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Staudt Speaks Out - Memos Fake, Not Accurate

One of many notable discrepencies in the CBS Memos is that they refer to an active role by Col. Walter Staudt despite the fact that he retired 1.5 years before they were written. The memos suggest that Staudt exerted pressure against Lt. Col. Jerry Killian in an attempt to gain special treament for George Bush.

According to Retired Col. Earl Lively, director of Air National Guard operations for the state headquarters during 1972 and 1973, said Staudt "wasn't on the scene" after retirement, and that CBS' remote-bullying thesis makes no sense (Seattle Times).

While Killian died twenty years ago, Staudt is still alive and gave an interview that was reported by ABC News:

The man cited in media reports as having allegedly pressured others in the Texas Air National Guard to help George W. Bush is speaking out, telling ABC News in an exclusive interview that he never sought special treatment for Bush.

Retired Col. Walter Staudt, who was brigadier general of Bush's unit in Texas, interviewed Bush for the Guard position and retired in March 1972. He was mentioned in one of the memos allegedly written by Lt. Col. Jerry Killian as having pressured Killian to assist Bush, though Bush supposedly was not meeting Guard standards.

"I never pressured anybody about George Bush because I had no reason to," Staudt told ABC News in his first interview since the documents were made public.

The memo stated that "Staudt is pushing to sugar coat" a review of Bush's performance.

Staudt said he decided to come forward because he saw erroneous reports on television. CBS News first reported on the memos, which have come under scrutiny by document experts who question whether they are authentic. Killian, the purported author of the documents, died in 1984.

Staudt insisted Bush did not use connections to avoid being sent to Vietnam.

"He didn't use political influence to get into the Air National Guard," Staudt said, adding, "I don't know how they would know that, because I was the one who did it and I was the one who was there and I didn't talk to any of them."

[snip]

Staudt said he never tried to influence Killian or other Guardsmen, and added that he never came under any pressure himself to accept Bush. "No one called me about taking George Bush into the Air National Guard," he said. "It was my decision. I swore him in. I never heard anything from anybody."

[snip]

He added that after retiring he was not involved in Air National Guard affairs. "I didn't check in with anybody — I had no reason to," he said. "I was busy with my civilian endeavors, and they were busy with their military options. I had no reason to talk to them, and I didn't."

Staudt said he continues to support Bush now that he is president. "My politics now are that I'm an American, and that's about all I can tell you," he said. "And I'm going to vote for George Bush."

Gen. Staudt ought to have been one of the key interviews by 60 Minutes and even a guest on the program. Was he contacted? Powerline notes, "If CBS had carried out a competent investigation into the documents' authenticity, they would have contacted General Staudt to get his reaction to the statement about him in the August 1973 memo."

However, this did not occur and now another witness has come out against the authenticity of the memos. In addition, Staudt speaks clearly against the accuracy of their content as does President Bush's former military colleagues.

CBS spokeswoman Sandy Genelius brushed off Staudt's statements: "In a debate this heated, one can hardly expect Gen. Staudt to endorse the point of view that he exerted undue influence."

Interesting, the General named in the memos is not a credible witness. However, the Killian's secretary who says Bush is not fit for office is credible and given primetime and 60 Minutes.

Posted by tim at September 17, 2004 4:34 PM

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