In 1992, Sidney Blumenthal wrote a piece for The New Republic recounting a non-story from Bush the Elder's 1988 race -- an allegation by one veteran, Chester Mierzejewski (with no publishing houses or paid media behind him, one should add), that George H.W. Bush wasn't telling the entire truth about his record during WWII.

Yesterday, Glenn Reynolds linked to an extended excerpt from Blumenthal's article with these words: "TRASHING A CANDIDATE'S WAR RECORD: In 1992."

So, what does the 12-year-old Blumenthal piece say that's actually relevant to Campaign 2004? Well, not a lot. But there is this:

On August 12, 1988, the first day of the GOP convention in New Orleans, the [New York Post] newspaper published a front-page story, THE DAY BUSH BAILED OUT, by Allan Wolper and Al Ellenberg, which laid out Mierzejewski's claims. Some of the other crewmen substantiated a number of his details, including that he had the best view. The article noted that Mierzejewski was upset that though he was interviewed by the officer who wrote the intelligence report [on the incident], his account was not included in it.

The Bush campaign responded to the story by circulating the intelligence report to the press. A spokesman called Mierzejewski's version "absurd." ... Then the coup de grace was delivered by [Democratic presidential nominee] Michael Dukakis, who remarked: "I don't think that kind of thing has any place in the campaign." Bush's wish was his command. Never again during the presidential race was the story raised.

"I don't think that kind of thing has any place in the campaign."

Indeed.

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