, she would've said, we tell our conservative base that George doesn't read the papers, they like their President dumb, but of course, my handlers sent me to the NYT for a reason, and that was to pretend that we never said that he doesn't read the papers, it seems not to have gone down well with those northerners we may need. And the NYT, so politically correct, didn't pull out the quotes from just a short while back saying how she read him parts of the paper and his staff told him the objective rest. Who's more despicable, Laura Bush, or the NYT? A BuzzFlash Reader Guys, I think with all this attention Bush's failings are finally getting in more mainstream news outlets, he and his fellow conspirators will soon sense their backs to the wall. I think you had better be prepared for a new 'terror' act, most likely on American soil. We know now that there is nothing these people won't do, and they have no loyalty to America, democracy, freedom or any of those principles and ideas. You may then need to reclaim your government by means other than democratic means. Three years ago this was crazy talk, let alone subversive, but I think most of you with brains (I.E. BuzzFlash and like sites readers) know what I mean. Paul when collin powell wrote his book he had nothing but disdain for the rich and connected boys who used the guard to get out of vietnam. now he is bush's boy and defends it. we do not consider him one of us anymore! rice either! john kerry volunteered to risk his life for our country. you can try to bring him down all you want, you will never change our minds. john kerry is a great man! leo and
sharon swift Just a simple question, really. Why is no-one questioning the legality or propriety of Bush working in a POLITICAL CAMPAIGN while serving in the Guard? I thought that active duty and reserve military folks were prohibited from that sort of activity. Even if he did serve all of his required time, even if he had a perfectly plausible reason for refusing his flight physical and, therefore, wasting all that taxpayer money for flight training... Even if everything else was above-board, why was he allowed to go campaigning when he should have been serving his country and, by regulation, keeping his political proclivities to himself? Or am I (and my husband, a retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant) mistaken about mixing military service with politics? Kristin
L. Summerlin Subj: Why didn't g fly? I think it will be found that georgie BOY didn't fly because he was shooting coke.Some one with more computer expertise than me may be able to find out if its really true WAS HE GIVEN a 1 year sentence of community service for doing drugs.If so, no matter how mild the sentence,1 year denotes a felony,# 1,Desertion#2,and it takes only 1 felony to keep from being pres accord to the unused constitution. I think this was by texas law put on his drivers license ,so daddy had it expunged and issued a new lic #005 ,or something like that,so it wouldn't show.Now if this is all true this is a terribly ILLEGAL pres.2 felonies and a coup for an election in 2000. I really think it is a totally lame excuse that "this happened 30 yrs ago and we should forget it. Ed Subj: Credibility Canyon Dear Buzz, Obviously the White House hates the Bush AWOl story, so many aspects of the Bush character wrapped into one bloody nugget for all to see: the mediocrity of the candidate, the jumping the line, the pampering, the arrogance, the phony acclaim, the records of dismal performance scrubbed or locked away, the half-assed cover-up, the promotion of the people who help, the attacks on those who question. (See Harken Oil, Iraq's alleged WMD, the Enron Energy policy, his failures before, during, and after 9/11. Yeah, Clinton lied about a blowjob, okay a series of blowjobs, from an intern, right where Bush sits everyday, but damn, I would have, too. God bless the bloggers on this one, Calpundit, and the Columbia J-school site and others. Kerry's ahead 53-46. Watch it get ugly now. Sit Powell, stay, roll over, beg, bark. John Westermann Subj: One Question Could Clear It All Up Buzz, There's one question no one on TV or in print has asked Bu$h yet, but they damn well should. To wit: "Sir, were you blotto on those weekends in 1972 and 1973, drinking and drugging? And is that why you don't remember what you did or where you did it?" If he were to tell the truth, and admit that was the case, it would explain so much. First, we have Dim $on's inability to remember what he did for the Guard on those weekends in Alabama, or in Texas for that matter, after he "decided" to stop flying. I have heard those blackouts do happen when you drink way too much and snort cocaine. He keeps saying he doesn't remember. Is this why? Second, we have his campaign worker friends saying they thought he was doing his Guard stints on the weekends. Well duh, because