An open letter to ABC News: Tell the Truth

ABC's Peter Jennings, in the January 22 New Hampshire debate among the Democratic candidates, put this question to Wesley Clark: "The other day you had a rally here and one of the men who stood up to endorse you was the controversial filmmaker Michael Moore. You said you were delighted with him. At one point Mr. Moore, said in front of you that President Bush, he was saying he'd like to see a debate between you the General and President Bush who he called a deserter. Now that's a reckless charge not supported by the facts so I was curious to know why you didn't contradict him and whether or not you think it would have been a better example of ethical behavior to have done so."

ABC News has an "Email World News Tonight" page where they invite listeners to suggest stories "you'd like us to explore." I submitted this suggestion:

Here's a story I'd like you to explore.

Peter Jennings, in the recent New Hampshire debate, asserted in a question to Wes Clark that Michael Moore's characterization of George W. Bush as a deserter was "reckless" and "not supported by the facts."

I would like to see Mr. Jennings present the facts--including the National Guard commanders who claim Bush was a no-show; the official records of his failure to report for a drug test and his subsequent grounding; and the unclaimed reward for anyone who can produce evidence that Bush showed up at all during the period he is alleged to have been AWOL--and let the viewers decide for themselves whether Moore's charge was reckless and unfounded, or whether ABC News and the rest of the mainstream media have themselves been AWOL in failing to picl up this story after it was broken in 2000 by the Boston Globe.

Mr. Jennings, your credibility is on the line. Do you and ABC have the courage to present both sides of this story?

Would you like to have America learn the truth about George W. Bush's shameful National Guard record? Visit ABC News and tell them so.

For more on this topic, to to MichaelMoore.com.