Everywhere I look, it’s “National Guard” this and “National Guard” that. The media appears to be coordinating a worldwide “Attack Bush” day. Odd, they didn’t give the Swift Boat Vets this kind of attention; they waited a couple of days, buried the info on page A17 and hoped it would blow over.

The media is making an error – it doesn’t matter. George Bush isn’t running on his National Guard record to prove he would make a great Commander in Chief. Bush is running on his Commander in Chief record.

The only criticism of Bush’s years were that (a) there were 3 months he can’t prove he was there, and (b) he avoided Vietnam by signing up for the National Guard.

For (a)… well, frankly, who cares? If he took time off over 30 years ago but still gathered enough points to complete his National Guard service, does it matter? People are voting either for or against Bush because of his record the last 4 years. And as for (b), the media is making all those troops that served (or are still serving in Iraq today) mad that the media makes it sound as though Bush served his country in less of a capacity.

These accusations pale next to what Kerry’s being accused of. Either he committed atrocities or he lied about them. He embellished his war records to collect medals. He lied to the Senate subcommittee about being in Cambodia. He belonged to an Anti-Veterans group that discussed assassinating a Senator.

Every time the media tries to focus on Bush’s guard service, they remind Americans how poorly Kerry’s record compares.

Here’s the facts on George Bush’s National Guard service:

• Joined National Guard in May 1968.
• Six weeks of basic training.
• Fifty-three weeks of flight training.
• Twenty-one weeks of fighter-interceptor training.
• There’s 80 weeks, and with other training, this totaled nearly 2 years of full time service.
• National Guardsmen were required to accumulate a minimum of 50 points to meet their yearly obligation.
• Bush earned 253 points in his first year
• Bush earned 340 points in his second year.
• Bush earned 137 points in his third year.
• Bush earned 112 points in his fourth year. Far, far more than was required.
• Bush earned 56 points in his fifth year.
• Bush earned 56 points in his 6th year and earned an Honorable Discharge.

During the last year, Bush had permission from his superiors to go to Alabama to work on a Senate campaign. The Vietnam war was winding down; there was a glut of pilots, and the Air Force was giving desk jobs to pilots. Bush worked less, but still enough to get his 56 points that year.

And for this, the media is all in a dither? Please. The accusations against Kerry were serious, some say “aiding and abetting the enemy.” John Kerry’s own words were used as propaganda by the North Vietnamese. He’s been caught in a flat out lie about being in Cambodia in Christmas 1968, and then testifying that Congress knew he was there.

And the media is questioning whether Bush got a tardy slip or not.