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The colonel who allegedly pressed to have Bush's National Guard records "sugarcoated" categorically denies ever having done so.

In his first public statement since "60 Minutes II" aired a program claiming it had unearthed damaging memos, retired Col. Walter Staudt told ABC News that Bush was a highly qualified officer who passed all the necessary tests.

"I never pressured anybody about George Bush because I had no reason to," Staudt said.
Staudt, who served as brigadier general of Bush's unit in Texas, retired in 1972. A purported memo by Bush's squadron commander Col. Jerry Killian dated Aug. 18, 1973 -- 18 months after Staudt left the Guard -- said Staudt was putting on pressure to "sugar coat" the performance evaluation of Lt. Bush.

CBS has tried to explain the discrepancy by suggesting Staudt still was in the sphere of influence.

But Staudt said that after his retirement he had no involvement in Guard affairs.

"I didn't check in with anybody -- I had no reason to," he said. "I was busy with my civilian endeavors, and they were busy with their military options. I had no reason to talk to them, and I didn't."