Saturday, February 14, 2004

Love Is Never Having to Say You're Sorry

"The truth is George Bush came to Alabama. He asked for weekend drills with us. He was assigned to me," said [Alabama Air National Guard Officer John] Calhoun, who was in Florida on Friday for this weekend's Daytona 500. Calhoun said he saw Bush sign in at the 187th Tactical Reconnaissance Group in Montgomery eight to 10 times for roughly eight hours at a time from May to October 1972.

"He showed up. He sat in my office. He signed in," Calhoun said. "He was very determined to be there. He was in uniform and he did what he was supposed to do."

However, Calhoun recalled Bush in the unit in the summer of 1972 when the documents indicate that he had not yet applied to serve there.

The records, for example, show Bush was not paid for any service during more than five months in 1972, from April 17 to Oct. 27. He was paid for two days in late October 1972, four days in mid-November 1972 and no days in December 1972.

Bush's letter requesting duty at the 187th is dated Sept. 5, 1972.

Calhoun said Bush's activities included "reading safety magazines and flight manuals in an office as he performed his weekend obligations." As World O'Crap reports, Calhoun told the Washington Post that Bush would "sit on my couch" and read those materials, and "[h]e never complained about coming."

No complaining from the couch? Mission accomplished!

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