Bush defends service record in NBC interview...

NRAJOE · 02-08-2004, 11:18 AM

Bush defends service record in NBC interview
President also stands by Tenet, decision to go to war in IraqBy Mike Stuckey
MSNBC Politics Editor
Updated: 9:01 a.m. ET Feb. 08, 2004President Bush defended his service in the National Guard during an interview aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and offered to produce evidence to counter allegations raised by political opponents that he was AWOL for a time in 1972.

In an hourlong session with host Tim Russert conducted Saturday in the Oval Office of the White House, the president also defended his decision to go to war in Iraq, said CIA chief George Tenet was in no danger of losing his job, and wouldn’t rule out further tax cuts, even before giant federal deficits are erased.

The charges about Bush’s service record, which date back to the 2000 campaign, have been raised again in this year’s campaign by a number of the Democratic candidates and Terry McAuliffe, their party chairman. What’s at issue is Bush’s record of attendance in the guard in 1972 when he transferred temporarily from a Texas unit to an Alabama unit while he was working on a political campaign.

Critics say he missed required drills during that time and that his “honorable” discharge on Oct. 1, 1973, shows that Bush completed five years and four months of service — less than the obligatory six years — before entering graduate school.

The matter leaped to the fore of the impending battle between Bush and whoever becomes the Democratic nominee on Feb. 1 when McAuliffe brought it up on an ABC talk show after Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, had displaced Howard Dean, who had political troubles of his own related to military service, as the Democratic front-runner.

“I look forward to that debate when John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals, is standing next to George Bush, a man who was AWOL in the Alabama National Guard,” McAuliffe said. “George Bush never served in our military in our country. He didn’t show up when he should have showed up.”

The White House immediately defended the president’s service record and said any comments about it were politically motivated.

On “Meet the Press,” Bush said, “I put in my time, proudly so.” When pressed by Russert on why news reporters who previously investigated the charge could find no records of his Alabama service, Bush said, “They’re just wrong. There may be no evidence, but I did report; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been honorably discharged. In other words, you don’t just say ‘I did something’ without there being verification. Military doesn’t work that way. I got an honorable discharge, and I did show up in Alabama.”

When asked why he served less than the six-year commitment, Bush responded, “I was going to Harvard Business School and worked it out with the military.”

The president said he “absolutely” would release all records of his time in the National Guard to settle the issue. “The records are kept in Colorado, as I understand, and they scoured the records. And I’m just telling you, I did my duty, and it’s politics, you know, to kind of ascribe all kinds of motives to me. But I have been through it before. I’m used to it.”

Other issues
On other topics, Bush did not explain why he changed his mind last week and appointed an independent commission to look into problems with U.S. intelligence agencies. But he said he was confident the probe “will help future presidents understand how best to fight the war on terror.”

As to the fact that the commission will not deliver its report until after Bush stands for re-election, the president said, “The reason why we gave it time is because we didn't want it to be hurried. This is a strategic look, kind of a big-picture look about the intelligence-gathering capacities of the United States of America, whether it be the capacity to gather intelligence in North Korea or how we've used our intelligence to, for example, learn more information about AQ Kahn. And it's important that this investigation take its time.”

Bush said that one issue with U.S. intelligence that does not concern him is Tenet’s stewardship of the CIA, saying his job is “not at all” in jeopardy.

Once again, Bush stood by his selling of the Iraq war to the American public by warning that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, despite the fact that post-war searches have not supported that claim. “I went to Congress with the same intelligence — Congress saw the same intelligence I had, and they looked at exactly what I looked at, and they made an informed judgment based upon the information that I had. The same information, by the way, that my predecessor had. And all of us, you know, made this judgment that Saddam Hussein needed to be removed.”

