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CBS Statement to Affiliates [much more detailed statement given to affiliates than to public]
Little Green Footballs ^ | September 15, 2004 | Charles

Posted on 09/15/2004 5:44:51 PM PDT by John Jorsett

While CBS continues to treat the viewing public like idiots, they’ve sent a much more detailed statement to their affiliate stations. An undercover lizardoid operative has forwarded the statement to me:

September 15, 2004

MARION CARR KNOX, SECRETARY OF LT. COL. JERRY KILLIAN, TO APPEAR ON “60 MINUTES” TONIGHT IN FIRST TELEVISION INTERVIEW

CBS NEWS AFFIRMS ITS INTENTION TO CONTINUE TO REPORT ALL ASPECTS OF THE STORY

Marion Carr Knox, the secretary of Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, whose personal memos were part of a report on last Wednesday’s (8) 60 MINUTES broadcast regarding questions about President Bush’s service at the Texas Air National Guard, will appear in a report on 60 MINUTES tonight (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

In the interview, Ms. Knox states that she does not believe the memos are genuine. However, she confirms that the content of the memos does reflect the feelings of Lt. Col. Killian at the time and accurately portrays events that were taking place in connection with then-Lt. Bush’s Texas Air National Guard service.

“I know that I didn’t type ‘em. However, the information in those is correct,” Ms. Knox told CBS News for tonight’s broadcast.

In light of the questions about that original 60 MINUTES Wednesday report, CBS News states that it will redouble its efforts to continue reporting aggressively on all aspects of the story, in an effort to resolve those questions. Tonight’s 60 MINUTES interview with Ms. Knox is part of that effort.

The CBS News report was based on a preponderance of evidence: many interviews, both on- and off-camera, with individuals with direct and indirect knowledge of the situation, atmosphere and events of the period in question, as well as the procedures, character and thinking of Lt. Col. Killian, Lt. Bush’s squadron commander in the Guard, at the time.

The report also included the first television interview with Ben Barnes, a Democrat and current fundraiser for John Kerry, who said he helped get Mr. Bush into the Texas Air National Guard at the request of a Bush family friend.

Numerous questions have been raised about the authenticity of the documents. CBS News believes it is important for the news media to be accountable and address legitimate questions.


Procurement of The Documents

The 60 MINUTES Wednesday broadcast reported that it obtained six documents from the personal files of Lt. Col. Killian, four of which were used in the broadcast. In accordance with longstanding journalistic ethics, CBS News is not prepared to reveal its confidential sources or the method by which 60 MINUTES Wednesday received the documents. CBS News’ reporting determined that the source of the memos had access to the documents he provided and an opportunity to obtain copies of them. Our sources included individuals who had first-hand knowledge of the events in question.

Additionally, Mary Mapes, the producer of the report and a well-respected, veteran journalist whose credibility has never been questioned, has been following this story for more than five years. She has a vast and detailed knowledge of the issues surrounding President Bush’s service in the Guard and of the individuals involved in the story. Before the report was broadcast, it was vetted and screened in accordance with CBS News standards by several veteran 60 MINUTES Wednesday senior producers and CBS News executives.

Authentication of the Documents

Four independent individuals with expertise in the authentication of documents were consulted prior to the broadcast of the story regarding the documents 60 MINUTES Wednesday obtained: document examiners Marcel B. Matley, James J. Pierce, Emily Will and Linda James.

As CBS News has publicly stated, the documents used in the report were photocopies of originals.

Two of the examiners, Mssrs. Matley and Pierce, attested and continue to attest to their belief in the documents’ authenticity. (see attachments 1 and 2) Two others, Ms. Will and Ms. James, appeared on a competing network yesterday, where they misrepresented their conversations and communication with CBS News. In fact, they assessed only one of the four documents used in the report, and while one of them raised a question about one aspect of that one document, they did not raise substantial objections or render definitive judgment on the document. Ultimately, they played a peripheral role in the authentication process and deferred to Mr. Matley, who examined all four of the documents used.