that's what he told them when he was really leaving them in the lurch during the busiest two days of the week for political campaigns, to go off somewhere and party. News flash! He was lying to them. I'm sure he felt that actually working on a campaign was for chumps, much like showing up for Guard duty. Third, we have had NO ONE come forward to say that Bu$h ever served with them during this period, while contemporaneous reports by his superiors indicate they never saw him. Well gee, that's because you can't see someone who isn't there. I'd trust the reports which were written at the time over some totally photo-shopped "document" suddenly faxed in from "Colorado". Isn't Dick Cheney's bunker in Colorado? Anyway, I'd bet the rent money this is how it all played out. Anne You can't spell AWOL without "Dubya!" I'm surprised I haven't seen this before, but I'll take credit for it if I'm the first. But it is too early to say it. I'll wait until the summer, so it has the right punch. david Subj: Answer to question why wasn't George flying Buss Flash I read the letter which asked the question why wasn't George flying? And thought the author did a good job, however, the direct answer to the question sort of appeared in the text where it was indicated that he refused to take his physical exam. Ask yourself why did a young man refuse a physical exam? It is my understanding that the military had made Drug Testing a part of their physical exams about that time and George reputably was a dual addict using both cocaine and alcohol. He would have failed the exam. Recently www.commondreams.org carried an article that analyzed George W. as a "dry drunk" by a psychologist who specializes in treatment of addictions. My wife who works in the same field had been making the same claim for the last two years. It is worth reading the article as it explains the strange personality of W. I greatly enjoy BuzzFlash. Continue the excellent work. Best regards, John A.
McNiff II Subj: Turn about is more than fair... Dear BuzzFlash, If the GOP keeps showing the old photo of Kerry 3 rows behind Jane Fonda in 1970, how about the Democrats showing those photos of Rumsfeld shaking hands with Saddam? Francia
Dejasu Subj: Bush's Choppers Hey Buzz: Does the White House not realize how ridiculous it looks as it scrambles ineptly to muffle the Bush AWOL inquiries? Good lord, so Bush went to the Alabama base for a dental exam. All that says to me is he was too cheap to go to a private dentist and took advantage of being a in the Guard, despite skipping drills, to get a freebie. Nice. An amused BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Coulter slanders Max Cleland Just thought you ought to know that Ann Coulter's latest column slanders Max Cleland, saying he's not a war hero. She claims he dropped a grenade while on his way to have beer with his buddies, then picked it up, whereupon it exploded. The real story of what happened can be found here: http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/7218941.htm --John Lovejoy It Is Ironic! We are told, that we invaded Iraq to liberate the people and get rid of a dictator, who had his men break doors at night and arrest people or kill them . Now we are breaking doors at night and arrest people. And people have been killed and are still being killed, but not by the dictator! It does not make any difference to the mothers and wives, who killed their men! They are dead so or so. How ironic! Gustav A. Pohlig Subj: Signs For a brief moment, last night, at a Dean rally in Wisconsin (I think we all know by now that he was sort of conspired against)...there was a young man, carrying a home made sign that said, "VOTE FOR DEAN...ANNOY THE MEDIA!!" It sort of amused me....but it pains me that he seems to be out of the race! The more I hear about Kerry (even though i am sure he will be better than Bush) the more I worry....his votes on issues so aligned with Bush!!!!!! Shirley...........St.Louis Subj: Bush's Military History Should be used as a Credibility Tool. Hi Gang! I've given this some thought and found that we are going about attacking Bush's National Guard record all wrong. We get close to how we should attack but just keep missing the next step on the ladder. We keep shouting out, "He was a deserter! He went AWOL! He 'Failed to Go!'" We need to take this argument and put it in the same category as the WMD's and the intelligence failures leading up to 9-11. The issue is not whether he was present and accounted for, rather, should the President be deemed credible in light of the evidence. The White House releases pay statements. Whoopie! I was in the military, I received those too! I was in the Air Force Reserves as well and got those too! But they did not reflect the actual dates of service! Now we get dental records. Wow! We know Bush went to Alabama but the question is still why he was not present for