Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Begala's False Attack On Bush's Alabama Guard Duty
CNN CROSSFIRE- Aired September 10, 2004 - 16:30 ET
BEGALA: Governor (Gilmore)...Why is it, then, that nobody from Alabama, where says he served can remember ever serving with him? Why do you suppose that is? Could it be because he never served in Alabama?
JAMES GILMORE (R), FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNOR: Here's the facts. He served faithfully and loyally in the National Guard. He was a flyer. He did his training for many, many weeks. He was there in proper service.
What is important is this. We have seen that the president has been a faithful, loyal, solid, steady commander in chief as president of the United States for the last four years. And that's why he's going to get reelected, because of the current service that he has had.
BEGALA: I'm sorry to interrupt...I need you to answer the question... But the question was, why do you suppose it is that this remarkable, personable young man who is remembered by everybody who met him says he served in Alabama, and not a single soul has come forward and said he served with him? I think it's a pretty conclusive proof that he didn't serve there, did he?
GILMORE: The fact is that all the records show that he served faithfully in the Guard. He was honorably discharged.
Governor Gilmore did not remember the name, Lt. Col. John "Bill" Calhoun, but we did remember that "Bill" Calhoun came forward Feb 13th, 2004.
Former Guardsman: Bush served with me in Alabama
A retired Alabama Air National Guard officer said Friday that he remembers George Bush showing up for duty in Alabama in 1972, reading safety magazines and flight manuals in an office as he performed his weekend obligations.
"I saw him each drill period," retired Lt. Col. John "Bill" Calhoun said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from Daytona Beach, Fla.
"He was very aggressive about doing his duty there. He never complained about it.... He was very dedicated to what he was doing in the Guard. He showed up on time and he left at the end of the day."
CNN CROSSFIRE - Aired February 13, 2004 - 16:30 ET
NOVAK: Paul Begala and James Carville are AWOL today.
So, sitting in on the left is "Roll Call" columnist and democratic strategist Donna Brazile.
NOVAK: The White House has been taunted to come up with just one person who saw the president on National Guard duty in 1972.
Well, he appeared today. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Bill Calhoun told the Associated Press he remembers Bush fulfilling his training obligations in Alabama.
NOVAK: Well, will that shut up the Democratic smear artists?
BRAZILE: Well, Bob, first of all, we're glad to know that President Bush took great care of his teeth while in Alabama.
NOVAK: Well, wait a minute. This -- wait a minute. You don't answer my questions. This colonel appears. He says he saw the guy, he was -- he was deputy commander of the unit. Case closed. This is over. We've got a witness.
(BELL RINGING)
Back To CNN CROSSFIRE- Aired September 10, 2004 - 16:30 ET
BEGALA: Well, Governor, if he served with such distinction in the Alabama Guard, even though there's no record he showed up, why doesn't he do like Kerry and campaign with a band of brothers? Why doesn't George Bush show up with even one person who he served with in Alabama?
GILMORE: Because he is commander in chief.
If you look at everything that he has done and the faithful way he served in the last four years in charge of this military and faithfully protecting the people against terrorism and the attacks on this country, which are real.
Paul Begala and James Carville were AWOL that day. Did he watch his own show? Did he read a transcript of the Show? Did he read any papers or watch news that day? It was the story of that day.
We need another congressional hearing to look into this. (just kidding)
Why didn't Novak correct Paul Begala? It was Novak that said: Case closed. This is over. We've got a witness.
CNN CROSSFIRE- Aired September 10, 2004 - 16:30 ET
BEGALA: Governor (Gilmore)...Why is it, then, that nobody from Alabama, where says he served can remember ever serving with him? Why do you suppose that is? Could it be because he never served in Alabama?
JAMES GILMORE (R), FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNOR: Here's the facts. He served faithfully and loyally in the National Guard. He was a flyer. He did his training for many, many weeks. He was there in proper service.
What is important is this. We have seen that the president has been a faithful, loyal, solid, steady commander in chief as president of the United States for the last four years. And that's why he's going to get reelected, because of the current service that he has had.
BEGALA: I'm sorry to interrupt...I need you to answer the question... But the question was, why do you suppose it is that this remarkable, personable young man who is remembered by everybody who met him says he served in Alabama, and not a single soul has come forward and said he served with him? I think it's a pretty conclusive proof that he didn't serve there, did he?
GILMORE: The fact is that all the records show that he served faithfully in the Guard. He was honorably discharged.
Governor Gilmore did not remember the name, Lt. Col. John "Bill" Calhoun, but we did remember that "Bill" Calhoun came forward Feb 13th, 2004.
Former Guardsman: Bush served with me in Alabama
A retired Alabama Air National Guard officer said Friday that he remembers George Bush showing up for duty in Alabama in 1972, reading safety magazines and flight manuals in an office as he performed his weekend obligations.
"I saw him each drill period," retired Lt. Col. John "Bill" Calhoun said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from Daytona Beach, Fla.
"He was very aggressive about doing his duty there. He never complained about it.... He was very dedicated to what he was doing in the Guard. He showed up on time and he left at the end of the day."
CNN CROSSFIRE - Aired February 13, 2004 - 16:30 ET
NOVAK: Paul Begala and James Carville are AWOL today.
So, sitting in on the left is "Roll Call" columnist and democratic strategist Donna Brazile.
NOVAK: The White House has been taunted to come up with just one person who saw the president on National Guard duty in 1972.
Well, he appeared today. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Bill Calhoun told the Associated Press he remembers Bush fulfilling his training obligations in Alabama.
NOVAK: Well, will that shut up the Democratic smear artists?
BRAZILE: Well, Bob, first of all, we're glad to know that President Bush took great care of his teeth while in Alabama.
NOVAK: Well, wait a minute. This -- wait a minute. You don't answer my questions. This colonel appears. He says he saw the guy, he was -- he was deputy commander of the unit. Case closed. This is over. We've got a witness.
(BELL RINGING)
Back To CNN CROSSFIRE- Aired September 10, 2004 - 16:30 ET
BEGALA: Well, Governor, if he served with such distinction in the Alabama Guard, even though there's no record he showed up, why doesn't he do like Kerry and campaign with a band of brothers? Why doesn't George Bush show up with even one person who he served with in Alabama?
GILMORE: Because he is commander in chief.
If you look at everything that he has done and the faithful way he served in the last four years in charge of this military and faithfully protecting the people against terrorism and the attacks on this country, which are real.
Paul Begala and James Carville were AWOL that day. Did he watch his own show? Did he read a transcript of the Show? Did he read any papers or watch news that day? It was the story of that day.
We need another congressional hearing to look into this. (just kidding)
Why didn't Novak correct Paul Begala? It was Novak that said: Case closed. This is over. We've got a witness.
