So says Bernard Goldberg. To refresh memories, CBS News ran a report on 60 Minutes II in 2004 that Bush had used his influence to worm out of an assignment in Vietnam. The allegation was backed up by some rather poorly created documents, one that CBS produced as a smoking gun from Bush’s guard days in 1972, but in reality was created on Microsoft Word. The conservative blogosphere debunked the document in about five minutes after the airing of the show in now infamous fashion at Little Green Footballs, Powerline and Free Republic. This led to Mapes firing and Dan Rather shown the door.
Bernard Goldberg, a former CBS employee, has received access to some of the internal reports of the investigation surrounding the mess and discovered that Mapes knew from prior sources that Bush not only didn’t try to maneuver his way out of service in Vietnam, he actually volunteered.
Mapes had information prior to the airing of the September 8 [2004] Segment that President Bush, while in the TexANG [Texas Air National Guard] did volunteer for service in Vietnam but was turned down in favor of more experienced pilots. For example, a flight instructor who served in the TexANG with Lieutenant Bush advised Mapes in 1999 that Lieutenant Bush “did want to go to Vietnam but others went first.” Similarly, several others advised Mapes in 1999, and again in 2004 before September 8, that Lieutenant Bush had volunteered to go to Vietnam but did not have enough flight hours to qualify.
Mapes to this day asserts her reporting was truthful, that the document was real, and that Bush in fact did try to avoid serving in Vietnam when she knew otherwise that Bush had in fact volunteered to go on two separate occasions.
This note was buried on page 130 of a 234-page report.
Ah, yes. If you can’t write history, re-write history. Just have to love the way the left does the “Twist” or “Screw”, whatever it’s called! I’m old, so I forget!
I saw your reference Fritz, very nice.
As Hemingway tried to explain to George Orwell, truth isn’t what actually happened. Truth is whatever promotes the Movement.
I prefer, “The winners get to write the history books.”
Rufus-Not looking for praise, but did you catch my cross reference between “twist” and “screw” from the video the other day? I guess I’m gettin more like -Mike! than I’d like to admit. But it was brilliant wasn’t it?
I did, and I would have acknowledged its brilliance if it had been penned by anyone other than you. It’s kind of like, when you were in Grade School and you did A work but your teacher gave you a B because you had more potential than the other kids.
Which also explains why Floyd’s teachers gave him As when he did C work.
Thank you, thank you. I understand about your reasoning. Oh yeah, the Floyd thing too.
Or, in Communism’s case: “The LOSERS get to write the history books.”
This is a minor problem with the Left. For eight years they have been promoting this alternative reality that Bush is evil, he’s spying on your grandmother, that the war on terror is a fantasy and its all about oil. There’s only one thing standing in their way – there’s no facts to support this. So they just ACT like its true, and keep asserting. Even Darth Cheney defrosted himself and appeared on the scene essentially saying “Look, if you’ve got a case, lets see it. Otherwise stop playing politics with national security”. So the left does what it always dos when its bluff has been called- name calling then disappearing in a cloud of ink.
To paraphrase Dan Rather, “It’s not true, but it should be.” That should be engraved in marble over the entrance to the New York Times.
Mr. Sideous,
Let’s not forget that the Republicans stole the election and Gore won the electoral vote, therefore everything GWB did was invalid.
AND the Halliburton anti-black machine blowing up the levees in New Orleans.
Geoge Bush hates black people. That’s why he gave more aid to Africa than every President who came before him.
He’s too stoopit to know he gave aid. He probably thought he was giving it to the Saudis. Cheney told him to do it.
I think they were mad about Clinton being “persecuted”/prosecuted for his lying ways and wanted to get back some. The thing is they never could come up with enough to do the same for GW. They said it was because he covered his tracks so well. Again, either he is an evil mastermind, much smarter than those trying to prosecute him, or he is an idiot and they are just dumber than he is.
I just never did get the rabid nature of the hatred. Even my bil, who I really like, insisted that W was the WORST president who ever was. Really? The worst? Then why couldn’t they get him out of office? Seems like the worst ever, especially one so damn stupid, would leave a trail like a caterpillar. But I’m just an ignorant Bible beating breeder, what the heck do I know?
Liberals can’t be bothered with historical accuracy — it’s too dissonant with the voices in their heads.
Good one Floyd. The thing is the left does what all the other fascist entities have done. They promote a lie because it further’s their cause. I’d like to have Mapes here right now with me with the report and have taht little spot highlighted and make her eat it.
Good point,Rufus.Bono took a lot of heat for his praise of Bush and his initiatives in Africa….also caught hell for his friendship with Jesse Helms,another benefactor of Africa
I may never stop screaming my head off.