Posted on 09/09/2004 4:30:03 PM PDT by Mike Fieschko
DOCUMENTS CITED Wednesday by 60 Minutes in a widely-publicized expose of George W. Bush's National Guard Service are very likely forgeries, according to several experts on document authenticity and typography. The documents--four memos from Killian to himself or his files written in 1972 and 1973--appear to indicate that Bush refused or ignored orders to have a physical exam required to continue flying. CBS News anchor Dan Rather reported the segment and sourced the documents this way: "60 Minutes has obtained a number of documents we are told were taken from Col. Killian's personal file," he said. The 60 Minutes story served as the basis for follow-up news reports for dozens of news organizations across the country. The memos were almost immediately questioned in the blog world, with blog Power Line leading the charge.
And according to several forensic document experts contacted by THE WEEKLY STANDARD say the Killian memos appear to be forgeries. Although it is nearly impossible to establish with certainty the authenticity of documents without a careful examination of the originals, several irregularities in the Killian memos suggest that CBS may have been the victim of a hoax.
"These sure look like forgeries," says William Flynn, a forensic document expert widely considered the nation's top analyst of computer-generated documents. Flynn looked at copies of the documents posted on the CBS News website (here, here, here, and here). Flynn says, "I would say it looks very likely that these documents could not have existed" in the early 1970s, when they were allegedly written.
Several other experts agree. "They look mighty suspicious," says a veteran forensic document expert who asked not to be quoted by name. Richard Polt, a Xavier University philosophy professor who operates a website dedicated to typewriters, says that while he is not an expert on typesetting, the documents "look like typical word-processed documents."
Tell it to the President of CBS News, Andrew Heyward.
Andrew Heyward -- CBS News
Title: President
Department: Headquarters
Phone: (212) 975-4321
Fax: (212) 975-1893
Address: 524 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019
FAX him. Load his desk tomorrow morning. My FAX is already there.
I basically asked him if he was satisfied having his reputation dependent on Dan Rather and the folks at 60 Minutes.
CBS is still pushing the story. They rehashed the story on this evening's news, AFTER it was obvious the documents were forged.
This is more than a hoax, this is CBS' Watergate.
Yep it's still a feature story on their website... how long before someone on CBS staff has the sense to type in their browser "drudgereport.com"
What are you smoken"
If they had that much sense, the rat would have already jumped off the sinking ship that is CBiaS News.
"Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, get down on your knees right now and thank God for TALK RADIO and the INTERNET."
Today I stood awestruck by the power of the New Media. I have never seen it in motion before. It is truly the power of the people. No longer does the Old Media have control over what we hear like they used to, like Pravda/Izvestia used to do. Secrets are outed and spread over the world immediately through the internet. The power of word-of-mouth through the New Media is undeniable.
Yesterday, what started out in the blogosphere, spread out to the New Media and forced Old Media to deal with the potential TANG forged documents. What I saw from this morning was:
FreePress postings -> Littlegreenfootballs -> Powerline -> Hannity & Colmes -> Rush Limbaugh -> Drudge -> Fox News -> ABC News -> Washington Times/UPI -> Weekly Standard --> all pressuring CBS News to respond!!!
It was incredible to watch. Obviously the power of the New Media is growing and that of the Old Media is waning. I just never realized how much the balance of power had shifted between them. New Media rules!
Is a $25 bill with a portrait of President Dewey a forgery?
They were the victims of a self-inflicted hoax.
Now why does that bring to mind the phrase "it ain't just a river in Egypt?
I emailed Mr. Hayes earlier tonight to say that CBS was not the victim of a hoax, CBS was the perpetrator of a hoax.
I have to admit, had some thoughts along those lines.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.