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Former President Calls Account 'Insidious'
September 22, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former President George H.W. Bush on Wednesday called a recent CBS News account of his son's military service an "insidious" attempt to malign the president.
Although he endured negative coverage during his own presidency, the elder Bush said he has a hard time dealing with critical media coverage of his son.
"This disgraceful thing with CBS, trying to malign our son's service as a jet pilot, was insidious," Bush told about 300 Republican supporters at a private ballroom in Columbus.
CBS and anchor Dan Rather apologized Monday for a "60 Minutes" segment that quoted documents, purported to be from one of Bush's commanders in the Texas Air National Guard, saying George W. Bush did not take a medical exam as ordered and that the commander felt pressured to sugarcoat an evaluation of then-1st Lt. Bush.
Rather said the network could not determine if the memos were authentic.
In an 11-minute speech, Bush also praised his son's religious faith, saying he knows the president has been criticized for his beliefs.
"He gets strength, great strength, from knowing that there's a being far greater than any of us, and I believe that is one of the things that has sustained him when the going gets really tough," Bush said.
In Bob Woodward's book "Plan of Attack," released last spring, the reporter quoted President Bush as saying he did not turn to his father for advice on going to war in Iraq, saying, "There is a higher father that I appeal to."
The former president also said he was heartened by recent polls showing his son leading Democrat John Kerry.
"But the message I want to leave with you is you can't take anything for granted," Bush said. "They're going to roll out every gun they have."
September 22, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former President George H.W. Bush on Wednesday called a recent CBS News account of his son's military service an "insidious" attempt to malign the president.
Although he endured negative coverage during his own presidency, the elder Bush said he has a hard time dealing with critical media coverage of his son.
"This disgraceful thing with CBS, trying to malign our son's service as a jet pilot, was insidious," Bush told about 300 Republican supporters at a private ballroom in Columbus.
CBS and anchor Dan Rather apologized Monday for a "60 Minutes" segment that quoted documents, purported to be from one of Bush's commanders in the Texas Air National Guard, saying George W. Bush did not take a medical exam as ordered and that the commander felt pressured to sugarcoat an evaluation of then-1st Lt. Bush.
Rather said the network could not determine if the memos were authentic.
In an 11-minute speech, Bush also praised his son's religious faith, saying he knows the president has been criticized for his beliefs.
"He gets strength, great strength, from knowing that there's a being far greater than any of us, and I believe that is one of the things that has sustained him when the going gets really tough," Bush said.
In Bob Woodward's book "Plan of Attack," released last spring, the reporter quoted President Bush as saying he did not turn to his father for advice on going to war in Iraq, saying, "There is a higher father that I appeal to."
The former president also said he was heartened by recent polls showing his son leading Democrat John Kerry.
"But the message I want to leave with you is you can't take anything for granted," Bush said. "They're going to roll out every gun they have."
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