the ONE question that can end it all

[newsguyatl]

from http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2004_09/004672.php


A QUESTION FOR BOBBY HODGES....In the Killian memo dated August 18, 1973, Killian says this:

Staudt has obviously pressured Hodges more about Bush....Harris gave me a message today from Grp regarding Bush's OETR and Staudt is pushing to sugar coat it.

Forget for a moment whether the memos are genuine or not and just ask this: did Walter Staudt pressure Bobby Hodges about Bush back in 1973? Both men are still alive, and when CBS read the memos to Hodges over the phone he agreed that "these are the things that Killian had expressed to me at the time."

But why ask Hodges about Killian's state of mind in 1973? Why not ask him instead if he himself got pressure from his superiors to go easy on Bush? It's a simple question, and Hodges ought to have a simple answer. If he values the integrity of the military, he should tell his story instead of hiding from reporters.

—Kevin Drum 6:49 PM Permalink

[jumpstart33]

1. Good point. But fear is a bitch!

He would have to fear for his very life if he did answer the question directly and told the truth.

[newsguyatl]

2. and apparently hodges is an admitted bush supporter

so that he's ducking from reporters is interesting.

[napi21]

3. Valid! Maybe he was one of the "CBS contacts who confirmed this"

I can understand why Kodges and Staudt wouldn't want to become publicly involved in this. Dan Rather said they confirmed the doc authenticity through various methods, including whitnesses at the time. I'd bet these two officers were part of that confirmation. They don't have to get publicly involved unless this all goes to court.

[quaoar]

4. Hodges is apparently not taking calls

But he and Staudt ought to release some statements at least.

[Heath.Hunnicutt]

6. What is his home address? It's a free country.

Nobody should trespass or hurt him, but the right to peacably assemble still exists.

Maybe he wouldn't be afraid to speak the truth if he saw how many people would be willing to get behind that.

[ezee]

5. This is kinda off subject but,

I bet President Clinton has a BIG BROAD smile on his face tonight.

[crickets]

7. Did someone say Hodges?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x781173#781267

A senior CBS official, who asked not to be named because CBS managers did not want to go beyond their official statement, named one of the network's sources as retired Maj. Gen. Bobby W. Hodges, the immediate superior of the documents' alleged author, Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian. He said a CBS reporter read the documents to Hodges over the phone and Hodges replied that "these are the things that Killian had expressed to me at the time."

"These documents represent what Killian not only was putting in memoranda, but was telling other people," the CBS News official said. "Journalistically, we've gone several extra miles

The official said the network regarded Hodges's comments as "the trump card" on the question of authenticity, as he is a Republican who acknowledged that he did not want to hurt Bush.

~~

Thanks, BigBigBear.