Russert just said that AWOL's pay stubs and tax records can't be found

[NNN0LHI]

Said reporters at the White House press briefing today asked about them today and Bush's press secretary said they can't be found. Yea sure.

Don

[pinkpops]

1. when/where did he say this?

[BootinUp]

3. On hardball just now

[kerry-is-my-prez]

2. I've been hearing some pundits say this story has "legs" and will go on..

n/t

[HereSince1628]

4. The Alabama guard position was NO PAY

I checked that out last week. The letter from the commander of the first guard unit he tried to get into make this clear. Thats in the documents made available under the FOI act and available on the internet...

The Colorado unit he was assigned to was also a NO PAY unit.

Well, at least shrub didn't add to the taxpayers cost of pilot training by taking money for duty he was incapable of performing...

[AP]

6. They're baiting Dems to pursue this story, and I'm sure it's leading us

down a rabbit hole.

I don't trust the media doing ANYTHING to hurt Bush.

[NNN0LHI]

7. Can't locate his military service discharge record or DD Form 214 either?

Does that seem a little strange?

Don

[spooky3]

8. why would someone receive no pay for guard duty?

[ma4t]

18. not unusual

I can't speak for the NG but I do know that there were lots of Naval Reserve jobs that were no-pay jobs. People staffed them for a variety of reasons: staying in waiting for another opening, collecting service time which would count for retirement and just a desire to serve one's country.

I would expect that the NG has/had no-pay jobs as well.

[NNN0LHI]

12. NO PAY? The WH says they found Juniors pay records now

Do you remember which document showed they were no pay units. That would conflict with what the WH is saying now. If you can remember which document it would be good to have a copy of. Thanks for your help.

Don

[creativelcro]

5. LOL: it happens... Like those folders Clinton could not find for months...

[democracy eh]

9. Come on Tim! Smell the blood in the water!

remember how good it felt to be a soulless journalist
as opposed to a GOP whore?

remember at the Saturday MTP tapings, during the 4th take for a question, while Karl Rove was advising Junior on how to stick to the script, you thought to yourself, OMG this is the leader of the free world? He has the critical thinking skills of a bread crumb. He can't finish, nor form a sentence, let alone answer a question. All he can say is "boy, when your president you have to make a lot of hard decisions". Tim you thought to yourself, for just a moment, "man my public perception as a tough interviewer is going down the toilet." and for just a moment you thought, "wow it is really scary to think that if Dick Cheney ever succumbed to a heart attack, this babbling chimp would have the nuclear launch codes."

but most of all Tim
as a soulless journalist, you would HATE it if Tweety scooped you and got the kill.

[anti-bush]

10. They still have press briefings?

And they let reporters ask them questions?

I haven't seen a real press briefing where the reporters get to ask questions in over 3 years.

[NNN0LHI]

11. When Junior had 90% approval ratings they were on every day

Usually on both MSNBC and CNN live about noon. Once the Chimps numbers began dropping and no WMD's were found the cable shows stopped airing them and replaced it with Laci and Kobe.

Don

[OKNancy]

13. Didn't he make one single friend or comrad?

I don't know how it is in the guard, but when my husband had to report to Ft. Sam Houston after completing his ROTC (1973), the guys got really close. All the married guys hung out together, and even we took trips to Mexico and the lakes near San Antonio. I'm sure the single guys went out and had drinks and other social activies didn't they? Is the guard a lot different? Did GW not make one buddy that can vouch for him?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

14. You need to report for duty to do that. eom

[rucky]

15. Maybe the bartender n/t

[xultar]

16. They are with his AL Nat'l Guard paperwork n/t

[ShimokitaJer]

17. Check out Josh Marshall's transcript of the press conference

It is hysterical watching McClellan searching for the exact wording that will be technically true but completely deceptive. The WH press corps actually seem to be on top of things here.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_02_08.html#002545

[maddezmom]

19. looks like they found them

see LBN.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=355752&mesg_id=355752

edited to add link