The arrest was not exactly a matter of public record--it had been expunged--and the arrest details that Bush gave were not accurate, either--see the following, from Michael Moore's mail list:

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>From: "Mike Mail"
>To:
>Subject: [Mike's Message] That's THREE Arrests for Bush -- How Many More?
>Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2000 02:10:58 -0800
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> >THREE STRIKES AND YOU'RE OUT, MR. BUSH
> >November 3, 2000
> >Dear friends,
> >With the revelation last night of the drunk driving
>arrest and conviction in 1976 of George W. Bush,
>this marks the THIRD arrest -- that we know of --
>involving this man who would be President.
> >Let me ask you, the readers of this letter: How
>many times have YOU been arrested? Me, none.
>Most of you -- once? twice? This guy has been
>arrested AT LEAST THREE TIMES! How many
>people do you know have been arrested three
>times? Go ahead, do a quick count on your fingers.
>The answer? NONE!
> >Yet, we are being asked on Tuesday to vote for
>a man who has been arrested THREE TIMES.
>For President of the United States! Are they
>kidding? The Republicans must take us all for
>idiots.
> >The first arrest of George W. Bush was for
>theft at a hotel. The second arrest was for
>disorderly conduct at a football game. The
>third arrest, we've now learned, is for a very
>serious crime -- drunk driving. What's the next
>crime committed by George W. Bush that we
>will learn of? When will we learn it? It is time for
>everyone to demand the truth from Governor
>Bush. I'm telling you, we haven't heard the last of
>his criminal behavior.
> >But next Wednesday will be too late to find out.
> >The press should be ashamed of itself for its
>laziness. I cannot believe it took a young woman,
>Erin Fehlau -- at a FOX affiliate, no less -- up in
>Maine to stumble onto this story and do the
>necessary work to uncover it. Where have the
>big networks' investigative reporters been?
>
>I'll tell you where: ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL!
>
>After seeing this local Maine reporter on "Nightline"
>last night explain how a policewoman told her she
>overheard a conversation between a lawyer and a
>judge, and then the reporter started digging around
>and found out the facts, it was clear the story was
>not planted by the Gore campaign, as Bush and his
>people have been insinuating.
>
>The real story here is how did this conviction get
>covered up for so many years? I spoke to a lawyer
>last night familiar with these kinds of cases. She
>said that a D.U.I., in and of itself, is not something
>worth covering up. Had Bush revealed this himself,
>he would have found the public forgiving of his
>infraction.
> >No, my lawyer friend continued, the only reason
>to cover it up would be that there was something
>ELSE connected to the arrest that night -- e.g.,
>drugs or resisting arrest. This other potential charge
>could have been dropped and expunged. The
>reporter was shown only the court docket which
>listed Bush's name, address, and the charge to
>which he pleaded guilty. What we need to see
>is the actual POLICE REPORT from that night.
>Assuming it hasn't been doctored, that will tell us
>the truth
. >
>The Bush people have already lied about the
>nature of the D.U.I. arrest (they said the cop
>pulled Bush over because he was "driving too
>slowly"; the arresting officer last night said it
>was because Bush had "swerved off on the
>shoulder of the road"). Bush himself lied last
>night when asked about the night he spent in
>jail. "I didn't spend time in jail," he insisted. The
>officer told the local reporter that Bush, in fact,
>was handcuffed, taken to the station, and held
>in custody for at least an hour and a half.
> >This is not just some simple traffic ticket. I
>don't want to hear one word comparing this
>drunk driving conviction to Clinton's
>transgressions. Lying about consensual sex you
>had with another adult is NOT the same as
>getting behind the wheel of a car when you are
>drunk and endangering the lives of others
>(including the life of your own sister, Mr. Bush,
>who was in the car with you that night).
> >It is NOT the same as Gore volunteering he
>smoked pot in his youth. That act endangered no
>one's life and he did not try to cover it up.
> >And don't tell us that the drunk driving and the
>"drinking problem" was just a "youthful indiscretion."
>You were NOT a "youth" when you were in your
>THIRTIES on the night you were arrested while
>careening off the road. The fact is, according to your
>own admission (if not in these words), you were a
>drunk and a bum 'til the age of 40, living off your
>rich daddy who spent his time bailing you out of
>trouble.
> >For crying out loud -- if any Republican is reading
>this, I implore you: this man does not deserve to
>be placed in the highest and most respected office
>in the land! Bush voters, come to your senses! If
>you can't bring yourself to vote for Nader or Gore,
>then show your love for your country and just stay
>home next Tuesday.
> >Please, save our nation this incredible, unfolding,
>never-ending embarrassment.
> >Yours,
> >Michael Moore
>mmflint@aol.com
>www.michaelmoore.com
> >P.S. Last night, just as the news was breaking about
>George W. Bush's arrest and conviction for driving
>while drunk, I sent out an open letter toGovernor Bush
>click on:www.michaelmoore.com/2000_11_02.html ,
>asking him to answer three questions which I believe
>affect our national security:
> >1. Are you, Mr. Bush, unable to read and write on an
>adult level?
> >2. Are you an alcoholic and, if so, how will this affect
>your performance as Commander-in-Chief?
> >3. You say that you have not committed any felonies
>since 1975. What felonies did you commit PRIOR to
>that date?
> >I implore our nation's media to demand answers to
>these questions before Tuesday's election. The people
>have a right to know.
> >P.P.S. "The Awful Truth" is pre-empted tonight. Our
>election special marathon is on Bravo, this Sunday
>afternoon, beginning at 4pm ET
>