Ex-Honcho: I Got Bush Into Guard
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| Sat, 08-28-2004 - 12:52pm |
(CBS/AP) 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.
© MMIV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Actually, John O'Neill has been disputing Kerry's version of events for 30 years now, not sure how that qualifies as "coming out of nowhere". Obviously (unlike your comparison to moveon.org) this organization had no reason to exist until John Kerry was the candidate, hence it sprung up only after he was nominated.
Welcome donita_60!
It's grrreat to see a new poster take such an active interest in the board!
Renee ~~~
Renee ~~~
I have to disagree. The unit Bush joined was actively seeking pilots because they had a few openings they were unable to fill due to the time committment that was required.
Renee ~~~
Renee ~~~
Sorry, it is you who are incorrect. They most certainly can sue, and if they can prove the statement is untrue and they can prove they have been damaged by the statement, they would win. Fact is most political (and other public figures) don't sue in large part because they don't want the public scrutiny of their records that a lawsuit would invite.
Wrong again. You as a private citizen can raise funds any way you like to say whatever you choose-there are restrictions on what you can say immediately prior to an election, but otherwise if you can find a media outlet willing to sell you the ad space you would be legally entitled to purchase it.
It is more difficult to prove liable when you are a
Renee ~~~
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