Ex-Guardsman Says Bush Served in Ala.

[peterh]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3744759,00.html

A retired Alabama Air National Guard officer said Friday that he remembers George W. Bush showing up for duty in Alabama in 1972, reading safety magazines and flight manuals in an office as he performed his weekend obligations.
``I saw him each drill period,'' retired Lt. Col. John ``Bill'' Calhoun said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from Daytona Beach, Fla., where he is preparing to watch this weekend's big NASCAR race.
``He was very aggressive about doing his duty there. He never complained about it. ... He was very dedicated to what he was doing in the Guard. He showed up on time and he left at the end of the day.''
Calhoun, whose name was supplied to the AP by a Republican close to Bush, is the first member of the 187th Tactical Reconnaissance Group to recall Bush distinctly at the Alabama base in the period of 1972-1973. He was the unit's flight safety officer.





Well, I think we all knew someone like the above was way over due to come forward….but on a first reading <containing my laughter>, this is an outright faburcation…even the twit acknowledged he wasn’t there for every drill…there were makeups….this guy should get slammed and slammed quickly…

[havocmom]

1. yes, as a GOP campaign worker (n/t)

[papau]

9. Showed up once - tooth work & read mag's while he waited for dentist

So this proves what?

[bobbieinok]

2. why didn't he show up for the reward in 2000?

Oh, one of W's circle of independently wealthy ......

[papau]

12. unit's flight safety officer&non-flying Bush -"Every Drill"was not pd for

but this fellow saw him at every drill!

[Terwilliger]

3. oh my god....they don't expect this guy to be credible, do they?

``He was very aggressive about doing his duty there. He never complained about it. ... He was very dedicated to what he was doing in the Guard. He showed up on time and he left at the end of the day.''

A personal observation from the ONE guy that managed to see him doing all these things when nobody else did?

I know what we should ask this Calhoun guy, "OK, then refer us to some of the people YOU worked with to see if THEY can corroborate your sighting"

[underpants]

7. I hate to doubt a man's word but....

I didn't think it would take long for them to find someone who backed up W's story.

Gee turns out W was super diligent huh?

[Terwilliger]

10. John Roberts already debunked the guy

pointed out to McClellan that his testimony is about dates where his records showed him NOT to be there

Simple Scotty got off that question fast!

[peterh]

15. I could be wrong

but I thought they were referring to William J. Campenni in the WH briefing…..not this guy in this thread…

[Terwilliger]

22. I thought they said "Calhoun"

whoever it was, Roberts debunked his story

[9215]

16. I saw that. If Roberts pursues this

and finds Calhoun lying then we have a scandal within a scandal.

One thing is for certain, the Bushies are deathly afraid of this AWOL story. If it breaks open then all the cocaine, Bath, Bin Laden associations, etc. will come out. If one person on the "inside" spills the beans then the whole thing will be exposed.

[Karenina]

20. Bingo.

.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

4. I wonder how much money fell into his bank account.

[Shadder]

5. "this weekend's big NASCAR race"

Ohhhh...well that should settle it then. I guess we were all wrong all along about good ole G.W.

Sorry, but I lost it reading safety magazines. Must have has a lot of pretty pictures in it.....

[underpants]

11. Michael Waltrip will be on "Ask the White House" at 3PM

http://www.whitehouse.gov/ask/question.html

You don't think all of this is a coincidence do you?

[Shadder]

18. Michael Waltrip is a big time * butt kisser

I wanna see him as much as I do *. Which is to say not at all.

[gimme a break]

24. Hey....

I like Nascar.

[Shadder]

26. So do I

Have been a fan for a number of years. Whats your point?

[fob]

6. so bush* was even aggressive while reading safety magazine?

No wonder that asshole son of an asshole likes killing so much!

[belle]

19. He turned the pages robustly and firmly.

[Catherine Vincent]

23. LOL!

:-)

[Lisa]

28. And he refused medical aid for paper cuts -- what a guy!

Barely heard him whimper, the time he dropped the manual on his foot.

[VolcanoJen]

29. LMAO, belle!!

:D

[underpants]

8. Boy I think McClellan has these reporters pegged

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Friday that the White House was not making any effort to try to locate people who might have served with Bush. He also accused reporters of trying to raise new lines of questioning, beyond whether Bush served in Alabama.


Imagine something like that happening.

[grasswire]

13. but but but but but....

...the GOP biddy that they dredged up yesterday, Jean Sullivan, said that back then she had to contact the guard to complain about the rumors that were buzzing 'round about George being a slacker and a drunk. Sullivan was the head of the Alabama GOP and a member of the electoral college in 2000.

SHE SAID that people were talking negatively about George in Alabama THEN.

From an AP story:

Some within the Alabama Guard were resentful because Bush was from Texas and was spending only the minimum amount of required time on duty, said Sullivan. "It was just some idiots," said Sullivan.

Mad about rumors surrounding Bush, whose father was U.N. ambassador at the time, Sullivan said she called a Guard commander to explain that Bush was doing all he could while working on the campaign.

"The man called me back and apologized. I thought it was gone forever," said Sullivan. "And then I started hearing all this stuff a couple of weeks ago."

Josh Marshall has the story. http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_02_08.html#002542

[9215]

14. Were these statements coerced!!?

It's happened before:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1117469


Also check Calhoun's bank accounts for recent large deposits.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Shadder]

21. certain types of Democrats?

Oh, perhaps you mean the ones of us that can clearly see how big of an issue this really is and wan to see it all come out. I wonder what your idea of a bigger more significant issue is?

3 posts, eh? Welcome.

[Catherine Vincent]

25. What proof?

Enjoy your short stay.

[frylock]

27. clearly honesty and integrity aren't significant issues..

and welcome to DU, yadda yadda yadda. :eyes:

[evworldeditor]

30. Okay... so where are the pay stubs and days credited for...

being "present and accounted for, Sir!"?

If he was doing his duty in Alabama, how come it doesn't show up on in the records we are being provided?

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[bushisanidiot]

32. "Bush, The Easter Bunny, And Santa Clause All Served In Alabama"

this guy has no credibility.