The General (Wesley Clark) has been taking grief from the Big Pundits for not scolding his supporter Michael Moore over his comment about Bush being a "deserter" from the Texas Air Guard in his younger days.
Via David Neiwert's Orcinus, I came across this comment from George McGovern, World War II bomber pilot and another of the General's supporters, on the topic in a CNBC interview:
Siegenthaler: I just want to talk about Wesley Clark for a second . . . because he had a tough time in some cases in New Hampshire. Some people said his endorsement from Michael Moore where he called President Bush a deserter --- and then Wesley Clark refused to distance himself from Michael Moore was really a difficult time for him. And that he stumbled a couple of times up there in New Hampshire. How do you react to that?
McGovern: Well look, I know he was severely criticized for not rebuking the contention that George W. Bush was a deserter.
But what would you call him?
He avoided the war in Viet Nam by signing up for the Texas National Guard -- and then didn't show up.
He missed half of his time by not showing up for the National Guard training.
Maybe there's some kinder word than deserter. But in my book that's not too far from the truth.
And I think General Clark is a man who never backed away from battle -- who volunteered to be a part of the armed forces of this country -- as I did.
People like that are not going to defend George W. Bush on his military record.
Siegenthaler: (Stunned) Issues of war and peace continue to be a controversy -- and a part of this campaign as we head through 2004.
2 comments:
yes, i've been reading niewert on this issue too. also reading in other blogs. concensus seems to be that he was AWOL, but not technically a deserter. big deal diff, huh?
Michael Moore has clarified his statement at his website and at AlterNet:
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17676
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