I have been reading with a great deal of interest about the President being AWOL from or deserting his National Guard unit back in the 70's. Democratic National Committee Chairman, Terry McAuliffe, flat out says that President Bush was AWOL. Senator Kerry and General Clark tiptoe around the issue by using the old rhetorical device of not talking about it by continuing to say they are talking about it thus keeping the issue in front of the press.

There has been a lot blogged about this: we'll present you decide.

Baldilocks (what a great name!) gives an intelligent, common sense summary of what AWOL means and how extended leave works in the Guard or Reserves from personal experience.

The Mudville Gazette discusses the issue in a great post call "AWOL Again" and makes a great point of Democrats making crimes a matter of opinion.

HobbsOnline does a good job of covering the issue here. Be sure to read Al's and dadmanly's excellent comments to this post especially the 'not observed' on President Bush's evaluation.

Senator Kerry's 'outstanding' record in Vietnam is covered here. It gives a slightly different view of his tour in Vietnam that the I-served-in-Vietnam commericals Senator Kerry is showing around the country. You can read about the President's service and then read compare it to what this former POW, Jen Marinez in the Mudvilee Gazette, thinks of Senator Kerry's service during and actions after the Vietnam War. This is also an interesting post by Martinez.

Kevin Drum at CalPundit has discusses the President's service and puts forth a document that accounts for the unaccounted for time in the record. Of course, Kevin casts doubts on this as an actual document by saying it may be a 'clever forgery' (all the other documents casting doubt on President Bush's service are not) because it does not fit in with the Democratic meme. He also directs us to another document that he characterizes as a warning to President Bush to attend meetings. This looks like standard boiler plate every new inductee signs. Since there is no date on it we do not know. Read the comments. These people are flat out desparate. Kevin haughtily says: "So Bush may indeed have "fulfilled his obligation," as he says, but only because he had essentially been relieved of any further obligation after his transfer to ARF. It's pretty clear that no one in the Texas Air National Guard had much interest in pursuing anything more serious in the way of disciplinary action." Why would the Texas National Guard want to pursue anything further if President Bush fulfilled his obligation to the Guard? Brilliant thinking.

The Evangelical Outpost makes explains the different between those who join the National Guard, conscientious objectors, draft dodgers and those who run to Canada. It seems Senator Kerry is confused. Again.

Here is a great comment refuting CalPundit's repugnant post. It says it all. Should be required reading by everyone interested in this issue. This, by the same guy, is also good reading.

You can go to this site and see how some on the left have made a business out of this issue. Only in America.

RealClearPolitics takes out Kevin Drum of CalPundit in a real good post.

An interesting blog entry about President Bush's aircraft, the Convair F102A, is here. Be sure to read the comments for some interesting points made by CW.

Professor Bainbridge simplifies the issue and gets it right right here.

Interesting comments by President Bush's former flight instructor.

Update: Calpundit has dropped the AWOL story. I keep asking why and haven't gotten an answer. One blogger has asked conservative bloggers to apologize for posting material about Senator Kerry's alleged affair. I will apologize for my happy snearing post when I see some apologies materialize on liberal blogs for smearing President Bush on the AWOL issue. I won't hold my breath.