duty and why can no one account for the discrepancy in what the President says? Credibility, folks...credibility. Bush is already under attack for this. Make sure we put this in the same argument. BuzzFlash Readers Subj: Ashcroft Must Be Stopped! Once again, John Ashcroft is trying to squash civil liberties - and now he is specifically targeting women who have done nothing illegal. In case Mr. Ashcroft has forgotten, abortion is still legal - but he wants to dig into medical records and subpoena women who have done just that. Write or call your senator or congressperson and let them know that women need to be protected from John Ashcroft! "Judge denies Ashcroft's request for patient medical records" Robin Subj: Dental Records The dental records released today of Bush's mouth---the bizarrely feeble attempt to show he wasn't AWOL---- The first thing they did to Saddam when they pulled him out of his spider hole was document his dental exam. Have we finally pulled George from his Neocon spider hole? Oh yeah. John Subj: The War President As Bush said 30-40 times on Meet the Press, "I'm a War President." Nothing could be more true. He is the first American President to wage war on a country that did not attacked us first. This sets him in stark contrast to those leaders he hoped, apparently by sheer repetition, to align himself with. But they tried to avoid war, while he sought it out. And where they defended us from existing enemies, he has created enemies from which we must now defend ourselves. Albert Clark, NY Subj: Questions Mr. Bush: In Secretary of State Colin Powell's autobiography, My American Journey, he says, "I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well-placed managed to wangle slots in the Army Reserve and National Guard units... Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country." Do you believe he was denigrating the National Guard by this comment? Mr. McClellan: Do you, perchance, know the difference between evidence and proof? Do you, perchance, know anything about the “weight of the evidence”when items of evidence conflict? Do you, perchance, have your head up your ass? Mr. Powell: Do you think your recent temper tantrum shows that you lack the proper temperament to be Secretary of State? Or is that just the kind of standard we apply to people like Howard Dean? Turk Meister Subj: we would like to know we would like for someone in the media to ask gw bush why he lied to us on that meet the press show, he said that he would release all of his military records. will someone ask him if he just can't help lying when he opens his mouth? never mind, he would just lie! what does russert think about being lied to and used? massey sc Re: Bush AWOL The plot thickens! The White House has now released a document which presumably shows Bush had the courage to get a dental exam at Dannelly ANG station in Alabama on 6 Jan 1973. Only one problem, He wasn't supposed to be there then. His temporary duty was for Sept -Nov 72, and his scheduled training dates were 7-8 Oct & 4-5 Nov 72. He had no official business in Alabama in Jan 73, and should have instead returned to Ellington, completed his flight physical and retuned to the flying roster by then. Seems the White House is digging themselves into quite a hole here... More to follow A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Bush's Medical Records They have announced they found Bush's National Guard records in Colorado. The only problem is , they forgot to print where he served his time. Meanwhile, back at the printing press. They are trying to print more papers trying to tie Hussein to Al Qaeda Clair Letter to Mr. Bush re his Guard duty: Dear Mr. Bush: I agree with you that Vietnam was a "political war." However, it was a war that your father backed. Some people were against the war for All Americans. They took to the street and endured criticism and calumny from the public. I respect their stand. History has proved they were correct, and even at the time it was clear that they were principled. People who were For the war for everyone but themselves and their own kin are, to my mind, to be despised. Your family fits that definition. Now we have your press secretary appearing on television telling us that you received a paycheck for your entire duty tour at the National Guard. Very likely you did. But the question we, the American public, is asking is not, " Were you paid?" The question is, "Where were you for the year that you were AWOL?" The pay stubs do introduce a new question, though. Obviously you owe the US Treasury some money. Will you make your repayment plan public? Barbara Rochelle Subj: Bush Military Records Press secretary holds up illegible pay records while claiming they make it "clear" Bush fulfilled his Air Guard duties! It just gets worse all the time! Regards, Bill Carter |
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