Nothing To Hide
Russert: But you authorize the release of everything to settle this?
President Bush: Yes, absolutely. We did so in 2000, by the way.
Q He’s bringing up an issue that was bounced around this room at length —
MR. McCLELLAN: And it’s been fully addressed, and all the records have been released, and the President fulfilled his duty and was proud to serve and be honorably discharged from the National Guard.
Q Will the Commander-in-Chief insist that his Pentagon get to the bottom, find every last document of the National Guard service?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that’s what the President directed back in February.
Q Are you frustrated, or is he, that more documents are surfacing?
MR. McCLELLAN: All the personnel, payroll, and medical records have been made public, and the President directed back in February that the Department of Defense do a comprehensive search and make all the documents available, and we had assurances that they had done that and, unfortunately, we have since found out that it was not as comprehensive as we thought. So they’ve continued to go and look for additional documents.
Q Is the President frustrated, irritated by this?
MR. McCLELLAN: See, that’s why I pointed out that all the personnel, payroll and medical records have been released.
Q How do you know that?
MR. McCLELLAN: They’ve assured us that all those records are out, and in fact, you have those records.
WaPo September 16, 2004:
White House press secretary Scott McClellan hinted that more documents regarding Bush’s National Guard service may soon be released. Asked whether officials in the White House have seen unreleased documents, McClellan called that “a very real possibility.” Other officials with knowledge of the situation said more documents had indeed been uncovered and would be released in the coming days.