If it's a democRAT I doubt it, if it's a Republican you can almost bank on it.
Posted on 09/13/2004 6:12:09 AM PDT by ConservativeMajority
WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- Mary Mapes, a Dallas-based producer for CBS, has been identified by Talon News sources as the person who obtained the documents that suggest President George W. Bush did not fulfill his National Guard obligations 30 years ago. The documents, which have been judged to be forgeries by many news services and forensics experts, are at the center of a scandal that threatens the credibility of the network.
Late Friday, CBS spokesperson Kelli Edwards confirmed to Talon News that it was Mapes that obtained the documents but refused to comment on the questions surrounding their authenticity. Mapes did not respond to Talon News requests for comment.
During Friday's network news broadcast, anchor Dan Rather defended the four pages he claims were written by Bush's superior officer at the Texas Air Guard, Lt. Colonel Jerry Killian. Rather talked with handwriting expert Marcel Matley who said that on the basis of his analysis of the signatures, he is pronouncing the documents to be authentic. Not all of the pages carry Killian's signature.
Two others were interviewed for the segment. Robert Strong, an administrative officer for the Texas Air Guard during the Vietnam era, who vouched for the documents.
Author James Moore, a Bush antagonist, said, "They are absolutely consistent with the records as I know it."
Rather dismissed his critics, saying, "Today, on the Internet and elsewhere, some people -- including many who are partisan political operatives -- concentrated not on the key questions the overall story raised but on the documents that were part of the support of the story."
But glaring omissions marred Rather piece. On Friday, Killian's son Gary told nationally syndicated talk-show host Sean Hannity that Mary Mapes had contacted him before CBS ran the story. He said that he warned her that the documents might be forgeries.
Following the broadcast, Talon News asked Edwards why Killian's son and wife weren't mentioned during the broadcast.
She said, "I'm not going to debate every aspect of the story. We stand by the piece."
Killian's widow, Marjorie Connell, told ABC Radio News, "The wording in these documents is very suspect to me. ... I just can't believe these are his words."
Connell said that her late husband would be "turning over in his grave to know that a document such as this would be used against a fellow Guardsman," and she is "sick" and "angry" that his name is "being battled back and forth on television."
Connell said that her late husband was a fan of the young Bush.
She stated, "I know for a fact that this young man ... was an excellent aviator, an excellent person to be in the Guard, and he was very happy to have him become a member of the 111th."
Rufus Martin, the personnel chief in Killian's unit at the time told CNN, "They looked to me like forgeries. ... I don't think Killian would do that, and I knew him for 17 years."
Retired Maj. General Hodges, Killian's supervisor, told ABC News that he feels CBS misled him about the documents they uncovered. He said that 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 believes the documents are frauds.
Doubts were being openly debated on rival networks. ABC News reported that they contacted more than a half dozen document experts who said they had doubts about the memos' authenticity.
Bill Flynn, one of country's top authorities on document authentication, told ABC, "These documents do not appear to have been the result of technology that was available in 1972 and 1973."
He continued, "The cumulative evidence that's available ... indicates that these documents were produced on a computer, not a typewriter."
CNN contacted independent document examiner Sandra Ramsey Lines who said the memos looked like they had been produced on a computer using Microsoft Word software. Lines is a document expert and fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. She pointed to a superscript -- a smaller, raised "th" in "111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron" -- as evidence indicating forgery.
After reviewing copies of the documents at her office in Paradise Valley, Arizona, Line said, "I'm virtually certain these were computer generated."
One expert counts at least 50 points that suggest the documents are forgeries.
The White House is remaining neutral on the documents' authenticity.
Press Secretary Scott McClellan said Friday, "We don't know whether the documents were fabricated or are authentic. The media has talked to independent experts who have raised questions about the documents."
He pointed out that CBS has not disclosed the source of the documents.
Newsweek is suggesting that Mapes received the documents from Bill Burkett, who it describes as a disgruntled former Guard officer. The magazine reports that Mapes flew to Texas to interview him.
If the documents are proven to be forgeries, the scandal would go to the highest level of CBS news. Talon News sources say that Jim Murphy, Executive Producer of the CBS Evening News, approves virtually every word that goes on the air. "60 Minutes II" Executive Producer Jeffrey Fager would also be on the endangered list, since his show originated the document story.
But more likely it would be Mapes who would take the fall along with Janet Leissner, the Washington Bureau Chief for CBS News. Leissner orchestrated the interview with White House communications director Dan Bartlett during which he was confronted with the suspect documents. Dan Rather was originally scheduled to do the interview, but White House correspondent John Roberts was substituted at the last minute for an unknown reason.
Mapes is no stranger to controversy as she also obtained the photographs of inmate abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The source of the photographs as well as the documents now in question has never been revealed.
