Is Bush a "Deserter"? (8)

Which brings us back to the reason that the press corps of 2004 regards Bush's shabby Air Guard service record as a problem for General Clark, an accomplished military leader who himself was wounded in combat in the Vietnam War. As Conason says, "Pundits dismissed the issue when they mentioned it at all" in 2000. In PunditWorld, if the pundits don't mention it, it didn't happen. Welcome to "postmodern" campaign coverage.

Bob Somerby of the Daily Howler gives this summary of Bush's service:

1. Bush lived in Alabama from May 1972 through November 1972. His two superior officers in Alabama say that he never showed up for duty.
2. While in Alabama, Bush failed to take his required annual physical. As a result, he was formally suspended from duty.
3. Bush returned to Houston in November 1972. Seven months later, on May 2, 1973, his two commanding officers at Houston’s Ellingwood air base declined to perform his annual report (covering the year from 5/1/72 through 4/30/73). Why did they decline to perform his report? Because, they wrote, “Lt. Bush has not been observed at this unit during the period of this report. A civilian occupation made it necessary for him to move to Montgomery, Alabama. He cleared this base on 15 May 1972 and has been performing equivalent training in a non-flying status with the 187 Tac Recon Gp, Dannelly ANG Base, Alabama.” Of course, Bush was performing no such duty. But as of May 2, 1973, his superior officers in Houston still believed that he was.

Now, in the fabled Grand Scheme of Things, nobody really cares whether some flighty Texas rich kid skipped out on his National Guard duty thirty years ago. Except maybe for people who lost family members in Vietnam during the same time. Or people like the General who was wounded there fighting for their country. Or like former Georgia Senator Max Cleland, who left three limbs behind in Vietnam from his combat service there.