Plan to cut deficit
On the economy, Bush touted his plan to cut the deficit in half within five years but would not rule out further tax cuts before the budget is balanced. “That's a hypothetical question which I can't answer to you because I don't know how strong the economy is going to be. I mean, the president must keep all options on the table, but I do know that raising the child — lowering the child credit thereby raising taxes on working families does not make sense when the economy is recovering, and that's exactly what some of them are calling for up on Capitol Hill.

"They want to raise taxes of the families with children, they want to increase the marriage penalty. They want to get rid of those taxes on small businesses that are encouraging the stimulation of new job creation, and I'm not going to have any of it.”

Asked about his declining approval ratings in the polls, and especially in Europe, Bush said, “When you do hard things, when you ask hard things of people, it can create tensions. And I … heck, I don't know why people do it. I'll tell you, though, I'm not going to change, see? I'm not trying to accommodate. I won't change my philosophy or my point of view. I believe I owe it to the American people to say what I'm going to do and do it, and to speak as clearly as I can, try to articulate as best I can why I make decisions I make, but I'm not going to change because of polls. That's just not my nature.” :right:

Bring it on Kerry, you elitist, socialist, gungrabbing piece of crap.

NRAJOE · 02-08-2004, 11:18 AM

Complete transcript...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4179618/

Chris · 02-08-2004, 01:46 PM

Bush did a good job! Very proud of him!

NRAJOE · 02-08-2004, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chris
Bush did a good job! Very proud of him!

Me too.....................

Lord Shrike · 02-08-2004, 03:43 PM

I thank God every day that he is the president! Looking to do all I can to ensure he stays in the whitehouse.

Sniper[MI] · 02-08-2004, 07:17 PM

My support will go bye bye in a second, if he signs ANY gun control legislation.

But then there are a few other issues I wish to have speaks about, but that is why I e mail the White House with them. Wether President Bush sees em or not, my dont vote for such and such e mail should be tallied.

I am !!!! glad The Republican Party is in the White House, and !!!! glad President Bush is the head of the country. However, I think a more aggresive Republican Party as a whole is needed over some of the complacent panty waists that pepper the party now.

They are far too willing to roll over and compromise when a good swift kick in their opponents nuts is needed....

Rufus Rhastus J · 02-09-2004, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sniper[MI]
My support will go bye bye in a second, if he signs ANY gun control legislation.

But then there are a few other issues I wish to have speaks about, but that is why I e mail the White House with them. Wether President Bush sees em or not, my dont vote for such and such e mail should be tallied.

I am !!!! glad The Republican Party is in the White House, and !!!! glad President Bush is the head of the country. However, I think a more aggresive Republican Party as a whole is needed over some of the complacent panty waists that pepper the party now.

They are far too willing to roll over and compromise when a good swift kick in their opponents nuts is needed....

I watched the show and was over all pleased. Bush did blunder a little but, was able to hold it togeather well. Russert, while playing the game, seemed to support the prez also. Have younoticed or, did you notice, those who watched, how Russert would begin to cut the prez off and Bush would not allow hi to do so? What rudeness! I don't care if it is for the TV ratings. Rude is rude.:nod:

dhermesc · 02-09-2004, 08:06 AM

He did look pretty rusty, and Russert to his credit didn't throw any soft balls but was also fairly balanced in asking questions people want to know the answers to.

But then again it is differant to be "interviewed" by Russert then to be making a speech for sound bite airing to cheering sheeple like the demoncraps have. Most of them come off as back peddling two faced liars when they get nailed down by a tough interviewer like Russert - anybody remember how awful Dean looked when he about cried "Uncle!" when Russert had a friendly chat with him? I also notice Kerry hasn't sat down with him yet either. After that public disaster "The Slate" ran an article on how to avoid getting caught in lies by giving very vague answers (apparently just telling the truth never entered their minds).

