Tx Lt Gov Barnes Admits Getting Bush Into TANG - On video

[BeatleBoot]

http://www.buzzflash.com/

I can't see it because internet traffic is overloaded.

Mods, I think this is extra hot.

[rawstory]

1. This is OLD NEWS

Another man testified under OATH that he had helped bush get into TXANG. Reported in the Dallas Morning News and the Washington Post prior to the 2000 election.

The big news is that Bush was AWOL (as confirmed by a Reagan Defense undersecretary, which the mainstream press refuses to report (they say it's 'old news') -- http://rawstory.com -- scroll down.

[The Ref]

4. Is this the same story?

I can't get it to download (28K modem, lagged... it's reporting it'll take 4 and a half hours!) But the Dallas Morning News article that someone else posted on this thread today said "unnamed sources" claim that Bush was helped... This purports that the Lt. Gov. himself helped him. That's a MUCH huger story.

I mean, no newspaper in their right mind is going to carry someone else's story when they only cite "unnamed sources." It doesn't matter how excellent the DMN considers their sources; if an editor can't confirm it, it aint gonna play (OK, except NY Post, Washington Times, etc.) But if this is a solid source, I can't believe it doesn't get picked up!

[NMDemDist2]

2. hohohohohoho

and the Isrealis planned chimpy's middle east excursion

this week may be worth watching the news after all :smoke:

[Pale_Rider]

3. Texas official regrets allowing Bush to enlist in National Guard

Though it's starting to get some actual press ...

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/special_packages/election2004/9517692.htm

[The Ref]

5. Ah-HA!

So this is NOT the same old story! We've got footage! We've got a named source! This is big! Can anyone check if this guy was a Republican. If he is, this can be the election, right there!

[The Ref]

7. Oh well...

The Good News: The story is already all over all the major papers' web sites
The Bad News: Ben Barnes was a Democrat who was once expected to be a President, until bad press killed him.

That means the story is dead. Come on folks, put yourselves in the position of a swing voter. A news story comes out in 1992, featuring a Republican claiming that he helped Bill Clinton dodge the draft. Are you buying it for a second?

Still, Kerry can use this. A quick denunciation of the story will keep him on the high road. If he does not, fear the backlash unless there is further substaniation for this. Everyone knows about Bush and the draft; an unsubstantiated claim like this only makes us look bad.

[seafan]

6. This story is in Salon as well, including link to video.

Aug. 27, 2004 | Another bombshell in the battle over Vietnam service that has been raging in the 2004 presidential race exploded on the Web Friday. In a video originally posted on the Web by a pro-Kerry organization in Austin, Texas, Ben Barnes, a former lieutenant governor of Texas, apologized for his role in getting a young George W. Bush into the Texas Air National Guard while young men who were not from prominent or wealthy families "died in Vietnam."

"Let's talk a minute about John Kerry and George Bush, and I know them both," said Barnes in the video, which was filmed at a gathering of about 200 Kerry supporters in Austin on May 27. "I got a young man named George W. Bush into the Texas National Guard when I was lieutenant governor, and I'm not necessarily proud of that. But I did it. I got a lot of other people in the National Guard because I thought that was what people should do when you're in office, and you help a lot of rich people."


"And I walked to the Vietnam Memorial the other day," Barnes continued, "and I looked at the names of the people that died in Vietnam, and I became more ashamed of myself than I have ever been, because it was the worst thing I ever did, was help a lot of wealthy supporters and a lot of people who had family names of importance get into the National Guard. And I'm very sorry about that, and I'm very ashamed, and I apologize to you as voters of Texas."

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/08/27/barnes/index.html



This is the video link, played with Windows Media Player. (I don't know if it works without the day pass, but can try anyway.)

http://anon.salon.speedera.net/anon.salon/media/2004/08/BarnesonPatriotism.wmv

[nonkultur]

8. Fundraiser Vice Chair

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0319b.html

This will backfire.