Posted on 07/23/2003 5:56:10 AM PDT by fight_truth_decay
John Denvers lyrics nearly moved Dan Rather to tears. Shortly after ex-POW Jessica Lynch addressed the media inside a tent in Wirt County, West Virginia, a homecoming covered live by all the networks on Tuesday afternoon, Rather displayed both his middle American, homespun patriotic values of paying tribute to those felled in war as well as the goofiness and excessive emotionalism which fuels ridicule of him.
At about 2:50pm EDT, Rather reminded his viewers that, in the incident in which Lynch landed in enemy hands, eleven U.S. soldiers were killed, and so he asked that viewers pause for a moment to absorb that and to remember them.
But then he overshadowed his tribute by choking up as he read lines from a John Denver song. Almost heaven West Virginia. Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River, Rather recited as his voice choked. Then he barely got out these words as his voice broke up, his eyes teared-up and his lips quivered: And today those country roads took PFC Jessica Lynch home."
Hey, she didnt die. Shes alive, yet Rather was very near all-out weeping.
A complete rundown of Rathers words when he wrapped up the July 22 CBS News Special Report from the anchor desk Manhattan, as taken down by MRC analyst Brian Boyd: "Two things we want to do quickly before returning you to our regular programming. One is to emphasize, as we mentioned coming on, that at the time Jessica Lynch was taken prisoner along with five other U.S. soldiers, eleven U.S. soldiers were killed. Pause for a moment to absorb that and to remember them.
After two seconds, Rather continued: And then while keeping in mind that Jessica Lynch said that she was quote, 'glad to be home' today and one can believe it, come to mind the songs, the song written by John Denver, 'Take Me Home Country Roads.
He began to choke up as he recited these lyrics, but recovered by the end: Goes: 'Almost heaven West Virginia. Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River, life is old there, older than the trees, younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze. Country roads, take me home.'
But then he experienced a relapse, barely getting these words out as his voice broke up, wetness appeared in his eyes and his lips quivered: And today those country roads took PFC Jessica Lynch home."
This is a fresh Rather moment which is sure to become a classic, and so on Wednesday morning the MRCs Tim Jones and Mez Djouadi will post a RealPlayer clip of the sequence laid out above. Check the posted version of this CyberAlert for the video.
CBS news chief stumped by newscast ratings dip
By LYNN ELBER
AP Television Writer
Wednesday, July 23
LOS ANGELES --
Network executives are trying to figure out why so few people are tuning in to the CBS Evening News.
CBS News President Andrew Heyward told a Monday meeting of the Television Critics Association that he's at a loss to say why the broadcast anchored by veteran newsman Dan Rather attracted its smallest average audience in at least 10 years earlier this month.
See: Story
Check the posted version of this CyberAlert for the video.
The video is not up yet as of this posting..check back.
Given his penchant for this kind of crap, he only succeeds in cheapening the moment.
But, I can think of a song for Dan that is probably more appropriate.
"Hit the road, Jack...and don'tcha come back no more, no more, no more...Hit the road, Jack"
Even when just wanting to hear the news, people are subliminally affected by the enthusiasm or lack thereof. While the Fox set seems like a party, the lib media sets are funereal.
No doubt. I wonder if it's possible to choke to death on smarminess.
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