Military Record: President Bush's Service
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: BLITZER: Did he or didn't he? The question concerns President Bush and whether he fulfilled his Air National Guard duties during the Vietnam War. We're waiting for the White House to release New documents supporting the president's claim that he did. Our White House correspondent, Dana Bash, is joining us now live from the White House. What's happening today, Dana?.</s>DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, wolf, you know, since Democrats revived these charges that started really during the 2000 presidential election, that the President didn't fulfill all of his National Guard duties during the Vietnam War, the White House, the Bush campaign have been trying to counter those attacks, counter those charges, especially since it has become more clear that the Democratic nominee could be John Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran. Now, at issue here is the time period between 1972 and 1973, a time where the President was serving in the Texas Air National Guard but was doing his time while living in Alabama. Now, today, the White House said they will release some New never before seen payroll documents from the Air Reserve personnel center in Colorado. The White House says that they show dates the President was paid for his National Guard service. White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters this morning, "He was paid for the days he served in the Air National Guard. These records clearly document that the President fulfilled his duties." Now, the President did authorize these records to be released. But, Wolf, the question is, why haven't we seen them before, since the White House has been saying not only for the past few weeks, but the Bush aides have been saying since 2000 that they've released everything they possibly could to prove that the President served his time. Now, what we're told from the White House this morning is they simply didn't know that these payroll documents actually existed until they were given to them last night by this personnel center in Colorado. Now, we're also going to get some previously released documents showing that the President did his points served. That's something that was seen before. And also a letter from the person who was in charge of personnel back during the president's time in the Texas Air National Guard, saying the President did what he needed to do. Now, Wolf, obviously, the White House is trying to put a stop to this early on in the election season, wanting to make sure that really what they think is his major asset, his stewardship during these difficult times over the past three years, aren't shaded by questions of whether or not he actually served in the National Guard -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: All right. Dana, I want to switch gears. Another story that's generating some interest today, the investigation into who from the Bush administration may have leaked the name of a CIA operative, the wife of former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson. I understand that some White House officials have now been subpoenaed and they're actually testifying before a grand jury. Update our viewers on that.</s>BASH: Well, we're told yesterday by the White House spokesman, Scott McClellan, that he did, in fact, go and testify before a federal grand jury on Friday, answering questions about this investigation. We are also told that two former Bush aides, Mary Matalin, and also Adam Levine (ph), a former press aide, also have testified in the past several weeks. What we are told by sources close to the investigation is that these conversations were somewhat brief. They were questioned by prosecutors, also by members of the grand jury. And at least in the case of Adam Levine (ph), we are told by a source close to the investigation that he was told he is not a target. And we understand that all of these three might not actually be targets of the investigation, but they're people that investigators are hoping can give them clues as to who in the White House, if anybody, did leak the name of Valerie Plame. The White House is -- excuse me -- the Justice Department is trying to get that information from somebody other than the journalists they talked to, because they know that is very difficult to do -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: And the journalist who reported that was, of course, CNN's own Robert Novak. Robert Novak, the co-host of "CROSSFIRE." We'll get back to you, Dana. Thanks very much for that.