Yesterday's White House Briefing: Bush Military Record
Q Scott, you expressed some outrage this morning that Democrats are questioning whether President Bush shirked his military duty with the Texas Air National Guard. Is the White House trying to come up with any records or any eye-witnesses to demonstrate that he did show up for his last two years in Alabama?
MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, I would just say that it was a shame that this issue was brought up four years ago during the campaign, and it is a shame that it is being brought up again. The President fulfilled his duties. The President was honorably discharged.
Q Scott, can I follow that up?
MR. McCLELLAN: Do you have a follow-up?
Q Well, the question actually was whether or not you're trying to find any eye-witnesses or any records to prove --
MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, this was addressed four years ago, and like I said, it was a shame that it came up then and it's a shame that some are bringing it up again.
Dana, did you have one?
Q The Democrats have been attacking the President for months on a lot of issues. Why this issue -- why is it that you're choosing to respond to this particular issue, where in the past you've --
MR. McCLELLAN: The reasons I said. It is really shameful that this was brought up four years ago, and it's shameful that some are trying to bring it up again. I think it is sad to see some stoop to this level, especially so early in an election year. The President, like many Americans, was proud to serve in the National Guard. The National Guard plays an important role in the security of America. And the President was proud of his service.
Matt's Chat
The President's flight instructor called him one of the top five pilots that he knew. He served his country and was honorably discharged. I'll say that again for effect, the President was honorably discharged.Article 85 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: (a) Any member of the armed forces who--
(1) without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to remain away therefrom permanently;
(2) quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or
(3) without being regularly separated from one of the armed forces enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another on of the armed forces without fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated, or enters any foreign armed service except when authorized by the United States;
is guilty of desertion.
So, Michael "Miserable Failure" Moore, your President is not a deserter. You show yourself to be the ignorant slob that I always suspected you to be...
Let's talk about the AWOL charge. Here is Article 86 of the UCMJ:
Any member of the armed forces who, without authority--
(1) fails to go to his appointed place of duty at the time prescribed;
(2) goes from that place; or
(3) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed;
shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
The President made a statement when this came up in the 2000 campaign that this charge is also bogus. The facts are this: the President did serve his required time having made up time that was missed that year (1973).
In the end, it comes down to his military status: honorably discharged. A deserter or AWOL-er would not get such status.
Mark's Remarks
Amen, Matt. I was just looking in the UCMJ myself and came up with the same thing. You see, it is OK if you turn your back on your nation and protest a war and call your former brothers in arms baby killers. It is not OK to make up your time when you miss it. You see, the rules do not apply to liberals. They make up charges and get the press to believe them. They are culpbable in this charade, and it is disgraceful. The Dims call this President a deserter, and their self-appointed Messiah Bill Clinton was the one who in letters said he loathed the military, said that he hated to serve and had no desire to serve, and who ran away rather than honor his ROTC requirement that he signed up for. He is the deserter, people, and now the same party that so vehemently denied this is coming out against a man who served honorably in the National Guard, saying he welched out of his duty, and 'took the easy way out.'
That is a disgrace. It is dishonorable to those same people who served and continue to serve in the national guard and reserves, calling their paths the easy way out. Of course, what do you expect from the party of lie after lie after lie and political expediency, who turn a blind eye to immorality and who blinded our ability to get intelligence. How shameful they are, and how disgusting and ridiculous are their charges!
