Posted on 09/09/2004 2:45:04 PM PDT by hispanarepublicana
Amid questions raised on Internet weblogs about the authenticity of National Guard documents potentially damaging to President Bush, CBS News told WorldNetDaily it stands by its claims.
Spokeswoman Kelli Edwards said she was aware of the charge that the documents, purportedly produced in 1972 and 1973, appear to have been forged with a modern word processor.
"As is standard practice at CBS News, each of the documents broadcast on '60 Minutes' was thoroughly investigated by independent experts, and we are convinced of their authenticity," said Edwards.
Edwards refused to comment further, referring back to her statement as the final word.
Later, however, she sent an e-mail to WND, adding, "CBS verified the authenticity of the documents by talking to individuals who had seen the documents at the time they were written. These individuals were close associates of [Bush commander] Colonel Jerry Killian and confirm that the documents reflect his opinions at the time the documents were written."
A White House spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
CBS News has a copy of a memo here in pdf format.
Among the assertions "60 Minutes II" derived from the documents were that Bush's Texas Air National Guard squadron commander, Col. Killian, was pressed to embellish a performance evaluation and that Bush did not follow an order to report for a physical.
OMG.....OMG......this just keeps getting better and better!
This flies in the face of what is on their OWN web site!
They said on the show that they had a handwriting expert look at them!!!
It appears UPI has it. That's the first MSM sighting!
Has anyone mirrored this particular piece of web history? I don't know how, so someone get on it, stat!
Oh yeah, RIGHT, like they remember this particular event from long ago...!
Yep. Who are the folks who produced the docs? Are they Killian relatives???? Who are Killian's heirs?????
Later, however, she sent an e-mail to WND, adding, "CBS verified the authenticity of the documents by talking to individuals who had seen the documents at the time they were written. These individuals were close associates of [Bush commander] Colonel Jerry Killian and confirm that the documents reflect his opinions at the time the documents were written."
I highly doubt they found anybody who was there when the LtCol wrote these. Having spent a good amount of time in the military and having spent time as an assistant to a commander never once did I sit and watch a commander type a report nor could I remember any document given to me to file or deliver on its specifics about anybody. That is a very damaging lie to there credibility.
What is this? This guy they had on last night NEVER said he SAW those documents before; he only said that they looked like something Killian would have done!
They did NOT authenticate these documents!
"These individuals were close associates of [Bush commander] Colonel Jerry Killian and confirm that the documents reflect his opinions at the time the documents were written."
Then why not show us these live witnesses? Why use static shots of questionable letters if you had flesh-and-blood witnesses who were there and could attest to the colonel's righteous moral outrage? Why, Dan...why?
This was either wishful thinking on Rather's part or he was in on the fraud from the beginning. This is unbelievable, why are they so intent on destroying their reputations for Kerry? That is the question that should frighten everyone.
Agreed.
That final email is NOT a declaration that the released documents are authentic originals.
Parse it out...It's a classic non-denial denial.
Even Ben Bradlee could spot that one.
No, these first three are false they did exist the were just very scarce. Not all typewriters had them.
It's about time. SEEBS gets it's a kicked.
"Some portions of our broadcast have been staged, but portray authenticated fact."
Communist Broadcasting System.
These propagandists need to be brought down hard!
Would like to see that typewriter. Wonder if it is the one Kerry used to adjust his medals.
Why didn't CBS put these individuals on camera?
So was CBS lying when it said that it had experts look at the documents??????????
AND....give me a break.......30 years ago, a bunch of witnesses were standing around watching the memos being typed...... and this was what..seared...seared into their memories??......LOL
AND, this important moment in all of their lives only came up again when Bush was climbing in the polls?????? So then they do what...start frantically going through the attic looking at the dead guys old paper work?? These people are a joke!
If they talked to somebody who SAW the documents when they were written, why didn't they put THEM on the air???
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