In 1999 Mapes was threatened with imprisonment if she failed to turn over the transcript of an interview that Dan Rather conducted with the third defendant being tried for murder in the dragging death of James Byrd, Jr. in Jasper, Texas. CBS ultimately complied with the court's demand for the information.
Copyright © 2004 Talon News -- All rights reserved.
This thing is already 'bigger' than Dan Rather. That's why his departure will be described as a 'retirement', and it will happen a couple of months after the inauguration when they can plausibly deny that it had anything to do with these forgeries.
CBS and Kerry have much in common.
I think a little indictment (for forgery) of Democrat operative Mary Mapes might make her say where she got the documents if indeed she is not herself the forger. Can you imagine the big-gun trial lawyers the DNC would put at their girl's disposal?
What surprises me is the stupidity of the hoaxers.
Nobody is perfect, but the number of errors in their hoax is astonishing.
I wondered why they made so many mistakes, too, but it's understandable if the person(s) executing this fiasco turn out to be under the age of 30 or 35. Technology has changed so much in the past 40 years that it's really difficult for younger people to grasp exactly how much. They have a poor historical sense anyway. It really doesn't surprise me. And an older person trying to perpetuate such a hoax probably doesn't know much about the ins and outs of .pdf and Microsoft Word.
I am NOT a conspiracy nut--but I have never trusted Walter Cronkhite after I found out how he undermined the war effort in Vietnam after the Tet Offensive. And now we find out that the same person who brought us the "scandal" of Abu Grahib may be responsible for "memo-gate?" Just what is CBiaS up to?
Then it's up to the bloggers and Drudge to shred their ranks.
"We should be talking about the economy."
Yeah, right. But we're not obliged to address their issues, when they've just proved to a candid world that their word is counterfeit.
Fog so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Squid ink, more like.
If it's a democRAT I doubt it, if it's a Republican you can almost bank on it.
If Matly is involved, how far away is Hillary.?. Watching behind a tree no doubt...
Thank you posted on 09/13/2004 9:32:34 AM EDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Locked duplicate thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1214527/posts
"And an older person trying to perpetuate such a hoax probably doesn't know much about the ins and outs of .pdf and Microsoft Word."
HEY - WATCH THAT!!
I remember when "ice boxes" WERE "ice boxes", coal furnces, horse drawn wagons and peddlars who ground scissors and knives on their portable foot driven grindstones - AND I am familiar with my pdfs and excel and other computer age stuff - which I really appreciate. Nothing beats using a CAD program to lay out the design for new flintlock rifle
(the originals WERE before my time however).
Read "American Evita".
The Clintons ripped off several thousand dollars worth of "gifts" from the White House.
If I know my Tax laws properly - and I think I do - gifts of that amount ARE taxable.
Now that means either the Clinton crooks declared all their thievery and paid taxes on it, or they owe back taxes, plus penalty and interest - which over 4 years should be substantial.
Democrats are just brazen about defying the system and then employing it against Republicans without a moment's thought on hypocracy. The Republicans just stand there like innocent deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming Mack truck and let it happen.
Yes that's it .. I could use more coffee myself *L*
I agree they won't fire Dan .. but his career is over and I wouldn't be surprised if he starts thinking about retiring in a few months
It's one thing to make a mistake .. the public can forgive that ... but try and make a fool out of them .. they'll turn you off and that's what will continue to happen to CBS and any other MSM that continues this way
Then that is why conservatives need to go to the moneyrunners who own the parent stock and do it at that level. Rather and the CBS News executive clown show just devalued the CBS News franchise, which is pretty much the network's flagship operation.
Executives at the highest level in CBS and Viacom need to be driven to "step in" and "clean house" -- better still, just hire a whole new crew, from Les Moonves on down!
Not one of the 'Arkancides' was so clean as to be non-atttributable to these people. It is a way of letting the real players know not to cross the Clintons, or they'll have a problem with the plane or be found in some obscure park.
Dump lousy forgeries in the Kerry Camp, a last vestige of Kennedy power, and orchestrate a coup-de-main in an 'attempt' to 'save' the ailing campaign when the documents are exposed. Kerry can't win, they know it, and this is a set-up to clear the way for '08.
This puts SeeBS in the realm of useful idiot, if better bennies for taking the fall are not set up further down the line. It also puts the Clintons in defacto control of Kerry's campaign--and the Democratic Party.
The seat of power in the Dem party is soon going to be dusted off by a different set of butts, those of the Clintons and their cronies. The Kennedy faction is out.
Keep in mind that all that Bill and (especially) Hillary (still) want is absolute power, and that they will stop at nothing to obtain it.
Relax, oh ancient one! (just kidding, I have 12 grandkids), this is the type of wisdom which makes this site far superior to the puppy pens vetting documents out there. BTW, where is a good source for flintlock parts, or do you make your own? I have been thinking of building a pistol to go with the rifle I have.
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