Bush’s Military Records

I’m still digesting the President’s MTP appearance. One interesting bit of possible fallout just caught my eye. Bush was asked about the well-known allegations that he failed to report to duty with the National Guard for a period of time in 1972-73.

Russert: But would you allow pay stubs, tax records, anything to show that you were serving during that period?

President Bush: Yeah. If we still have them, but I you know, the records are kept in Colorado, as I understand, and they scoured the records.

And I’m just telling you, I did my duty, and it’s politics, you know, to kind of ascribe all kinds of motives to me. But I have been through it before. I’m used to it. What I don’t like is when people say serving in the Guard is is may not be a true service.

Russert: Would you authorize the release of everything to settle this?

President Bush: Yes, absolutely.

Is this a real scoop, a new development? Some commenters, like Calpundit, say no – this statement by Bush doesn’t mean anything. However, what’s interesting is that the Washington Post is running with it as a legitimate pledge by the President:

Bush to Release Vietnam-Era Military Records

President Bush committed to the release of additional military records that would prove definitively whether or not he fulfilled his National Guard duties during the Vietnam War. Bush, seeking to quell a renewed controversy over whether he earned the honorable discharge he received, said he would “absolutely” release records such as pay stubs that would likely indicate more precisely how often he showed up for duty.

It will be interesting to see where, if anywhere, this goes…

Kash