Posted on 09/11/2004 5:22:19 AM PDT by Isara
Media: When memos "surfaced" from President Bush's commander in the Texas Air National Guard questioning Bush's commitment to serve, CBS' Dan Rather was all too ready to bite.
Now it appears the memos are going to bite back. They might just be fake. It all goes back to Wednesday, when CBS' "60 Minutes" aired a segment by its star anchor, Dan Rather, that cited memos from the files of Bush's commander, Lt. Col. Jerry Killian.
According to the memos, Bush didn't want to take a physical, and Killian was urged to "sugarcoat" Bush's military evaluations.
Killian died in 1984. His widow, Marjorie, says the memos don't sound at all like her late husband. In fact, she says, he didn't keep much in the way of files. What he did keep tended to be handwritten, she says.
Besides, she adds, her husband thought the young Bush was "an excellent aviator." Why, then, would he write such a memo?
OK, maybe you don't think a widow is a credible witness. How about a half-dozen document experts? Are they credible?
That's how many experts ABC News assembled to inspect CBS' memos. The experts concluded the memos look like forgeries.
Among the evidence: The memos were written in a typeface typewriters of the early '70s didn't have. The apostrophes were curly — again, not found on '70s typewriters. Numbers with superscripts — the "th" in 187th — are common in today's word processing, but rare in typewriting.
Hmmmm. Could it be that CBS and Rather wanted to take Bush down a peg — especially given the questions about John Kerry's Vietnam service raised by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth?
And could it be that CBS and Rather let their well-documented political leanings overrule their journalistic sense? Have they become just another hack voice in the political game?
Sadly, the answer seems to be yes. CBS' bias made it vulnerable to a hoax that fit nicely with the network's left-leaning culture.
Yet despite the evidence, Rather doesn't sound contrite — or even worried — about either the validity of the documents or CBS' credibility. "I know that this story is true," he said. "I believe that the witnesses and documents are authentic."
For its part, CBS says it won't look further into the memo's authenticity. "Contrary to some rumors, no internal investigation is under way at CBS News, nor is one planned. We have complete confidence in our reporting and will continue to pursue the story."
Given the mounting evidence, it sounds like a stonewall to us.
Journalists need to own up to their mistakes publicly — and not on page A32, near the truss ads, or on Saturday evening newscasts, when few people are watching.
It now appears CBS made a grievous mistake or knowingly relayed false information. If so, what credibility does it have left? Even an on-air correction won't undo the damage.
CBS would go a lot further in restoring its credibility if it at least checked into the source and authenticity of the memos.
If it's shown that Democrats or the Kerry campaign are the source — as suggested by comments to the American Spectator by an unnamed Kerry staffer — CBS better say so.
If the documents prove to be forgeries, resignations from Rather and CBS News President Andrew Heyward would be in order — along with a sweeping review of ethical practices at a once-proud news organization.
Rather blew in with hurricane Carla and it would be fitting he go out with Ivan.
In a word, "No."
You were the one still watching Rather? ;)
In the Military, it isn't a physical exam, it is a medical exam.
I would think that the Killians prior to 1984 would have hardly mentioned the name "George W. Bush" other than to note that Killian was commanding officer over Lt. Bush, then the son of the vice president. It is to me somewhat surprising that Lt. Bush would have been discussed in that family.
Is there any evidence that Killian in 1980 voted for the Reagan-Bush ticket, or did he go for Carter-Mondale?
I cannot watch Rather anymore. Goodbye CBS!
It looks like HE is the one who have not had a physical, and he certainly need one. If he got one he would probably be armed with a straight jacked and sent to rubberized secured room!!!
AUSTIN, Texas - (KRT) - The man named in a disputed memo as exerting pressure to "sugar coat" President Bush's military record left the Texas Air National Guard a year and a half before the memo was supposedly written, his own service record shows.
And the daughter of the man with the name Barnes, says she love him as her father, but he's a liar for political gain and promote his book!!!
Also the General that they are CBS is mentioning says that CBS lied to him when they told him they had "handwritten memos", adn that he thinks the memos's are fake.
HODGES SAID HE WAS MISLED BY CBS: Retired Maj. General Hodges, Killian's supervisor at the Grd, tells ABC News that he feels CBS misled him about the documents they uncovered. According to Hodges, CBS told him the documents were "handwritten" and after CBS read him excerpts he said, "well if he wrote them that's what he felt."
Hodges also said he did not see the documents in the 70's and he cannot authenticate the documents or the contents. His personal belief is that the documents have been "computer generated" and are a "fraud".
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1213049/posts
Better late than never, MrMarbles.
You intend to remain with nbc, abc & cnn still?
Dump 'em all, Marbles. Hit them where it hurts- disconnect them. Kick them out of your home and wallet.
It's easy.
AC
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.