Former Lt Gov Barnes got W into the Guard--Why

[EST]

have I only heard speculation around the net that chimpy was helped to get into the Texas ANG by some unknown person. This story was just sent to me by Buzz Flash and connects to the Austin4kerry website. Apparently it's been floating around the internet sinse June 25. I'm downloading the quicktime clip right now. I'm totally astonished I haven't heard this precise story before. WTF

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Why?

Because if yer' rich, that's the way it's done in Texas. Nothing more complex than that. They just don't want boys from good families dying in no wars. They got some bein' rich to do ahead of them.

Let them poor folks and them libruls from up north do the dyin'.

[napi21]

2. So why has Barnes remained so quiet about this?

If he was a Pub, I'd understand, but his bio says he's a prominent Dem consultant, and Daschel considers him the 51st Dem senator.

Why hasn't this hit the media???

[EST]

3. What has my shorts in a knot is

the fact that bush, either in a speech or through his favorite liar, McClellan, said he got into the guard all by himself. Now we knew this was BS but nobody seemed to be able to find out who did it. Now I find out who it was, by his own admission, and I also find out this info has been available since june 25 on the net. His speech was on may 25 0r 28, where he said how ashamed he was that he thought his job was to get those unqualified rich men's sons into the guard and out of nam. He said he walked by the Vn memorial and saw all the dead names and got an attack of shame.

[napi21]

4. Well, I'm all kinda sorry he found shame, but why not go on the

national media NOW to help make up for his errors?

[EST]

5. He did make a big speech, but remember the media (with the

possible exception now of msnbc) is nothing more than a fundie bulletin board. If you want a clip of his confession (quick time or windows), go to austin4kerry, download it and send it to somebody. I have been working on sending it to all the low-level contacts I have for the last 4 hours or so, as well as trying to attract some attention here on DU and get more power involved.

[Pallas180]

6. REV - at the top of the Gen. Discuss are all the addresses of media -

why not send them the link, quoting Barnes "shame" admission. ?

[zaj]

7. Don't forget Knight Ridder... (LINK)

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

Texas official regrets allowing Bush to enlist in National Guard

BY PETE SLOVER

Knight Ridder Newspapers

AUSTIN, Texas - (KRT) - On a videotape posted on a pro-Kerry Web site, former Texas Lt. Gov. and House Speaker Ben Barnes for the first time publicly took credit and apologized for helping President Bush secure a Vietnam-era slot in the Texas Air National Guard.

"I got a young man named George W. Bush into the National Guard ... and I'm not necessarily proud of that," Barnes, an Austin lobbyist and John Kerry supporter with a lucrative Washington practice, said on the tape. "It was the worst thing I 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 of that and I'm very ashamed, and I apologize to you as the voters of Texas."

<snip>

The apology adds a new layer to a role Barnes acknowledged in 1999. During Bush's first presidential run, Barnes confirmed in a written statement that he had, at the request of a Bush family friend, contacted a Guard official to ask that Bush be allowed to enlist. The statement came after The Dallas Morning News revealed the sequence of events.

[liveoaktx]

8. Greg Palast on the Gtech Lottery scandal

http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=19&row=3

and this

http://www.lottoreport.com/gtechbush.htm

[EST]

9. I have used the above info, thanks.

Wow! Somehow I have had my head in a very dark place (at the wrong times) again. Maybe it comes from being such a newbie. Course it could be those pesky perscription meds... Hello Rush, so glad you could drop in!

[EST]

10. Addendum to the above...

Wow! Glorioski! Hot damn! OMFG! I knew all I had to do was trot my innocent wide eyed ignorance out for all to see and some helpful DU genius
would set me straight. I am humbled (if that's possible) and honored. Thanks, guys.

[MissMarple]

11. Texan Ashamed of Bush Role...now on DU from the NYTimes.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x782525

Now, how do these things happen? And so timely???