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.

[Servant of the Cross]

Buckhead lives!

[reagandemocrat]

Maybe Gary Sinise can play Buckhead?

[potlatch]

Thanks for the ping I.T., good to 'see' you. I think we had more fun posting back then, I miss those days.

 

Blather-Gate

[Liberty Valance]

Me too. Those were heady times on FR.

[T-Bird45]

Maybe Gary Sinise can play Buckhead?

I like your thinking on that. What say you, Buckhead?

[Hot Tabasco]

In January 2005 at its Inaugural Ball in Washington, FreeRepublic.com named Harry xxxxxxxxxx—“Buckhead”—as the website’s “Poster of the Year.”

xxxxxxxxxx accepted with modesty, saying that others would surely have spotted the forgeries if he had not.

He walked away with a plaque that featured a gold-colored investigator’s badge.

On the badge were engraved the words “Pajama Patrol.”

I would go one step further and nominate Buckhead for a new award for excellence and most importantly, history changing.

How about a Millenium FReeRePulitizer Prize.........?

[M Kehoe]

“What’s the frequency Kenneth?”

5.56mm

[EDINVA]

Straining, aren’t they? Redford is so ‘70s. Never thought he was that great back then. Saw him at Forest Hills when the U.S. Open was held there. Just a tiny guy with bad skin.

[Mears]

” Never thought he was that great back then. “

—

I fell in love with Rowdy Yates in the 60s.

.

[Interesting Times]

Thanks for the ping I.T., good to 'see' you. I think we had more fun posting back then, I miss those days.

Same back your way...

[Fightin Whitey]

You are so right.

I was living farther out west a few years back when Washington State University actually awarded this lying scumbag an honorary doctorate for his valiant battle to bring the public the truth.

We are truly living out Orwell's "1984" if but 30 years late.

[catnipman]

Gosh, and Hollywood still can’t figure out why box office goes down each and every year.

[potlatch]

Thank you. ;)

[EDINVA]

Wasn’t that Clint?

[MEG33]

Tanker KC’s comment on style and format first had me hooked... Could it be true that these docs were forged?

I don’t know when I slept for days...I’ve been reading your article and the links and can still feel the excitement..

.When Buckhead came on with his comments about the font and spacing I can still feel the heart pounding and outrage that such a fraud had been broadcast as truth close to election day...by a major network.

The loss of sleep continued as I waited for Dan Rather to own up to it. I learned to never lose sleep waiting on truth from a partisan left leaning news commentator.

Thank heavens for FR and great posters!
This movie will be a FAIL IMO

[MEG33]

LOL..Perfect preview.

[MEG33]

Shifty LOL
Those were the days, my FRiend

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

The poster of the year was Buckhead AND TankerKC

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1318134/posts?page=157

[elcid1970]

Dan Rather is now 83, Robert Redford is now 78. Joan Crawford would be proud.

Redford is age spots flying in loose formation. His leftie politics are still in contrast to his affluent lifestyle.

[Delta Dawn]

Oh no...I don’t think you can say that name(cringing, awaiting the crashing of servers...)