Alright, if the docs are genuine, it still matters, because Bush didn't stand up at his convention, render a mealy salute, and say that he's "Reporting for duty."

Bush hasn't spun his candidacy around his time in uniform. Kerry has.

And yet the press has chosen to focus on the details of Bush's service, not Kerrys.

Blogs like Powerline and Captains Quarters were digging deep into the details of Kerry's time aboard the Swiftboats while the major editorial pages remained quiet for weeks.

Even if the documents are true, it's important because the media puts Bush records under the microscope, but displays Kerry records through binoculars turned backwards.

What if CBS is correct? you ask. Well, most people were already operating under the assumption that Bush pulled some sort of string to get into the guard, including me. I don't see that it would make a significant difference, especially with nearly two months to go in the campaign.

In fact, now that you mention it, the only true effect of this information would be to tarnish Bush's service record. It wouldn't really reflect on his performance as presdient. But it would make Kerry's service record seem brighter by comparison.