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Old August 29th 04, 04:14 PM
George Ashley
 
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Default I just knew it!!

Ex-Honcho: I Got Bush Into Guard
AUSTIN, Texas, August 28, 2004


In a video posted on the Internet, former Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes, a
Democrat, says he is ashamed that he helped President Bush and the sons of
other wealthy families get into the Texas Air National Guard in 1968 so they
could avoid serving in Vietnam.

"I got a young man named George W. Bush into the National Guard when I was
lieutenant governor of Texas, and I'm not necessarily proud of that, but I did
it," Barnes said in the 45-second video, which was recorded May 27 at a meeting
of John Kerry supporters in Austin.

Barnes, who was House speaker when Mr. Bush entered the Guard, later became
lieutenant governor.

He said he became ashamed after walking through the Vietnam Memorial and
looking at the names of people who died.

"I became more ashamed of myself than I've ever been because the worst thing I
did was get a lot of wealthy supporters and a lot of people who had family
names of importance into the Guard and I'm very sorry about that and I
apologize to you and the voters of Texas," Barnes said.

President Bush has denied that family influence got him into the Guard.

"With controversy swirling around Kerry's service as a swift boat commander in
Vietnam, Barnes' latest statements renew questions about (Mr.) Bush's military
record, but also about Barnes' motivation for telling his story," the Houston
Chronicle says in its Saturday editions.

"It is no surprise that a partisan Democrat is making these statements," Bush
spokeswoman Claire Buchan told the Chronicle. "This was addressed five years
ago, and there's nothing new."

The video was posted June 25 on the Web site www.austin4kerry.org, but didn't
get much attention until Friday, when Jim Moore, an Austin-based author of
books about Mr. Bush, sent out e-mail messages calling attention to it, The New
York Times reported in its Saturday editions.

It was the first time Barnes, a Kerry supporter, has discussed at length his
role in getting Mr. Bush into the Guard. In 1999, he said he recommended Mr.
Bush for a pilot's position at the request of a Bush family friend.

"I got a lot of other people in the National Guard because I thought that's
what people should do when you're in office: You help a lot of rich people,"
Barnes said.

Mr. Bush joined the National Guard in 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War,
and served until 1973. He has said he received no special treatment.

Barnes told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview Saturday that
the video "just speaks for itself." He declined to answer specific questions
about what role he had in helping Mr. Bush, but he said he may have more to say
next week.

Both Mr. Bush and his father, the former president, have said they did not ask
for help in finding the Guard opening.

Mr. Bush said Saturday in Lima, Ohio, that he is "proud of my service" in the
National Guard.

He made the comment after a questioner in a friendly audience at a high school
commented, "I'm feeling sorry on your behalf the fact that they are trying to
bring this issue up about the National Guard. I have many many good friends
that served in the Guard during the ... Vietnam War."

"There's eight of them that are changing parties because they've had it with
the Democrats," said the man in the audience.

"The question is who's best to be the commander in chief to lead us in peace.
That's the question," Mr. Bush responded to applause.

Earlier Saturday, White House spokesman Scott McLellan said of Barnes'
comments: "It is not surprising coming from a longtime partisan Democrat. The
allegation was discredited by the commanding officer. This was fully covered
and addressed five years ago. It is nothing new."

Five years ago, Barnes found himself at the center of questions about Mr.
Bush's Vietnam-era service when the then-Texas governor emerged as the
Republican presidential front-runner.

At that time, Barnes' lawyer issued a statement saying Barnes had been
contacted by the now-deceased Sidney Adger, a Houston oilman and friend of Mr.
Bush's father, who was then a congressman. Adger asked Barnes to recommend Mr.
Bush for a pilot position with the Air National Guard and he did, that
statement said.

"Neither Congressman Bush nor any other member of the Bush family asked Barnes'
help," according to the 1999 statement.





