Bush's aides back off on releasing all records

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/site/premium/access-registered.intercept


-- The White House on Wednesday backed away from President Bush's weekend pledge to release all records from his Air National Guard service.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said the administration would not necessarily make public additional records regarding Bush's time in the Texas Air National Guard, unless the president's aides determine that they are "relevant to this issue."

McClellan refused to commit to releasing medical or disciplinary records that become available to the White House. Bush's aides had released payroll records and other documents on Tuesday that they thought would douse the controversy, but instead they raised new questions about Bush's service."

more

[CO Liberal]

1. COVER-UP!!!! COVER-UP!!!!!

The press needs to keep the pressure on Scotty until he cracks.

[buycitgo]

2. why, I oughta

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1116162

this story should be HUGE, don't you think?

so revelatory on several levels

[Virginian]

3. Bush wouldn't LIE to the American public on MTP, would he?

I heard him say it and I even have the transcript of his saying it. He said he would release ALL of his Military records.

To me that was as good as telling St. Louis or Colorado that they can copy any and all of his records and give them to anyone who requests them, just the same as the freedom of information stuff.

[truthisfreedom]

4. doesn't this seem like a terrible miscalculation on rove's part?

how can he leave bush twisting in the wind like this? doesn't he think anyone will notice? what about bush's promise to release IRS records for verification that he really received those payments in '72 and '73?

is this some game to keep the thing afloat longer, so Dems exert more energy on the matter and rove finally allows bush to release the last of the records, which inevitably contain nothing?

[pinniped]

5. Why did POS say he was going to release it?

Did it appear on the teleprompter by mistake?

[calimary]

6. Actually, they can't release all of it because it's been SCRUBBED

from his TANG files!!!

And by the way, New York Times now has it.

on edit - THANK YOU, DoYouEverWonder! This is from your thread:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/12/politics/12TEXA.html

Published: February 12, 2004

A retired lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard complained to a member of the Texas Senate in 1998 that aides to Gov. George W. Bush improperly screened Mr. Bush's National Guard files in a search for information that could embarrass the governor in future elections.

The retired officer, Bill Burkett, said in the letter to Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, a Democrat from Austin, that Dan Bartlett, then a senior aide to Governor Bush and now White House communications director, and Gen. Daniel James, then the head of the Texas National Guard, reviewed the file to "make sure nothing will embarrass the governor during his re-election campaign."

A copy of the letter was provided to The New York Times by a lawyer for Mr. Burkett to support statements he makes in a book to be published this month, which Mr. Burkett repeated in interviews this week, that Mr. Bush's aides ordered Guard officials to remove damaging information from Mr. Bush's military personnel files.

Mr. Bartlett denied on Wednesday that any records were altered. General James, since named head of the Air National Guard by President Bush, also denied Mr. Burkett's account. But Mr. Bartlett and another former official in Mr. Bush's administration in Texas, Joe Allbaugh, acknowledged speaking to National Guard officials about the files as Mr. Bush was preparing to seek re-election as governor.

more.... (Unfortunately, must be registered)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

7. interesting turnabout today