Staudt again disputes central thesis of CBS/Ben Barnes story

Herald-Zeitung:

...

“The subject started when (Bush’s) daddy ran for vice president, and it’s been going on ever since,” he said. “I don’t have much to tell. It’s simple to me. There was no political influence. That’s the truth.”

Since Dan Rather broadcast the memo on “60 Minutes,” questions about its authenticity have been nonstop. CBS executives initially stood by the story, but Rather admitted Monday he could not prove the document was legitimate.

The backpeddling was aided by the discovery that Staudt, named in the document dated Aug. 18, 1973, was honorably discharged March 1, 1972.

As brigadier general of Bush’s unit, Staudt was responsible for enrolling anybody who wanted to enter pilot training.

He maintains no one did Bush any favors — no one had to.

“He was a good candidate, well educated,” he said. “We needed pilots, and he wanted to be one.”


...

“(Bush) was just another second lieutenant fighter pilot,” he said. “You never know where people will end up.”

After Staudt retired in early 1972, he did not have any more contact with Bush, but he has watched him closely since 2001.

“ I think he’s done a real good job (as president). I’m proud of him. I guess I’m prejudiced, I don’t know,” he said.

...

Considering what the formerly unimpeachable network put him through, it is no surprise that Staudt’s television is not tuned to CBS. But that was not always the case.

“I have watched CBS News since Walter Cronkite was there,” he said. “I won’t be watching them anymore. I don’t like it when people lie.”

Staudt indicated a Chinese proverb hanging next to his desk that could have been written about his brush with fame: The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.


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