Dan Rather’s Revenge and the Battle for Free Speech

PJ Media ^ | October 17, 2014 | Scott Swett

[Interesting Times]

NEW YORK – Robert Redford will play Dan Rather in a film about the former CBS anchor’s disputed report about President George W. Bush’s National Guard service.

The film, titled Truth, will be adapted from the memoir Truth And Duty: The Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power by former CBS producer Mary Mapes, said the production company, Mythology Entertainment. Cate Blanchett is signed on to play Mapes.

If you followed the 2004 presidential campaign, you probably recall the “disputed” 60 Minutes report claiming that George W. Bush shirked his duties and failed to follow orders as a young Texas Air National Guard officer. The segment was discredited when the “military memos” on which it was based were exposed online as forgeries. CBS News received a well-deserved black eye, and long-time anchor Dan Rather, producer Mary Mapes and several others lost their jobs.

There is no need to review the technical evidence about the memos, except to note that 1970s-era typewriters lacked word processing features such as superscripts, kerning (adjusting the spaces between letters to improve readability), proportional spacing and mathematically centered titles. A detailed account of the scandal, which became famous as “RatherGate,” can be found here.

To many, the debunking of the 60 Minutes segment For the Record was a brilliantly effective exercise in free speech that prevented a slanted hit piece from influencing a national election. But to Mapes and Rather, it was a profound injustice that should never be allowed to happen again.

[KarlInOhio]

The film, titled Truth

More accurate in its original Russian: "Pravda".

[Mears]

I just read it.

I even remember where I was sitting when I read it originally—I had dial in service in those days so didn’t log on often.

I had a big grin and kept hoping that Buckhead was correct since I knew nothing about printing and spacing.

Those were the days,my FRiend,compared to the mess we are in today.

.

[Fightin Whitey]

The title is “Truth”!?

"Truth" is a misprint.

Film is actually being released under the eponym "Doof".

[Interesting Times]

(P.S.) Love your screen name! (Interesting Times)

Thanks. I've had it for more than 16 years now.

You can call me I.T.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Someone needs to rope CBS back in the loop on this story.
They perpetrated a fraud on the public. They should be asked if they still stand behind the story.

[Interesting Times]

More accurate in its original Russian: "Pravda".

"There is no truth in Pravda."

[Redleg Duke]

"All that we long-time FReepers want to know is who is going to play Buckhead?"

Bobcat Goldthwait?

[pabianice]

I love projects like this. Only Libtards will see it, and they vote Libtard anyway. Plus, it will lose money for its Libtard producers. A win-win for us.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

An old Rooskie commented one of the more difficult projects in their Communist government was guessing what version of recent history was going to be trotted out...

[Buckhead]

OK, the Pravda thing is pretty darn funny. Here's my advance review of this movie:

"There's no Pravda in Truth."

[Interesting Times]

Nice.

[CyberAnt]

This is just another “liberal privilege” assault upon the truth.

These people is why we can never give up or give in to their junk.

[Bratch]

[catnipman]

I already know I’m not going to see it. Ever.

[T-Bird45]

Have you decided who ought to play you? Have you been consulted as to the pajamas you were wearing when posting? LOL!!

[Interesting Times]

... and Trotsky:

[CrazyIvan]

Does it start with Dan washing out of the Marines?

[zot]

Excellent article! Thank you.

[zot]

Ping to an excellent article.

[Hot Tabasco]

Talk about weird, while in the shower this morning I was visualizing everything that occured here that day. I was witnessing history in the making..........

I felt like I was sitting in a lawn chair on the grassy knoll watching the Kennedy motorcade drive by........