This just in from the Department of Preemptive Suicide...

Man Linked to Bush Memos Contacted Cleland

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A retired Texas National Guard official [Bill Burkett] mentioned as a possible source for disputed documents about President Bush's service in the Guard said he passed along information to a former senator working with John Kerry's campaign.

Ooookay. While this tangled web unravels a bit more, I figure I'll skip my speculations and more right into... Why the heck are we bothering with this? I mean, how stinking deperate do you have to be to try to use an alleged missed physical or some alleged string-pulling three decades ago to "prove" someone's a liar?

One would think former President Clinton's election and reelection would've set a precedent for the whole issue of Vietnam-era service. The guy was a flatout draft-dodger, but that was okay. Just ask Senator Kerry.