The Burden of Belief [CBS's documents]

The Weekly Standard ^ | 09/13/2004 | Fred Barnes

[Buckhead]

I for one think the question of forgeries is so well settled that no further inquiry is required.

The questions now are whodunit and how long til Dan Rather ends up in the loony bin? It's like watching a bug you've sprayed with a slow-acting insecticide.

[lawgirl]

In response to questions about the authenticity of the documents, CBS has acted more like an embattled political organization than a news operation. It has stonewalled rather than joined with skeptics in a search for the truth

No kidding- where did Dan Rather go to journalism school- the Kremlin?

[Sloth]

It's in the body, but it's a totally different ^th. It's not even a true superscript, because it doesn't exceed the height of the normal characters, and it also has an underline ^th that obviously is absent in the forgeries.

[Jonah Lomu]

The rather (sic) thorough analysis at http://www.flounder.com/bush2.htm, which has been referenced many, many times on FR answers this question, and many others. The th on machines of that era register at a different height (lower) relative to adjacent letters than does MS Word. The docs were made with MS Word.

[Jonah Lomu]

As to whodunnit, I've seen speculation that Rather is stonewalling because the source is the Kerry campaign. Makes sense. If that proves true Kerry is badly burnt toast.

[NonValueAdded]

I agree the documents are forgeries. My question is meant as a counter to the current C^BS claims that some of the type balls for the Selectrics of the time had the ^th character. Instead of focusing on fonts and styles of the ^th, I suggest looking at how hard it would be for a hunt and peck typist to strike that character onto the paper. That is a simpler question to answer that renders the rest immaterial. The same holds true for the Composer model. Sure it might be able to produce such a document but would it be probable that Killian could do it?

Experts can argue back and forth about about highly technical issues of kerning and proportionality and Joe Sixpack tunes out. But lay out the gyrations that Killian would have to go through with the technology of the day to type that memo and the layman can grasp the improbability that Killian actually typed the documents.

[Billthedrill]

Many thanks for the link. That very knowledgable gentleman writes: The forgery is obvious to anyone who knows the history and technology of digital typesetting, not to mention to any intelligent 12-year-old who has access to Microsoft Word.

It's an absolute killer, a stone slam-dunk, and CBS is doing itself and the Kerry campaign no favor by stonewalling the issue. "Forget the forgeries and concentrate on the accusations" just isn't cutting it.

[AZamericonnie]

"Forget the forgeries and concentrate on the accusations"

Accusations based on false evidence bear no consideration. Crimminal forgeries on the other hand....

[Tench_Coxe]

"Last Friday, CBS anchor Dan Rather declared the document authentic and that no investigation by CBS was needed. He told the Washington Post: "Until someone shows me definitive proof that they are not, I don't see any reason to carry on a conversation with the professional rumor mill." "

Loosely interpreted, this means: " We (royal plural ) can make up any kind of slander or libel we ( royal plural ) like, and there's nothing you can do about it. " .

Sure Dan. I wonder what Richard Jewell ( of the Atlanta Olympics bombing ) and General Motors ( of the Dateline NBC-Exploding Truck scenario ) have to say about that.

In the latter of the two cases, General Motors had the right idea. Nothing says, " Tell the truth, and prove it " better than a multi-million dollar lawsuit.
One exception here: if the 'sources' for these 'memoes' are what I am beginning to suspect they are, there are serious criminal charges lurking in the background.

[rundy]

Don't we find it interesting that these forged documents were released from the DNC (aka Kerry campaign) just a couple of days after the big shake up in Kerry's campaign in which Clinton's old attack dogs J. Carville, P. Begalla, J. Lockhart, etc. were brought on board.

We all know those #$@%#^$&$*%&#$%^@#$@%$#@@ would not stop anything to harm Bush.

The real story is that CBS was so willing to run with a story, with documents, the originals of which are unavailable to them, and they (CBS) "don't even know who the source was (is)"...I say

"Barbara Streisand."

"They set themselves up the bomb."

[fight_truth_decay]

You were mentioned on the HowieCarr show out of WRKO Boston today as well as the whole cast and crew.. Freepers. Carr is a long time reader of FR with links to this site on his webpage.

He noted that some on the Left were posting you were an operative (plant whatever you want to call it) from the Republican Party. Conspiracy theories, but don't think for one minute they are not trying to tie you to some giant conspiracy. We must assume they (CBS, the Kerry camp)are looking into your background, unbeknown to you.

Has it also hit you, that you will be mentioned for years to come? - MemoGate. Buckhead, a David who with just a keen eye for detail took on a giant, CBS (let's even forget Kerry for the moment). CBS's credibility even a bigger issue for many in the news field. Desperation on CBS's part to survive poor ratings ? Rather has to be protecting an important source to fight to the last tooth and nail. One should ask Mr. Rather when he first sold out his jounalistic credibility or integrity for ratings? For Rather to take such a risk by not taking the time to have a group of experts view this memo..one expert (?) has now even come forward to say CBS just read it over the phone and he never did see it recanting now that it appears fraudulent in composition! What Rather has alleged to have done as well as the top big wigs at CBS has to be deemed insane!

Why would Rather not just come out and say I got this from "name the source" and was "fooled into reporting" and come back smelling like a rose? This "source" has to be BIG. Rather would not just take information like this from just anyone as he would be skeptical for a backfire.

A toothless, senile network who let their political views replace reporting the FACTS to their faithful American viewers. Sixty Minutes is toast. You have kicked them right in their "shady place", buckhead.

[fight_truth_decay]

Pst Script:
Notice how O'Reilly just said the word "bloggers" with disdain. (leaning forward and letting the word come from his mouth with almost spitting emphasis).

[fight_truth_decay]

Post Script:
Notice how O'Reilly just said the word "bloggers" with disdain. (leaning forward and letting the word come from his mouth with almost spitting emphasis).

[fight_truth_decay]

*hiccup*

[2Jedismom]

We must assume they (CBS, the Kerry camp)are looking into your background, unbeknown to you.

This has entered my mind since all of this broke.

[Sea2ShiningSea]

You are quite intriguing over at DU. Did you see this?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=806133&mesg_id=806133

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I'm thinkin' more a long the lines, "Dan, Sumner here. As of today, you are promoted to Senior Editor, Emeritus."

[montrose]

I for one think the question of forgeries is so well settled that no further inquiry is required.

To really settle the issue, I would like to see the memos typed up on an IBM Executive or similar.

If the docs are forgeries, I can see why the CBS side hasn't done this, instead relying on hand-waving arguments and smoke.

But it seems to me that it would behoove the pro-forgery side to try it and say, "See, it isn't even close." It would completely deflate the CBS argument.

Amazing this hasn't been done yet by either side.