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.
on Feb. 7, 2002, Dan Rather made even more excuses for Clinton’s pathological lying when he told MSNBC’s “Imus in the Morning” host Don Imus via phone interview that as a reporter, he actually views Bill Clinton’s lying as an excusable human frailty: “I think the fact that someone has told a lie, even a big lie or maybe several big lies over a lifetime, does not mean that they’re an inherently dishonest person. But, you know, this may mark me as one of those people – I believe in redemption and that Bill Clinton – is he an honest person? I think he is an honest person.
Softball With Dan Rather: Star Pitcher For Bill Clinton’s Political Games
Gee Pollyanna ... are you really that silly?
It is not surprising that Dan Rather is mired in a controversy involving Texas Democrats: a few years ago he was raising money for them. Rather appeared as the star guest at a 2001 fundraiser for the Travis County Democratic Party in Texas.
It looked like Rather had finally acknowledged his calling. But Rather wasn't yet ready to go legitimate. He insisted that he had no idea he was helping raise $20,000 for the Democrats. Rather's storied ear-to-the-ground reporting apparently failed him prior to the event. "I didn't ask the question, and I should have," he said, explaining his ignorance of the event's fundraising purpose. He did, however, admit to Howard Kurtz in the Washington Post that "When I got there, I was very aware that it was a fundraising event." Yet that didn't stop him from speaking anyway.
Rather refused to see himself as a fundraiser for the Democratic Party. But Texas Democrats managed to envision him in the role. So, too, did his daughter Robin, a prominent liberal environmentalist in Texas who helped host the fundraiser.
Here is the link:
http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=7104
1. Rather is a dumbass. He has a voice and a presence, but is dumb as a brick. Some, like Al Gore, make it obvious immediately. Some can hide it for years.
2. At 72, Rather has overstayed his functional welcome by about 20 years.
3. Anyone who says, "I believe... no, I know the story is true" with a stentorian "undertaker" voice is a dumbass. The nature of the controversy is such that no one can possibly know it is true unless they were personally present at every stage of the memo's development, and knew the persons involved personally.
4. "Years of experience" is an elastic concept. He might claim that he has 40 years' experience at what he does. I say he has one years' experience.... 40 times. His appearance and voice can no longer hide the fact that he's a ... well.... dumbass. And a personality that can't admit a mistake. A lethal combination.
Time to retire, Kenneth.
And liberals want Donald Rumsfeld to resign as Secretary of Defense.
Dan Rather presents a shoddy program based on lies and forgeries and Les Moonves is not to blame?
BTW - If wiring the testicles of Iraqi prisoners to car batteries and turning on the juice to make them divulge the location of terrorists would save one American life I have only one thing to say: "Red is positive and black is negative."
Dan's rush to bash Bush backfired, "Big Time", and shows his usual arrogance to his customers. I will not be sorry to see his sorry butt go, and we are all better off for his leaving.
(steely)
Wow - the plot thickens. By George I think you've got it!!!!!
Here is a question for all. If Rather does end up resigning or is forced to resign, will he flip the other networks? Given what we have seen over the years, I think it certain there has been clear collaboration between the mainstream press and the Democrat Party, "gravitas" being a glaring example. Will he simply ride off into the night or will go scorched earth?
I don't give him nearly that long. His tenure is on deathwatch as we speak and I wouldn't be surprised to hear of his resignation within weeks when this all pans out.
And they are praying that the hurricane hits New Orleans that would be good for endless hours of watching wind and rain.
I tend to agree that Defraudin' Dan did not originally know they were fakes. However, he so wanted them to be true that he didn't properly vet them. He could have recovered from that mistake...last week. Stubbornly defending obvious forgeries is his doom. Didn't he learn anything from Nixon? The coverup is worse than the crime.
My prediction? Defraudin' Dan will go away much sooner than spring. And he will go away because he will not reveal the source of the forged documents. And he won't give up the source because it is his daughter.
Dan Rather exemplifies the liberal mentality. He believes that his ideals are the only right ones, that no one should be allowed to question him on his self-proclaimed integrity, and that the American public is so disengaged from politics they will bite on the first thing they hear from him. "Rather reported it, it must be true" My true feeling on Rahter's role in this is that he wants this story to be true so bad that he will do anything to make it appear to be true. Even take a chance on using (at best) questionable documents to instill doubt in our minds about our President. Whether intentional or not, people like Rather are dangerous to this country. They don't see it that way, but they are. Even with a proponderance of evidence showing the documents to be fradulent, he continues to tell us he was right. This is a man who appears before millions of Americans every night to tell us what is going on in the world. People in this position have the opportunity to shape the news, even when they want us to believe they are impartial reporters of the events. A man with real integrity would get to the truth whatever it may be. Rather's ego and his personal politics allowed this "scandal" to happen. And he is continuing with it because if he recants he is less likely to be able to paint a negative picture of our president for those who so want to believe the story to be true. A man with real integrity will pursue the truth no matter what that truth is. Dan Rather wants us to believe he is of real integrity. But he can't prove that he is any more than he can prove those documents are genuine.
Dan's attempt to smear the President with forged documents backfired big-time, that's why the big liberals down at CBS are so "distressed."
Like the Times never in a million years would have a story that was phonied up? These folks never see the humor in their own remarks.
I am speculating, but check post #84. Why is this guy destroying himself over these forgeries? Because he is protecting someone. Who could be so important that he would end his career over it?
Oh, they are professionals alright. Professional LIARS, professional character assassins of Republicans and professional body guards for Lyin' RATS.
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