Posted on 09/26/2007 1:21:12 PM PDT by Roberts
Former "Evening News" Dan Rather choked back tears on several occasions today when discussing his decision to file a lawsuit against CBS and he left many audience members with a sense that he may call President George W. Bush as a witness should the lawsuit proceed to trial (and Rather said he hoped it would).
When asked by Carol Joynt, host of the "Q&A Café" held at Nathans restaurant who worked with Rather at CBS in the 1970s, whether "he'd like to" call President Bush as a witness in the trial, Rather said "I'd like not to answer the question," leaving both Joynt and audience members wondering whether the newsman has Bush in his sights." Joynt later told Yeas & Nays, "From the look in his eye -- and he gave me a definite Ratheresque look -- I got the impression he will call the president as a witness. Possibly both of them: 41 and 43. He implied the suit is not against them, but what the suit is about stems directly from his antagonistic relationship with them."
In the lawsuit, Rather claims he was unjustifiably squeezed out of CBS by network executives following a 2004 story about President Bush’s service record in the Texas Air National Guard. After evidence emerged that the story’s primary documents were possibly faked or forged, Rather stated on air that “if I knew then what I know now, I would not have gone ahead with the story as it was aired, and I certainly would not have used the documents in question.”
Joynt asked Rather if he believes the president hates him, and Rather responded by saying that "hate is a strong word." Then, he began to well up. "You've never met anybody who had more respect for the presidency than I do," said Rather, choking back tears. He stood by his 2004 story, saying "we got the truth, but we left ourselves vulnerable."
Rather also grew emotional when he revealed that many of his family members and "people who love me very dearly" had urged him not to file the lawsuit. He ultimately rejected their advice, comparing it to difficult decisions he's made in the past about traveling to travel to war zones over his family's objections. There comes a time, Rather said, when you have to say "it's just time to go." Rather later admitted that "I'm not in this -- mostly -- with anybody else."
More than a few eyebrows were raised when Rather said, "I have no complaints, news is a contact sport." Joynt quickly interjected, "Yeah but so are lawsuits." Still, Rather insisted that his lawsuit is not born out of resentment: "I'm not angry, I'm not bitter -- never have been. I'm a reporter … and this is a story." He denounced the "interference, intimidation and manipulation in newsrooms" caused largely by the corporatization and consolidation of news outlets and said that, despite the largely negative response his lawsuit has received in the court of public opinion, "people might come around when they find out what really went on."
The self important are out of control.
Congressman Billybob
It is stupid to put your right hand into a buzzsaw. It is sad to put your left hand in as well. It is pathetic to put your left hand in and expect a different result. Eight million fake, trumped up non-scandals thrown at Bush, and THIS bloated chimeria is what you drag up on the beach and say, “so there!”? Get a grip, Dan! Go home!
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If I had to guess, I would guess that President Bush feels nothing but pity for Dan Rather, mixed with a slight amount of wariness, perhaps.
OTOH, I would have to conclude, based on his actions, that Dan Rather certainly hates President Bush. He claims to have respect for the Presidency, but I would bet that respect does not extend to this particular President.
Frightening that we have allowed these “news” people to rule us for the last 40 years.
And still do.
Not bad...but did he bite his lip?
Only after he spotted a camera.
Sigh. That's a lie.
The man is truly having a breakdown, I do believe.
I suspect the same. He seems extremely paranoid.
I suspect the same. He seems extremely paranoid.
Fading from news cycle again...must...get...back...in the headlines...somehow.
Either that it’s that time of the month for Dan.
What Dan repeatedly fails to get is that he proferred FORGED documents as proof of a story, and THAT’s what got him “moved aside.” Even if the story is true, the whole “fake but accurate” argument, it does not excuse the use of forged military documents to prove the point.
Basic tenet of law: he who offers the documents as proof as the obligation to authenticate them. It is not up to anyone to prove the documents were forged — it is up to Rather to prove that they are authentic - which Rather CANNOT do. If this was a trial and an attorney had offered up such evidence, he’d probably be disbarred when it came to light, since it is akin to subornation of perjury.
Ah, he's threatening to "tell all" about how he and CBS created fake stories, fake "facts", and generally omitted inconvenient stories, facts, and truths for decades?
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