DAN BARTLETT: It's impossible for anybody to read the mind of a dead man

[stevedeshazer]

That's the new Bush administration theme now...dead men can't talk.

Now it's on record.

Cornered, confused, contradictory. See for yourself.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CBS interview with White House communications director Dan Bartlett... from http://talkingpointsmemo.com

<snip>
Q: So, Dan, you've had a chance to look over these documents, to have a good look at them, discuss them. What do you say?

DAN BARTLETT: Well, I think, generally, it's obvious that it's election season now. But every time President Bush gets near another election, all the innuendo and rumors about President Bush's service in the National Guard come to the forefront. And the fact that it's coming up now at a time when President Bush has taken a lead in the polls -- it's not surprising that people like Ben Barnes, long-time activist, Democrat activist, who is a vice chairman of John Kerry, would be making these recycled charges of President Bush. The fact of the matter is that the files that have been provided by this President to the public demonstrate that he served his country, he logged hundreds and hundreds of hours as a fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. After four years of flying, he requested and received permission to do training in Alabama. He got that request. He did it in a non-flying capacity because they weren't flying his aircraft. He did his drills. He came back. He met his drills then when he came back. And that's why he received an honorable discharge. So -- and many of the documents you have here tonight affirm just that, that President Bush asked for permission and received permission to do just that.

Q: It's interesting when you talk about Ben Barnes, because I wasn't even talking about that. I was talking about these documents. What about these two official documents signed by Jerry Killian is rumor and innuendo?

DAN BARTLETT: The two official documents that notified that he did not take the flight exam, which is exactly -- it is explained in your document that he did not take the flight exam because he was going to Alabama in a non-flying capacity because, in Alabama, they weren't flying the same plane that President Bush was trained on.

Q: But what about these two documents is rumor and innuendo?

much more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

[PurityOfEssence]

1. Bartlett excused the winning the war line because it was on a moving train

This was a Wolfie interview; somehow you can't really pay attention to what Junior would say on a moving train.

Sorry to digress, I just think this clown is amazing.

Dead men can't talk, but all their surviving documents do, and they can't be refuted either.

[speedoo]

2. So many dead witnesses.

How convenient.

[fishface]

3. That's right Bartlett you moron...

that's why we have written documentaion. bwhahahahahaha

[shoopnyc123]

4. We are responsible for keeping this story in the headlines...

...because all the TV guides are having change of heart about the Vietnam thing, (Matthews, Dobbs, et al). Pound the TV emails if you have the chance...

[stevedeshazer]

17. Yes!

:kick:

[progdonkey]

5. No, but you can read his FUCKING DIARY!

Seriously, Killian writes a "memo-to-self" that says he's feeling "pressure", and Bartlett's response is that there's no way we can know he was feeling pressure.

I mean... GOD!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. Wow. This is gold.

Can't be any more plain than that. We've hit paydirt. (heh heh, this "dirt" will pay)

[Riddler]

7. Bartlett must be

a graduate of the Ralph Reed School of Denial with a degree in How To Dodge A Question With Blatant BS While Smiling.

[newyawker99]

16. Hi Riddler!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[snippy]

8. What about reading the autobiography of a living president?

In his autobiography written for the 2000 campaign Bush said that he was turned down for Vietnam but continued to fly with his unit for several years. Seems like two blatant lies there.http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=15501

[stevedeshazer]

9. Yup

Good article, you are right.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

10. Barlett tap dancing - next job Radio City Music Hall

Barlett tried to gloss over the documents - didn't even question their authenticity and went right for the old "He was honorably discharged" party line.

Oh, honorably discharged! Wonder how he got that with all of the unsatisfactory reviews, going AWOL, refusing direct orders? Doesn't it stand to reason if you got special treatment to get in the TANG, higher ups were requesting Bushie's commanding officers give him good reviews, cover for him, doesn't it stand to reason there was someone with enough "juice" to obtain that "honorable" discharge for him? Once you have sold your soul to a rich frat boy's father nothing is a stretch. He did not serve honorably, he lied about, and now he is asking a new generation of kids to go fight his war.

The coward couldn't even complete a safe assignment in Alabama without screwing up. He can't serve four years as president without REALLY screwing up. Nobody should be surprised.

[gasperc]

11. Interesting you talk about Ben...I wasn't even talking about that

Bartlett is a jackass

[Maddy McCall]

12. Which is precisely why he left a paper trail.

That's what history is all about.

[gratuitous]

13. Facts are stupid things, aren't they, Dan?

And notice how the "honorably discharged" phrase keeps coming up. We know that, Mr. Bartlett. We also know that the irresponsible spawn of wealthy, well-connected white men frequently get a pass on their irresponsibility because it's just easier and safer to pencil-whip through a discharge.

Where are the records of his service, Mr. Bartlett? It's a simple question. Where are the records that verify what Stupidhead has said? And why can't Stupidhead speak for himself on the matter?

[CornField]

14. Also, in NeoCon-Lah-Lah-Land, military service is a *choice*

No, the records have been clear for years that President Bush did not take a physical because he did not need to take a physical because, obviously, the choice was that he was going to be performing in a different capacity.

Who knew... the neo-cons are pro-choice! Someone should alert our men and women in Iraq, especially those suffering under the stop loss policy.

[yellowcanine]

15. Tried to tie the damning documents to Barnes. Nice try, Bartlett but

we are a little smarter than that.