W4FQF Polly
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Old August 30th 04, 12:58 AM
MongolloydDavies
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Subject: I just knew it!!
From: (George Ashley)
Date: 8/29/2004 10:14 AM Central Daylight Time
Message-id:

Ex-Honcho: I Got Bush Into Guard
AUSTIN, Texas, August 28, 2004


In a video posted on the Internet, former Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes, a
Democrat, says he is ashamed that he helped President Bush and the sons of
other wealthy families get into the Texas Air National Guard in 1968 so they
could avoid serving in Vietnam.

"I got a young man named George W. Bush into the National Guard when I was
lieutenant governor of Texas, and I'm not necessarily proud of that, but I
did
it," Barnes said in the 45-second video, which was recorded May 27 at a
meeting
of John Kerry supporters in Austin.

Barnes, who was House speaker when Mr. Bush entered the Guard, later became
lieutenant governor.

He said he became ashamed after walking through the Vietnam Memorial and
looking at the names of people who died.

"I became more ashamed of myself than I've ever been because the worst thing
I
did was get a lot of wealthy supporters and a lot of people who had family
names of importance into the Guard and I'm very sorry about that and I
apologize to you and the voters of Texas," Barnes said.

President Bush has denied that family influence got him into the Guard.

"With controversy swirling around Kerry's service as a swift boat commander
in
Vietnam, Barnes' latest statements renew questions about (Mr.) Bush's
military
record, but also about Barnes' motivation for telling his story," the Houston
Chronicle says in its Saturday editions.

"It is no surprise that a partisan Democrat is making these statements," Bush
spokeswoman Claire Buchan told the Chronicle. "This was addressed five years
ago, and there's nothing new."

The video was posted June 25 on the Web site
www.austin4kerry.org, but didn't
get much attention until Friday, when Jim Moore, an Austin-based author of
books about Mr. Bush, sent out e-mail messages calling attention to it, The
New
York Times reported in its Saturday editions.

It was the first time Barnes, a Kerry supporter, has discussed at length his
role in getting Mr. Bush into the Guard. In 1999, he said he recommended Mr.
Bush for a pilot's position at the request of a Bush family friend.

"I got a lot of other people in the National Guard because I thought that's
what people should do when you're in office: You help a lot of rich people,"
Barnes said.

Mr. Bush joined the National Guard in 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War,
and served until 1973. He has said he received no special treatment.

Barnes told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview Saturday that
the video "just speaks for itself." He declined to answer specific questions
about what role he had in helping Mr. Bush, but he said he may have more to
say
next week.

Both Mr. Bush and his father, the former president, have said they did not
ask
for help in finding the Guard opening.

Mr. Bush said Saturday in Lima, Ohio, that he is "proud of my service" in the
National Guard.

He made the comment after a questioner in a friendly audience at a high
school
commented, "I'm feeling sorry on your behalf the fact that they are trying to
bring this issue up about the National Guard. I have many many good friends
that served in the Guard during the ... Vietnam War."

"There's eight of them that are changing parties because they've had it with
the Democrats," said the man in the audience.

"The question is who's best to be the commander in chief to lead us in peace.
That's the question," Mr. Bush responded to applause.

Earlier Saturday, White House spokesman Scott McLellan said of Barnes'
comments: "It is not surprising coming from a longtime partisan Democrat. The
allegation was discredited by the commanding officer. This was fully covered
and addressed five years ago. It is nothing new."

Five years ago, Barnes found himself at the center of questions about Mr.
Bush's Vietnam-era service when the then-Texas governor emerged as the
Republican presidential front-runner.

At that time, Barnes' lawyer issued a statement saying Barnes had been
contacted by the now-deceased Sidney Adger, a Houston oilman and friend of
Mr.
Bush's father, who was then a congressman. Adger asked Barnes to recommend
Mr.
Bush for a pilot position with the Air National Guard and he did, that
statement said.

"Neither Congressman Bush nor any other member of the Bush family asked
Barnes'
help," according to the 1999 statement.





W4FQF Polly



I'll sick my Daleks on you!

Extermiate him!!

Mongolloyd Davies





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