JAMES · 02-09-2004, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rufus Rhastus J
I watched the show and was over all pleased. Bush did blunder a little but, was able to hold it togeather well. Russert, while playing the game, seemed to support the prez also. Have younoticed or, did you notice, those who watched, how Russert would begin to cut the prez off and Bush would not allow hi to do so? What rudeness! I don't care if it is for the TV ratings. Rude is rude.:nod:

I did not see the interview, but I agree completely with you Rufus. It is absolutely disrespectful and rude to routinely interupt the President of these United States while he speaks. I have witnessed this act by the media on too many occasions. Even if the current President is a scumbag like Clinton, we owe an appropriate level of respect for the office and to our fellow man, in general.

Well said, Rufus Rhastus.

Indy · 02-10-2004, 10:10 PM

I am fascinated the media has yet to discuss Kerry's actions after Vietnam. Liddy listed a whole list of things today on his radio program. Kerry threw anothers medals during a demonstration. Testified before Congress about the atrocities he witnessed in Vietnam which proved to be false. He gathered a group of Vietnam veterans to back his testimony only to find out they were never in Vietnam, and so on. Gordon said, the main stream media would never report any of these things.
Indy

Shaun · 02-10-2004, 11:31 PM

Indy we are listening to the same thing Kerry comes off as a coward and his not giving Bush credit for his service in the guard is ridiculous -- our reserves serve every time they are out in the field weather they are doing the weekend warrior thing or the full deployment.

02-11-2004, 10:31 AM

I'm not supporting Kerry here, but he served in Vietnam. Bush had political strings pulled and got into the guard. He scored the bare minimum passing score and he got in ahead of over 100 people that went through the regular channels of ROTC and such. Would anyone care to tackle this question: How did this happen?

Bush is a chickenhawk.

02-11-2004, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NRAJOE
[IMG]Bring it on Kerry, you elitist, socialist, gungrabbing piece of crap.

AWB AWB AWB AWB AWB AWB AWB AWB

Lord Shrike · 02-11-2004, 10:40 AM

Oh no Lenny your not supporting Kerry or any other democrat hero of yours.

Stopper · 02-11-2004, 10:58 AM

Bush may have missed some meetings, but he never hooked up with Hanoi Jane!

This "issue' means nothing to me and I'm sure it means just as much to most vets. Anyone from that time remembers Kerry's treasonous acts and probably doesn't gie a fat rats arss about Bush's military service. He served some, thats alot better than Klinton ever did.

Thats the crux I have to get over, there is no way I'll ever vote for Kerry, but I hate Bush just as much if not more. I may sit out or I may write in Ron Paul - R from Texas.

