Posted on 09/14/2004 6:16:18 AM PDT by kattracks
Publicly Dan Rather's CBS colleagues are putting up a brave front as the disgraced newsman desperately tried again last night to defend himself against charges he used forged documents in a bid to discredit President Bush's military record.
But at CBS headquarters in New York the anxiety level has hit the red zone, with even Rather's allies saying they're dazed and confused over his shaky performance. "I'm distressed," one longtime CBS correspondent, who asked not to be identified, told the New York Times.
Another network source described the atmosphere at Black Rock as one of "deep concern."
"I'd say [it's] not panic," he quickly added. "We all want it to be right. Dan really put himself on the line and I can't imagine him knowingly defending something he knew not to be the case."
Another CBS source said there was increasing nervousness over the star anchorman's decision to stonewall on an independent investigation into his dubious Guard report.
"I've talked to colleagues who would love to see more of a defense," he told the Times.
Even Rather's longtime "60 Minutes" colleague, Mike Wallace, found it hard to defend his embattled co-worker.
"I'm confused by some of what I've heard today," he offered, before insisting that if Rather's documents were indeed forged, it was an innocent mistake.
"You're dealing with genuine professionals. The last thing in the world that any of these people would want is to phony something," he told the Times.
Ideally, that would be great.
I just can't picture Rather going quietly.
He'll trot out the old routine of "My reputation has been sullied by digital brownshirts and reactionary cyber-activists intent on the policies of personal destruction of anyone opposed to them"...or something like that.
I swear, until this very moment I was totally unaware that Tom I'm distressed Daschle was a longtime CBS correspondent.
Yep! He's a FReeper.
I think he is protecting the source. His career is going to end in public disgrace becauses the documents were provided by someone with undisputable ties to the Kerry campaign.
LOL - good one!
When Blather finally goes, we need to all show up in pajamas to wave good bye.
Bernard Goldberg was right. These folks don't think that they are liberals. They THINK they and the dems, are moderates. I somehow don't think Rather knew the memos were forged (although I would love to see the smoking gun that proves me wrong, no love lost there). I think he just believes that President Bush is so obviously worthy of defeat and that the memos were evidence of that and HAD to be genuine.
As is so often the case, Rather could have avoided much of this mess by coming clean when he learned of the forgeries and disclosing the source. THAT may be the smoking gun-- a DNC source.
In any event, good riddance to old rubbish... bye Dan.
Why doesn't Wallace send a 60 minutes camera crew to follow him out to his car when he's leaving for work?
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I'd LOVE to see this
Don't you wonder what the father-son converstaions might be like between Mike Wallace of CBS, and his son of Fox news?
I sure do.
That is really not the point here, is it?
It doesn't really matter whether Dan "knowingly defended" himself "againt something he knew not to be the case".
The job of a person paid in excess of $7 million a year to report the news to the people of the United States is to do all he can to ensure the accuracy of the information he gives out.
Dan didn't do that.
He failed basic journalism.
I can't BELIEVE they would use the word "genuine" in this context!
You totally missed it. The target is Kerry which is why Dan "Hillary is Great" Rather is keeping the story alive.
****You're dealing with genuine professionals. The last thing in the world that any of these people would want is to phony something," he told the Times.****
Professional liars you mean.
No doubt, but the question is, professional what?
Increasingly, it looks like CBS news staffers are professional campaign strategists. They're honestly more reminiscent of Terry McAuliffe and James Carville - blatantly cheering on the candidacy of the Democrat - than the objective newsmen of the past like Cronkite and Murrow.
I can see Rather, clad in his pin-stripe pajamas and wing-tip slippers, furiously pecking out the memos with his one free hand...
I'm with you. Carville and Begala have been *very* quiet during this whole thing.
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