Posted on 09/14/2004 7:10:44 AM PDT by Valin
NEW YORK (Talon News) -- Amid growing and non-wavering speculation by forensic experts and military sources alike that the memos obtained by CBS News's "60 Minutes II" are forgeries, both CBS and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) web sites continue to defend their increasingly challenged position.
The memos in question attempt to display President George W. Bush as a National Guard member who used his political influence and did not meet the Guard's requirements. However, the documents, attributed to Bush's former commander, Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, have been disputed by, among others, Killian's family members and retired National Guard Maj. Gen. Bobby W. Hodges.
CBS continues to attempt to justify Hodge's position.
"We believed General Hodges the first time we spoke with him," CBS said.
What they fail to state is that they told Hodges originally that the documents were handwritten and that Hodges never had the opportunity to review them in person. Hodges has since changed his view concerning the validity of the documents.
Killian's widow and son Gary have told reporters that the deceased National Guard commander would never have written these memos. Gary Killian, who served in the Guard with his father and retired in 1991 as a captain, said he questioned the fact that his father would have written an unsigned memo which stated there was pressure to "sugar coat" a performance review.
"It just wouldn't happen," said the younger Killian. "No officer in his right mind would write a memo like that."
Mrs. Killian has challenged the authenticity of the CBS documents, saying her husband did not know how to type.
"60 Minutes" producers also told the younger Killian that they did not include any accounts of an interview with Bush's former roommate in their report because they "think he is pretty pro-Bush."
The Dallas Morning News also contradicts the CBS and the DNC web sites. Walter B. Staudt, the former commander of the Texas Guard, was the officer named in a memo as exerting pressure to "sugar coat" Bush's record. The News points out that Staudt left the Texas Air National Guard 18 months before the memo was dated.
The personnel chief in Killian's unit at the time also said he believes the documents are bogus.
"They looked to me like forgeries," said Rufus Martin. "I don't think Killian would do that, and I knew him for 17 years."
The second portion of "60 Minutes II" featured allegations against Bush from former Texas Lt. Gov. and former speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Ben Barnes. This was discredited later when his daughter, Amy, told a Texas radio station that her father was a "liar" who had changed his story to sell a book.
A full-court continuance of last week's slam on Bush by the DNC is a coordinated nationwide effort this week that the DNC has code-named "Operation Fortunate Son."
Under the heading "Bush Lied," the DNC web site uses only a CBS transcript of Barnes to claim that Bush received preferential treatment.
CBS, on Friday, stated that the "60 Minutes" team had thoroughly authenticated the documents. Nowhere on their site is the statement from the New York Post that their lone expert, Marcel Matley, "is primarily a handwriting expert whose expertise in document evaluation has been challenged by the head of the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners".
Additionally, the document in question was a photocopy, not an original, something Matley himself once said precluded any conclusive authentication.
CBS attempts to continue their marginal defense with a report from the Pro-John Kerry Boston Globe. Philip Bouffard, a "document expert" said he now believes the documents "could have been prepared on an IBM Selectric Composer typewriter available at the time."
The DNC refers to the CBS "60 Minutes II" report under fire vaguely as "new military documents" in attempts to "show that Bush disobeyed a direct order from his commander."
In a statement Friday, CBS said it stands by its overall story.
"This report was not based solely on recovered documents, but rather on a preponderance of evidence, including documents that were provided by unimpeachable sources, interviews with former Texas National Guard officials and individuals who worked closely back in the early 1970s with Colonel Jerry Killian and were well acquainted with his procedures, his character and his thinking," the statement read.
"In addition, the documents are backed up not only by independent handwriting and forensic document experts but by sources familiar with their content," the statement continued. "Contrary to some rumors, no internal investigation is underway at CBS News nor is one planned."
Independent document examiner Sandra Ramsey Lines said the memos looked like they had been produced on a computer using Microsoft Word software, a computer program that did not exist while Bush was in the Guard. Lines is a document expert and fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. She noted that the superscript -- a smaller, raised "th" in "111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron" -- is strong evidence indicating the forgery.
Microsoft Word automatically inserts superscripts in the same style (font) as the two on the memos obtained by CBS, she said.
"I'm virtually certain these were computer generated," Lines said after reviewing copies of the documents. She has produced a nearly identical document using her computer's Microsoft Word software.
Copyright © 2004 Talon News -- All rights reserved.
Rather is targeting Kerry.
It's somewhat confusing here, since CBS and DNC are virtually the same organization.
I want Rather to continue to defend the memos. It gives the story legs. The entire thing cancels out the big DNC campaign to attack Bush on his service in the National Guard. No one is going to believe anything about it now.
my momma always said... If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.......
c bs has fallen and stands for nothing. d n c stands for something and falls for everything.
The DNC and CBS line up to drink the purple Kool-Aid...
I believe the papers are forgeries, but I also believe the DNC boys will come forward with a 1960s era typewriter with the "th" on one key. Let's keep the pressure on all fronts, not just the "th".
It's somewhat confusing here, since CBS and DNC are virtually the same organization.
No need to impune the reputations of Pedophilic Priests any further.
Oh, yes. Go, Dan, Go! Keep this rigid defense going for as long as you can. By golly, you should shout it to the heavens, for as long as the rest of the MSM will give this story legs. On Nov. 3rd, you can shut the hell up about it, and just concentrate on the "Bush landslide" news. Hah! I'm loving it.
You don't understand. The only thing stopping this from destroying the DNC (since they probably had some hand in disseminating this) is Rather's stonewalling. The minute he concedes the fraud, is the minute the informer is revealed.
Pressure should be applied until he folds.
...will be the albatross around their respective necks....
I hope they continue to choose to 'wear it' for a while yet...
These lie-mongers deserve no better
have a nice day
Failed smear attempt. CBS tried to swing a U.S. Presidential election with the help of the DNC and Kerry campaign and got caught... The American people deserve a full accounting... Bring in the FBI...
Make that - DNCBS!
They will stand with those claims and they will die them.
Showing the machine existed is not proof that these "documents" were produced on such a machine unless Killian had access to the machine.
Dan...DON'T BACK DOWN!!! He has done more for OUR side that anyone!!
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