02-08-2004, 11:18 AM	#1
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 18,999 Trader Rating: (0)	Bush defends service record in NBC interview... Bush defends service record in NBC interview President also stands by Tenet, decision to go to war in IraqBy Mike Stuckey MSNBC Politics Editor Updated: 9:01 a.m. ET Feb. 08, 2004President Bush defended his service in the National Guard during an interview aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and offered to produce evidence to counter allegations raised by political opponents that he was AWOL for a time in 1972. In an hourlong session with host Tim Russert conducted Saturday in the Oval Office of the White House, the president also defended his decision to go to war in Iraq, said CIA chief George Tenet was in no danger of losing his job, and wouldn’t rule out further tax cuts, even before giant federal deficits are erased. The charges about Bush’s service record, which date back to the 2000 campaign, have been raised again in this year’s campaign by a number of the Democratic candidates and Terry McAuliffe, their party chairman. What’s at issue is Bush’s record of attendance in the guard in 1972 when he transferred temporarily from a Texas unit to an Alabama unit while he was working on a political campaign. Critics say he missed required drills during that time and that his “honorable” discharge on Oct. 1, 1973, shows that Bush completed five years and four months of service — less than the obligatory six years — before entering graduate school. The matter leaped to the fore of the impending battle between Bush and whoever becomes the Democratic nominee on Feb. 1 when McAuliffe brought it up on an ABC talk show after Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, had displaced Howard Dean, who had political troubles of his own related to military service, as the Democratic front-runner. “I look forward to that debate when John Kerry, a war hero with a chest full of medals, is standing next to George Bush, a man who was AWOL in the Alabama National Guard,” McAuliffe said. “George Bush never served in our military in our country. He didn’t show up when he should have showed up.” The White House immediately defended the president’s service record and said any comments about it were politically motivated. On “Meet the Press,” Bush said, “I put in my time, proudly so.” When pressed by Russert on why news reporters who previously investigated the charge could find no records of his Alabama service, Bush said, “They’re just wrong. There may be no evidence, but I did report; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been honorably discharged. In other words, you don’t just say ‘I did something’ without there being verification. Military doesn’t work that way. I got an honorable discharge, and I did show up in Alabama.” When asked why he served less than the six-year commitment, Bush responded, “I was going to Harvard Business School and worked it out with the military.” The president said he “absolutely” would release all records of his time in the National Guard to settle the issue. “The records are kept in Colorado, as I understand, and they scoured the records. And I’m just telling you, I did my duty, and it’s politics, you know, to kind of ascribe all kinds of motives to me. But I have been through it before. I’m used to it.” Other issues On other topics, Bush did not explain why he changed his mind last week and appointed an independent commission to look into problems with U.S. intelligence agencies. But he said he was confident the probe “will help future presidents understand how best to fight the war on terror.” As to the fact that the commission will not deliver its report until after Bush stands for re-election, the president said, “The reason why we gave it time is because we didn't want it to be hurried. This is a strategic look, kind of a big-picture look about the intelligence-gathering capacities of the United States of America, whether it be the capacity to gather intelligence in North Korea or how we've used our intelligence to, for example, learn more information about AQ Kahn. And it's important that this investigation take its time.” Bush said that one issue with U.S. intelligence that does not concern him is Tenet’s stewardship of the CIA, saying his job is “not at all” in jeopardy. Once again, Bush stood by his selling of the Iraq war to the American public by warning that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, despite the fact that post-war searches have not supported that claim. “I went to Congress with the same intelligence — Congress saw the same intelligence I had, and they looked at exactly what I looked at, and they made an informed judgment based upon the information that I had. The same information, by the way, that my predecessor had. And all of us, you know, made this judgment that Saddam Hussein needed to be removed.” Plan to cut deficit On the economy, Bush touted his plan to cut the deficit in half within five years but would not rule out further tax cuts before the budget is balanced. “That's a hypothetical question which I can't answer to you because I don't know how strong the economy is going to be. I mean, the president must keep all options on the table, but I do know that raising the child — lowering the child credit thereby raising taxes on working families does not make sense when the economy is recovering, and that's exactly what some of them are calling for up on Capitol Hill. "They want to raise taxes of the families with children, they want to increase the marriage penalty. They want to get rid of those taxes on small businesses that are encouraging the stimulation of new job creation, and I'm not going to have any of it.” Asked about his declining approval ratings in the polls, and especially in Europe, Bush said, “When you do hard things, when you ask hard things of people, it can create tensions. And I … heck, I don't know why people do it. I'll tell you, though, I'm not going to change, see? I'm not trying to accommodate. I won't change my philosophy or my point of view. I believe I owe it to the American people to say what I'm going to do and do it, and to speak as clearly as I can, try to articulate as best I can why I make decisions I make, but I'm not going to change because of polls. That's just not my nature.” :right: Bring it on Kerry, you elitist, socialist, gungrabbing piece of crap. __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

02-08-2004, 11:18 AM	#2
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 18,999 Trader Rating: (0)	Complete transcript... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4179618/ __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

02-08-2004, 01:46 PM	#3
Chris HMFIC Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,834,104 Trader Rating: (0)	Bush did a good job! Very proud of him! __________________ Rules \| Contributing Members I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it. --Thomas Jefferson No one has the right to deny my personal safety Need a reminder, why this site is so great?

