Better late than never.

It's difficult to know who is creating the most noise regarding Bush's Guard service. The White House going into what appears to be full damage control mode, the Democrats, particularly those seeking Bush's seat, or our 'watchdog press.' (woof! heavy sarcasm)

The Boston Globe has run a couple of articles over the past few days. With this page serving as a repository for Walter Robinson's articles on the subject.

There is lots of old information being used for this news cycle, and some new material is surfacing as well.

Powell allegedly got a bit warm yesterday under questioning. While testifying about the timetable of the transfer of authority to the iraqis, Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said Americans were relying on Powell's judgments about war and peace, because Bush "may have been AWOL" during his Vietnam-era National Guard service, Vice President Dick Cheney had "said he had other priorities" than military service during Vietnam, and "other administration officials did not serve."

Powell shot back, "First of all, Mr. Brown, I won't dignify your comments about the president, because you don't know what you're talking about." A few minutes later, Powell scolded an aide to another Democratic House member, who was standing behind Brown and shaking his head as Powell explained the administration's views on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction.

"Are you shaking your head at something, young man, back there? Are you part of these proceedings?" Powell demanded of the aide.

When Brown protested that "I've never heard a witness reprimand a staff member," Powell replied, "I seldom come to a meeting where I am talking to a congressman and I have people aligned behind you giving editorial comment by head shake."

Brown's press aide, Tim Miller, said later that Powell's comments were "a sign that the administration is on the defensive these days."

Ouch.

As I've pointed to on these pages, this site has Bush's Guard records.

And finally, the The Seattle Times is reporting that the White House has reneged on yesterday's pledge to release all of Bush's military records.

[On MTP, Bush said that all of the pertinent records were in Colorado. Ed]

Here's a tease from the Times piece:

WASHINGTON ? The White House last night released a document showing that President Bush appeared at a military base in Alabama during the last year of his National Guard service, but aides backed away yesterday from his weekend pledge to release all his military records.
Bush's staff released a copy of a dental evaluation Bush had in the National Guard in Alabama in 1973 to rebut suggestions by Democrats who have questioned whether he ever showed up for duty there.

Bush enlisted in the Guard in 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War, and became a first lieutenant and an F-102 fighter pilot before leaving in 1973 to attend Harvard Business School.

Throughout his political career, opponents have focused on May 1972 to May 1973, during which it has been unclear how he fulfilled his military service. Bush has said that he performed temporary duty in Montgomery, Ala., while he was working on a U.S. Senate campaign, but there has been no definitive proof he did so. In addition, his records for that period indicate that he no longer took military physicals and was suspended from flying.

The dental examination was performed on Jan. 6, 1973, at Dannelly Air National Guard Base, which is south of Montgomery. According to the White House, the dental exam shows Bush did report for duty in Alabama. The exam, however, was done after November 1972, when earlier reports have said Bush returned to Texas.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said the administration would not necessarily make public additional records of Bush's tenure in the National Guard unless the president's aides determine that they are "relevant to this issue."

Specifically, McClellan refused to commit to releasing medical or disciplinary records that become available to the White House. Bush's aides had released payroll records and other documents on Tuesday that they thought would douse the controversy, but instead they inflamed it by raising new questions both about Bush's service records and the White House's current claims.

"I think what you are seeing is gutter politics," he said. "The American people deserve better. There are some who are not interested in their facts. They are simply trolling for trash."

Administration officials confirmed yesterday that the Defense Department is pulling together all of Bush's payroll, personnel and medical records from the National Guard to centralize his file.

But White House communications director Dan Bartlett was emphatic that the administration had no immediate plans to open Bush's entire file, which would include his guard medical records.

"These are attempts to troll for personal records for partisan advantage. We're not going to play," Bartlett said. "The goal post is being moved."

I do agree with Bartlett that "the goal posts are being moved." But as to who is doing the moving remains unclear. At this juncture, I'm inclined to think that the Democrats initially raised the issue, and now it is the press that demanding answers.

I think that Bush's records ought to available for public scrutiny. He is the highest office in the U.S., and his military service should be open for discussion and debate. I'm certain that there will be follow-up.