Burkett's attorney David Van Os and Bill Clinton
Burkett's attorney David Van Os and James Carville
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1217544/posts
Posted on 09/15/2004 3:57:33 PM PDT by hobson
There are probably a lot of rat players in this forgery blogging which turned into something passed from Komrade Kerry's Kamp to CBS/60 Minutes after the other nets turned it down.
When you have a lot of players from different rat nests, the harder it becomes to control everyone from spilling the beans.
Mr sKerry. Sign the SF 180 and release YOUR records !!!
Thanks for the ping, Terilyn.
Cindy ---- one of FR's best researchers --- gets my ping.
Let's add some more fuel to the fire...
The New York Observer interviewed Rather and got this:
Mr. Rather said that he and his longtime CBS producer, Mary Mapes, had investigated the story for nearly five years, finally convincing a source to give them the National Guard documents. He did not reveal the name of the source, but Mr. Rather said he was a man who had been reluctant to come forth with them because he’d been harassed by political operatives. "Whether one believes it or not, this person believed that he and his family had been harassed and even threatened," he said. "We were not able to confirm that, but his fear was that what had already been threats, intimidation, if he gave up the documents, could get worse—maybe a lot worse."
See Dan Rather to Bush: ‘Answer the Questions’
To my knowledge, this is the only clue we've received as to Rather's source.
And, then, we already had this from USA Today:
USA TODAY obtained copies of the documents independently soon after the 60 Minutes segment aired Wednesday, from a person with knowledge of Texas Air National Guard operations. The person refused to be identified out of fear of retaliation. It is unclear where the documents, if they are real, had been kept in the intervening three decades.
See Memos debate eclipses content
Sounds like they could be the same person, doesn't it? Could be, but not necessarily.
In any event, I can think of two people who are known to be involved in this affair who would fit the description: Bill Burkett and James Moore.
Separately, Rather has also described his source as "unimpeachable". In my opinion, this description is unlikely to be affixed to somebody as unstable as Burkett -- even by one as partisan as Gunga Dan.
Ergo, James C. Moore, move to the front of the line...
I'd wager both Moore and Burkett are involved, at some level. But there is still more to this chain-of-custody:
Creator - unknown hands (probably including Burkett and Moore)-the DNC - Kerry campaign - unknown hands (likely including Moore) - Mary Mapes - Dan Rather.
You're welcome. Thanks for passing it on!
Wow, hobson, thanks. Very interesting. Sounds like Jim and [Mikey Moore (related ? )] need to get a life.
Good work! Nice job on tying it all together.
BTTT
PING
Ok, after rereading my post I am completely horrified. My punctuation and grammer is, to say the least, lacking. I'll do better next time. :(
bump to read tomorrow
Thanks for the ping!
This is more than a 2 cents opinion.
Thanks for all this research Hobson.
Thanks for the ping Liz.
I posted this on another thread about two minutes agao, then saw this one:
Here's another connection we might ant to consider.
The author mentioned, James Moore, is a staunch defender of Burkett who has met him many times, and you can read all about it at the Rat site Buzzflash.
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/02/con04070.html
In a second Buzzflash interview, Moore says:
As somebody who's tried to do these things for major broadcasting outlets and networks, I know how difficult that is. When the White House says they aren't answering questions, they aren't answering questions. And if you can't get to documents with independent sources, it's very hard to write these stories. I know of one national publication right now that has at least one source that has damning information about George W. Bush and the National Guard, and they can't write the story because they cannot get a second document or a second source on it. And it would have a huge impact on this campaign. So a lot of people actually are trying.
The interview is here: http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=16829
Moore also says nice things about USA Today reporter Dave Moniz:
"Dave Moniz at USA Today, who is consistently pursuing this story.
Well guess where the other set of forgeries turned up? At the newspaper of Moore's pal Moniz.
Here's the as -yet-uncomfirmed truth of the matter (IMHO): Moore has spent hours listening to Burkett spew his tales. He has a lot of genuine documents, names and dates with which to concoct forgeries. He does. He feeds them to producer Mapes, who is also popping in and out of Burkett's nuthouse, and to whom he obliquely refers by saying that "he's tried to do these things for major broadcasting outlets."
Now, less concrete but definitely possible: Moore's Dem contacts in Texas let head office know sensational evidence is at hand. CBS is now getting this from both sides -- via Mapes and through the quiet word from Kerry's camp. So of course they believe it.
I like to do a little bit of handicapping at the track, and this is a proposition I'd be happy to put money on.
Thank Kiss. I think a lot of questions people are asking are answered in this thread.
Read later bump
bump
Perhaps there was a shorter waiting list for a Guard position in which 1 in 30 pilots died in training accidents. Doesnt look like a good bet if your goal is to avoid danger.
I wouldn't worry so much about the punctuation. It's a great piece!
Ironic this James Moore guy is from Flint, Michigan. It's a small world after all.
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