GOP to Clinton: ‘Come Clean’ on Draft Record

In a new sign of its determination to focus scrutiny on Gov. Bill Clinton’s military draft record, President Bush’s reelection campaign on Tuesday released a 27-page document challenging Clinton’s assertion that he has told the full truth about the issue.

With Clinton finding himself forced repeatedly in recent days to defend his statements on the issue, a senior Bush campaign official describes the document as a sign that the Republican camp “does not intend to let this drop.”

The document, made public on the Senate floor by Minority Leader Bob Dole, outlines 13 alleged inconsistencies in Clinton’s statements on the issue. Most prominently, it emphasizes the contradiction between the Arkansas governor’s assurance to an American Legion convention last month that he had “set the record straight” and his refusal to release documents that bear on the issue.

The release was prepared by the campaign’s general counsel, who said he was directed to review Clinton’s past statements as if he were preparing for trial. “This is a trial lawyer’s dream,” said the official, Bobby Burchfield. “Three of these inconsistencies would generally be enough to render the witness incredible.”

After weeks in which it declined to address the issue, the Bush campaign has clearly decided in recent days to seize an opportunity poised by new disclosures in the Los Angeles Times and other publications about Clinton’s avoidance of the Vietnam-era draft.

“Timing is everything,” a senior campaign official said Tuesday. “We’re trying to raise doubts about whether Clinton can be trusted on fundamental character qualities--honesty, integrity, candor.”

A senior Clinton campaign official, George Stephanopoulos, dismissed the attack as a political ploy. “It’s just politics,” he said, “and they’re trying to divert attention from the essential issues of this election: the economy, declining family income and American jobs. They’ll find anything they can to change the subject.”

The 46-year-old Clinton, who reached draft age during the Vietnam War, has acknowledged that he took steps intended to avoid military service. But he has denied that he did anything improper, and has insisted repeatedly that he “told the truth” about his draft status.

Among alleged inconsistencies cited by the Bush campaign is Clinton’s assertion last February that he was “never called” for the draft. The Los Angeles Times reported in April that he had received an induction notice in April, 1969, and Clinton has since confirmed that he did receive such a document.

The document also notes a Boston Globe report this week that Clinton received a second induction notice. Stephanopoulos, the top Clinton aide, disputed that account as untrue.

Burchfield, who says he was assigned to his prosecutor’s task by campaign chairman Robert M. Teeter, said in an interview: “This is a pure credibility issue. The American people need to know whether Gov. Clinton can be trusted to deal with world leaders, military issues and other issues fundamental to the United States.”