02-08-2004, 03:43 PM	#5
Lord Shrike Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: MOOOOOOOOOOO land also known as Wisconsin Posts: 1,103 Trader Rating: (0)	I thank God every day that he is the president! Looking to do all I can to ensure he stays in the whitehouse. __________________ Taint nuthin a 12 gauge wont solve

02-08-2004, 07:17 PM	#6
Sniper[MI] Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Future 51st state, "New Hope" Posts: 3,796 Trader Rating: (0)	Me too, sorta... My support will go bye bye in a second, if he signs ANY gun control legislation. But then there are a few other issues I wish to have speaks about, but that is why I e mail the White House with them. Wether President Bush sees em or not, my dont vote for such and such e mail should be tallied. I am !!!! glad The Republican Party is in the White House, and !!!! glad President Bush is the head of the country. However, I think a more aggresive Republican Party as a whole is needed over some of the complacent panty waists that pepper the party now. They are far too willing to roll over and compromise when a good swift kick in their opponents nuts is needed.... __________________ FNUH!

02-09-2004, 08:06 AM	#8
dhermesc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: East Central Kansas Posts: 1,763 Trader Rating: (0)	He did look pretty rusty, and Russert to his credit didn't throw any soft balls but was also fairly balanced in asking questions people want to know the answers to. But then again it is differant to be "interviewed" by Russert then to be making a speech for sound bite airing to cheering sheeple like the demoncraps have. Most of them come off as back peddling two faced liars when they get nailed down by a tough interviewer like Russert - anybody remember how awful Dean looked when he about cried "Uncle!" when Russert had a friendly chat with him? I also notice Kerry hasn't sat down with him yet either. After that public disaster "The Slate" ran an article on how to avoid getting caught in lies by giving very vague answers (apparently just telling the truth never entered their minds). __________________ Liberty is for those that claim it.

02-10-2004, 10:10 PM	#10
Indy Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 331 Trader Rating: (0)	I am fascinated the media has yet to discuss Kerry's actions after Vietnam. Liddy listed a whole list of things today on his radio program. Kerry threw anothers medals during a demonstration. Testified before Congress about the atrocities he witnessed in Vietnam which proved to be false. He gathered a group of Vietnam veterans to back his testimony only to find out they were never in Vietnam, and so on. Gordon said, the main stream media would never report any of these things. Indy

02-10-2004, 11:31 PM	#11
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,585 Trader Rating: (0)	Indy we are listening to the same thing Kerry comes off as a coward and his not giving Bush credit for his service in the guard is ridiculous -- our reserves serve every time they are out in the field weather they are doing the weekend warrior thing or the full deployment. __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

02-11-2004, 10:31 AM	#12
Lenny2 Guest Posts: n/a	I'm not supporting Kerry here, but he served in Vietnam. Bush had political strings pulled and got into the guard. He scored the bare minimum passing score and he got in ahead of over 100 people that went through the regular channels of ROTC and such. Would anyone care to tackle this question: How did this happen? Bush is a chickenhawk.

02-11-2004, 10:40 AM	#14
Lord Shrike Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: MOOOOOOOOOOO land also known as Wisconsin Posts: 1,103 Trader Rating: (0)	Oh no Lenny your not supporting Kerry or any other democrat hero of yours. __________________ Taint nuthin a 12 gauge wont solve

02-11-2004, 10:58 AM	#15
Stopper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansass Posts: 2,209 Trader Rating: (0)	Bush may have missed some meetings, but he never hooked up with Hanoi Jane! This "issue' means nothing to me and I'm sure it means just as much to most vets. Anyone from that time remembers Kerry's treasonous acts and probably doesn't gie a fat rats arss about Bush's military service. He served some, thats alot better than Klinton ever did. Thats the crux I have to get over, there is no way I'll ever vote for Kerry, but I hate Bush just as much if not more. I may sit out or I may write in Ron Paul - R from Texas. __________________ They should have stopped at "Congress shall make no law"