There is so much information OUT THERE, I decided to put up the OFFICIAL version, rather than let bloggers misconstrue what actually happened.
I put this thread up for the 60 Minutes show.
Live Thread: Ben Barnes and CBS Attempt Another Bush Smear (60 Minutes) at 7:39:18 PM EDT.
At 8:19:00 PM EDT TankerKC posted this:
They are not in the style that we used when I came in to the USAF. They looked like the style and format we started using about 12 years ago (1992). Our signature blocks were left justified, now they are rigth of center...like the ones they just showed.
Can we get a copy of those memos?
Can some of you guys in the later time zones WATCH this interview and get a GOOD LOOK at those docuemtns.....how they were typed, where the signature was.....that kind of thing?
A screen grab would be great!
Who else does screen captures?
That thread continued along for a bit with people commenting on the documents and the show.
Then CBS put the documents up on their web site:
HERE THEY ARE:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/08/60II/main641984.shtml
Scroll down on the left!!!!!!
Then Pikamax put up this thread:
Documents Suggest Special Treatment for Bush in Guard
To which Buckhead posted the shot heard round the world:
Howlin, every single one of these memos to file is in a proportionally spaced font, probably Palatino or Times New Roman.
In 1972 people used typewriters for this sort of thing, and typewriters used monospaced fonts.
The use of proportionally spaced fonts did not come into common use for office memos until the introduction of laser printers, word processing software, and personal computers. They were not widespread until the mid to late 90's. Before then, you needed typesetting equipment, and that wasn't used for personal memos to file. Even the Wang systems that were dominant in the mid 80's used monospaced fonts.
I am saying these documents are forgeries, run through a copier for 15 generations to make them look old.
This should be pursued aggressively.
After all the questions that arose from everybody on the forum, I put this thread up:
THE "New" CBS BUSH DOCUMENTS: Let's do some investigating
As Buckhead said on another thread, many, many Freepers were involved.
Thanks for that official timeline, Howlin. Excellent work as usual! (Wow, you're fast!)
Here is what I have compiled based on everyone's help:
(times in EDT)
09/08/2004:
Live 60 Minutes thread ('Howlin'):
07:39p http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210516/posts
Validity questioned due to formatting by 'TankerKC'
08:19p http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210516/posts?page=107#107
Suggestion to check a gov typewriter of the era by 'Texasforever'
08:24p http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210516/posts?page=131#131
Validity questioned due to "they were typed" by 'armybratproud'
08:27p http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210516/posts?page=148#148
'Howlin' asks for help to get a better look
08:44p http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210516/posts?page=197#197
Documents posted to CBS website
10:30p http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/08/60II/main641984.shtml
NYT article thread started by 'Pikamax'
11:10p http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210662/posts
First post questioning documents due to type/font by 'buckhead'
11:59p http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210662/posts?page=47#47
09/09/2004:
Offical "Documents" thread created
12:16a http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210702/posts
Powerline provides an extensive analysis
07:51a http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/007760.php
Thread referencing Powerline on FR
09:42a http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210946/posts
The story you have just read is true.
The names were not changed to expose the guilty.
On Tuesday, November 2nd, an election was held in the country of the United States. In a moment, the results of that election.
President George W. Bush was re-elected for a second four-year term.
Senator John F, Kerry, defeated in his bid for the Presidency, is still a useless Senator from Massachusetts whose wife has recently dropped his last name.
Anchor Dan Rather-Biased has retired from CBS News.
Producer Mary Mapes was fired from CBS and has written a whiny book that makes the prose of Maureen Dowd look mature and refined -- not to mention less bitter.
CBS News continues to spread distortions, lies and propaganda from coast to coast, albeit with a reduced audience and even less political relevence.
Jim Robinson and Free Republic STILL RULE!!