This exchange really hooked me at last night's New Hampshire debate, and regards a comment that Michael Moore made at a Clark rally calling Bush a "deserter." Granted, Moore is a loose cannon, but what the heck does Jennings mean that the charge is "... not supported by the facts." Thank you, Pete, for that bit of editorializing greasily sandwiched within your question, but is there a difference between a "deserter" and someone who is AWOL? Because the latter was substantiated by the Boston Globe in a detailed article in 2000, with documentation posted by The Smoking Gin website. In fact, Bush representatives have >>never denied<< the charge or presented exculpatory evidence, so far as I know. Whatever could Peter mean . . . ?

Also, Clark's response was canny and avoided the traps Jenning set.

FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Transcript: N.H. Democratic Debate: "JENNINGS: I get General Clark and Senator Edwards this time.
General Clark, a lot of people say they don't you well, so this is really a simple question about knowing a man by his friends. The other day you had a rally here, and one of the men who stood up to endorse you is 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's saying he'd like to see you, the general, and President Bush, who he called a 'deserter.'
Now, that's a reckless charge not supported by the facts. And I was curious to know why you didn't contradict him, and whether or not you think it would've been a better example of ethical behavior to have done so.
CLARK: Well, I think Michael Moore has the right to say whatever he feels about this.
I don't know whether this is supported by the facts or not. I've never looked at it. I've seen this charge bandied about a lot.
But to me it wasn't material. This election is going to be about the future, Peter. And what we have to do is pull this country together. And I am delighted to have the support of a man like Michael Moore, of a great American leader like Senator George McGovern, and of people from Texas like Charlie Stenholm and former Secretary of the Navy John Dalton.
We've got support from across the breadth of the Democratic Party, because I believe this party is united in wanting to change the leadership in Washington. We're going to run an election campaign that's about the future. We're going to hold the president accountable for what he did in office and failed to do, and we're going to compare who's got the best vision for America.
JENNINGS: Let me ask you something you mentioned, then"