Additionally, two more individuals with specific expertise relative to the documents - Bill Glennon, a technology consultant and long-time IBM typewriter service technician, and Richard Katz, a computer software expert - were asked to examine the documents after the broadcast for a report in the Sept. 13 CBS EVENING NEWS. They, too, found nothing to lead them to believe that the documents did not date back to the early 1970s. They strongly refuted the claim made by some critics that there were no typewriters in existence in the early 1970s that could have produced such documents. (see attachments 3 and 4)

CBS News Experts’ Conclusions About the Documents

- Katz believes the documents were written on a typewriter and not a computer. (attachment 3)

- Glennon confirms that the superscript “th” and proportional spacing of the typeface of the four documents were definitely available on typewriters as early as the late 1960s. (attachment 4)

- Pierce believes that the documents in question are authentic as best as he can determine, given that they are copies and not originals. (attachment 2)

- Matley says the signatures are, indeed, Killian’s. (attachment 1)

Again, the documents used for the 60 MINUTES Wednesday report were copies, and most of the analysis fueling the current controversy is based on scanned, downloaded, faxed or re-copied copies. For now, the disagreements among “dueling experts” have not been resolved.

Other Issues

Maj. Gen. Bobby Hodges, who was group commander of Lt. Bush’s squadron, has stated to The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, among others, that he believes the documents are not real, but also told The New York Times, in an article that appeared on Sept. 12, that the information in the CBS News report “...reflected issues he and Col. Killian had discussed-namely Mr. Bush’s failure to appear for a physical, which military records released previously by the White House show, led to a suspension from flying.” That is consistent with what he told CBS News off-camera as part of the research for this report.

A reference in one memo to Gen. Buck Staudt applying pressure on behalf of Lt. Bush raised questions because Staudt had left his job 18 months before the memo was written. But CBS News’ background reporting determined that Staudt remained a powerful figure in the Guard for years after his retirement, a fact that is confirmed by Ms. Knox in a newspaper interview. More importantly, the same memo referred to unhappiness in Austin, an obvious reference to Staudt’s successor at the Austin, Texas, headquarters of the Texas Air National Guard.

Conclusions

The editorial content of the report was not based solely on the physical documents, but also on numerous credible sources who supported what the documents said.

Through all of the frenzied debate of the past week, the basic content of the 60 MINUTES Wednesday report - that President Bush received preferential treatment to gain entrance to the Texas Air National Guard and that he may not have fulfilled all of the requirements — has not been substantially challenged.

CBS News will make every effort to resolve the contradictions and answer the unanswered questions about the documents and will continue to report on all aspects of the story.

Absolutely amazing. So they’re following the lead of the New York Times, who declared the memos Fake ... But Accurate!


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 60minutes; cbs; cbsnews; killian; mariancarrknox; marioncarrknox; rather; rathergate
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To: kcar
Er, Aiding in abetting is NOT the crime it once was before Kerry and Fonda.
61 posted on 09/15/2004 6:24:14 PM PDT by kcar (theUNsucks.com)
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To: Izzy Dunne
Matley says the signatures were MADE BY THE SAME PERSON. He does NOT say that person was Killian.

I think that may be what the document experts always say. When you get down to it, they aren't the ones with the chain of custody that establishes that one of the signatures comes from the person it's supposedly from. If they say, "same person," then somebody else can handle the issue of whether that person is Killian.

62 posted on 09/15/2004 6:27:00 PM PDT by John Jorsett (Kerry-Edwards: FORGING AHEAD)
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To: John Jorsett
I think that may be what the document experts always say.

Sure - I understand that.
Which is why you should provide them with a signature known to be that of Killian. I've seen no evidence that they did that.

63 posted on 09/15/2004 6:29:52 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: intolerancewillNOTbetolerated

"Col KIllian's son, who served with him, just said on Hannity and Colmes that Ms Knox was a pool typist who would in no way have been privy to such information."

Dangerous statement - if his dad used a mixed pool of typists, why would he remember one of them after 30 years ?


64 posted on 09/15/2004 6:30:23 PM PDT by RS (Just because the Pajama Party is out to get him doesn't mean he's not guilty)
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To: Dems_R_Losers
Five years....and they NEVER talked to Marian Knox until TODAY?????

Dog years. They mean since January, when they decided to run the Silver Star Hero on his War record.

65 posted on 09/15/2004 6:30:47 PM PDT by Oztrich Boy ("Despise not the jester. Often he is the only one speaking the truth")
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To: expatpat
She has a vast and detailed knowledge of the issues surrounding President Bush’s service in the Guard.

