The Miller Military Records: McGroarty played it right, Liberatore played it wrong

Yesterday 42nd Congressional candidate Phil Liberatore commented on the Harper's Magazine story on Rep. Gary Miller's military service. Liberatore issued his release several hours after the article was published. He also put up a statement on his Twitter page that said, "What disrespect! Miller lied about his military record."

Lee McGroarty waited until after a local newspaper story was posted to issue a press release. McGroarty was able to know the medical reason for the discharge and have the knowledge of more comments from Miller. McGroarty was able to look more thoughtful and not appear to be doing it for political expediency.

Liberatore, on the other hand, looks very political in his actions. So much so, that McGroarty said that Liberatore was "grandstanding." He also looks like he was so quick to put something out, hoping that the media would give him attention, that he has errors in his release.

First, Liberatore's release states, "according to the Harper’s article, Miller was discharged after just 49 days of enlistment in 1967." Problem is that the article doesn't say that.

The article states, "According to his military record, he spent about seven weeks in boot camp at Fort Ord, California between early-September and late-October 1967, at which point he was discharged."

Now Rep. Gary Miller has released his records so we can see how many days he served. According to Miller's Military Service Certificate, and a look at a 1967 calendar, he served 54 days.

So where did Phil Liberatore get 49 days from? Did Liberatore really put out a press release that distorts Miller's military service, while accusing Miller of doing the same thing?

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Secondly, Liberatore's release says, "This truncated enlistment appears to fall far short of Private Miller even finishing boot camp." Liberatore attempts to make it seem like Miller or the article state something different.

However, the Harper's article states Miller, "spent about seven weeks in boot camp at Fort Ord, California between early-September and late-October 1967, at which point he was discharged. "

The comments on Miller's campaign site today says, "While in boot camp, Army doctors learned he had a childhood ulcer, which made him ineligible to serve so therefore he received an honorable discharge." Miller acknowledges not finishing boot camp, so why is Liberatore trying to make an issue out of it.

Both McGroarty and Liberatore called on Miller to release his records. It was how they asked that set them apart.

McGroarty was very smart in how he handled this issue. If Miller didn't come up with military records, like he requested, he would have had the high ground to ask that Miller resign. Now that he has provided records, McGroarty looks like he wasn't just trying to score cheap political points. He will win votes because of it.

Liberatore, in contrast to McGroarty, has now opened himself to allegations of playing politics. McGroarty said in his release, "One of my opponents, who never served our country, is calling out Miller for his military service and is “grandstanding” on an issue he knows nothing about."

Liberatore has also bolstered the image that Miller has tried to paint him with. Miller has sent out mail piece after mail piece trying to make Liberatore look dishonest and untrustworthy. Liberatore's press release plays right into that.