Holmes would issue a more detailed

Holmess attack surprised me, because it contradicted his earlier statements. Its been suggested that Holmes may have had some help with his memory from his daughter Linda Burnett, a Republican activist who was working for President Bushs reelection. Closer to the election, on September 16, Holmes would issue a more detailed denunciation questioning my patriotism and integrity and saying again that I had deceived him. Apparently, the statement was drafted by his daughter, with guidance from the office of my old opponent, Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt, and had been revised by several Bush campaign officials. A few days after the story broke, and just a week from election day in New Hampshire, Ted Koppel, anchor of ABCs Nightline, called David Wilhelm and said that he had a copy of my now famous draft letter to Colonel Holmes, and that ABC would be doing a story about it. I had forgotten all about the letter, and ABC agreed to send us a copy, which they graciously did. When I read it, I could see why the Bush campaign was sure that the letter and Colonel Holmess revised account of the ROTC episode would sink me in New Hampshire. That night Mickey Kantor, Bruce Lindsey, James Carville, Paul Begala, George Stephanopoulos, Hillary, and I met in one of our rooms at the Days Inn Motel in Manchester. We were getting killed in the press. Now there was a double-barreled attack on my character. All the television pundits said I was dead as a doornail. George was curled up on the floor, practically in tears. He asked if it wasnt time to think about withdrawing. Carville paced the floor, waving the letter around and shouting, Georgie! Georgie! Thats crazy. This letter is our friend. Anyone who actually reads it will think hes got character! Though I loved his never say die attitude, I was calmer than he was. I knew that Georges only political experience had been in Washington, and that, unlike us, he might actually believe the press should decide who was worthy and who wasnt. I asked, George, do you still think Id be a good President? Yes, he said. Then get up and go back to work. If the voters want to withdraw me, theyll do it on election day. Im going to let them decide.