This does not sound like a well-informed producer (who also has to work on other things). This sounds like a full-blown Bush-hater obsessed with bringing him down.

I would like to know what she was doing during the Florida re-count. I bet she went ballistic when Bush was finally declared the winner.

66 posted on 09/15/2004 6:39:54 PM PDT by Miss Marple
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To: shawngf

""....show us the proof."

They have the proof... it's in the memo silly ...


67 posted on 09/15/2004 6:43:42 PM PDT by RS (Just because the PJ Posse is out to get him doesn't mean he's not guilty)
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To: John Jorsett
The editorial content of the report was not based solely on the physical documents, but also on numerous credible sources who supported what the documents said.

Forgery doesn't matter when you have useful idiots who are willing to perjure themselves.

68 posted on 09/15/2004 6:46:35 PM PDT by Willie Green (Go Alan Go!!!)
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To: John Jorsett; Timeout
- Bump - & PINGALING

So, CBS is still asserting that the documents may be authentic, and have been "certified" to be authentic by named experts. Their affiliates are getting heat. A Houston radio station owner has pulled CBS news off his programming, and says he will rescind his contract with CBS if they don't fire Dan Rather by Monday, and come clean with the charade.

69 posted on 09/15/2004 6:47:56 PM PDT by Cboldt
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To: WOSG

If there were six documents from the same source at the same time and two of these documents were deemed untrustworthy, would that not cast a dim light on the rest of the documents?


70 posted on 09/15/2004 6:51:25 PM PDT by Sthitch
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To: John Jorsett
"In the interview, Ms. Knox states that she does not believe the memos are genuine. However, she confirms that the content of the memos does reflect the feelings of Lt. Col. Killian at the time and accurately portrays events that were taking place in connection with then-Lt. Bush’s Texas Air National Guard service."

Oh my...... I don't have any facts to back it up, but this is how I feel. Good Grief! Is this the "evidence?" How she feels? God help us all.

It's low even for the Rats to use a man who's passed away and who cannot debunk their "feelings." DAN RATS, go straight to......(fill in the blanks that rhymes with) well......

71 posted on 09/15/2004 6:53:20 PM PDT by Chong (God Bless and Protect our Troops.)
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To: John Jorsett
It doesn't sound like SeeBS is admitting that the documents are fake to me.

"Katz believes the documents were written on a typewriter and not a computer. (attachment 3)"

72 posted on 09/15/2004 6:58:30 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Don't confuse disagreement with argumentation.)
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What rhymes with well?

Bell, Cell, Dell, Fell...........


73 posted on 09/15/2004 6:58:35 PM PDT by Chong (God Bless and Protect our Troops.)
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To: kcar

Dan's only doing what he has allways done, aiding and abetting the communists.

The Gulag would be so happy to see this vile creature, get his just deserts.


74 posted on 09/15/2004 6:58:57 PM PDT by crazycat
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To: John Jorsett

Uhh. Maybe I'm missing something. If they are fake, how can they be accurate?


75 posted on 09/15/2004 7:03:24 PM PDT by Maigrey (Member of the semi-naked blogger Political Operative Brigade. To H#ll with pajamas!)
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To: WOSG

Good work! You just knocked off each of the four legs the C-BS "stool" of documents was built upon. Now, the only thing propping it up is Dan Rather's ego!


76 posted on 09/15/2004 7:03:48 PM PDT by Zellenn
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To: ErnBatavia
"BULL PUCKEY"

Is that who is in the running to replace DR?

77 posted on 09/15/2004 7:03:56 PM PDT by Paladin2 (SeeBS News - We Decide, We create, We Report - In that order!)
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To: John Jorsett
The affliates are the proper point of attack.

Their cash flow is particularly sensitive.

Jamming local sponsors will garner attention.

Our goal should be the destruction of CBS news.

FR impeached bj.

WE can drive cbs to dust.

78 posted on 09/15/2004 7:05:55 PM PDT by Pietro
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To: Paladin2

Probably, because Bull Durham's probably frowned upon in elitist New York.


79 posted on 09/15/2004 7:06:43 PM PDT by ErnBatavia ("Dork"; a 60's term for a 60's kinda guy: JFK)
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To: RS

Small pool & good memory?


80 posted on 09/15/2004 7:11:36 PM PDT by Paladin2 (SeeBS News - We Decide, We create, We Report - In that order!)
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