Posted on 09/17/2004 6:29:58 AM PDT by EllaMinnow
Just exchanged emails with Garry Moon, columnist for the Athens, Ga. Banner-Herald. He shared a stunning bit of news with me, and said he wanted Kerry Spot readers to know, since he doesn’t know when his column is going to run in the Banner-Herald. Moon managed to contact James J. Pierce, the fourth expert that CBS has cited as one of its experts verifying its documents.
(I asked “who is James Pierce?” yesterday. In light of Moon’s news, maybe I was a little harsh on the guy.)
Moon writes:
I called Pierce at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday night. I told him I was with the Athens Banner-Herald newspaper, doing a piece about the Killian memos. He asked me how I got his home phone number, and I told him. I thought he might hang up, but he stayed on the line... maybe because I was upfront with him and not aggressive in asking him questions. He said he couldn't give me many details about his analysis of the documents that CBS gave him because he was still “in the middle of studying them“. More on that to come... - The key point: Pierce seemed upset that CBS is using his ‘Professional Opinion’ memo of 9/14 to prop up their defense about the Killian memos being authentic. Pierce said “CBS is wrong, CBS is wrong” to portray it that way, saying it twice for emphasis. He said that his PO memo was only a preliminary judgment, “not a final conclusion” on all the documents.
- The (for me) stunner: Pierce said that the reason he hadn't rendered a final conclusion yet was that he was only “midway through his analysis” of all the documents - speaking as though there were many docs. CBS gave you other documents besides the four that 60 Minutes used in the story? “Lots more documents” were his exact words.
- Pierce is not happy that CBS plastered his home address all over the Internet (it's on the ’professional opinion’ memo in the letterhead). A CNN crew was “banging on his door at 5:00am” on Thursday morning trying to get a statement, and camped there until he called the local police to have them removed from his property. His phone’s been ringing off the hook, and he said a reporter [with a major publication] has been “hounding” him the last couple of days, with veiled threats of some kind of legal action against Pierce unless he gave an interview to the reporter. He said the last few days have been “hellish” for him.
- Pierce came off to me as a very nice fellow, but he sounded tired and even a little bewildered... he's in a bit over his head, I think. I think I could have coaxed more out of him but I overheard someone calling him to the front door, saying “the sergeant” was at the door, so he had to get off the phone - perhaps he had summoned the police again to hold the CNN hounds at bay (I caught Aaron Brown's show on CNN last night and they ran a clip of Pierce leaving his house and getting into his car...looked like they were set up across the street from his house).
So it seems like CBS News is - again - misrepresenting what their own experts have told them about the Killian documents. Indeed, given that “lots of documents” are involved, who knows whether the documents that he referred to in his PO actually concerned the four that 60 Minutes used in the story
First thought: Good job, Garry.
Second thought: Just what the heck are these other documents that CBS gave him? Was CBS planning a second follow-up story, using more documents from their source?
What else is CBS not telling us?
You might be interested in this.
Last night, Bill O'Reilly mentioned that the networks, Fox included, are doing their own investigation.
Just wondering how long it will take to get the investigation finalized.
Athens Banner Herald ping
What it tells me is that CBS was/is planning to claim that they'd gotten hold of "Killian's personal files," which Burkett apparently claims to have scavenged from the trash in 1997. (In an article posted somewhere at FR yesterday, Burkett made a claim related to this.)
The problem, of course, is that the first four were clearly forged, so the rest of them are seriously open to question as well. The unhinged Mr. Burkett may have a lot to answer for, before this is all over. And Ms. Mapes, too.
Absolutely. If the forgeries hadn't been "outed" so quickly, I'm sure Dan Rather would have showcased new ones this week, instead of flying that bitter old woman to New York.
And that's only the beginning, too. I would also start asking the local Democratic committee, the Democratic National Committee, officers in Senator Kerry's campaign, and some people involved with the Democratic 527 organizations to find out who concocted this hare-brained scheme and who co-ordinated its operation. 
"(In an article posted somewhere at FR yesterday, Burkett made a claim related to this.) "
Yes, but it is bait and switch logic.
He said there were points and pay documents in the trash.
He did not say that Lt Killians personal files were in the trash!
But they would like to leave that impression in people's minds, IMO.
Heads up.
Expect better forgery's to follow!
CBS made it sound in their statement the other day like they disclosed on their first show they had received *six* documents. That would presumably be the same six that USA Today received (from the same source?).
CBS Statement to Affiliates [much more detailed statement given to affiliates than to public]
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.
I've been meaning to look up whether they really did report that they obtained six but only used four. Nobody else had picked up on that until this statement was issued so I'm inclined to think they did not.
The logical question is why didn't they use all six? Now here's a report there are "lots" more.
Interesting.
bttt
It has been specilated that this was part of a one-two punch. The second punch was to allege that Bush missed his physical because he was tested for drugs and it was found that he had used cocaine. The Kitty Kelley book set the stage for this. Maybe other forged documents purporting this were sent to CBS.
Train was derailed on the first punch. Probably no second punch, unless CBS is much, much stupider than we even imagined.
yeah it sounds like CBS had a second show coming and other fake docs to try to discredit bush. I wonder if those docs have any more clues as to the perpetrators. If tis experet is POed at CBS he should share the extra doc with someone. Could help show wherwe culpability rests.
Maybe PukinDog is right.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1217818/posts
The Grand Scheme: What may be really going on with CBS and the Documents.
Posted on 09/16/2004 8:34:43 AM PDT by Pukin Dog
At the very worst, it won't effect the outcome of the election. Seems like the MSM is risking one h*ll of alot of credibility for some pretty small potatoes.
Maybe at this point they're more interested in salvaging their own reputations.
But, a funny thing happened on the way to the slime-fest; Al Gore's invention bit Dan Milhous Rather in the butt.
Dan Milhous Rather is the 21st Century buggy whip salesman wondering why they are building additions to the airport.
Someone (don't recall who) suggested that the first and last pages of the 6 documents would have borne markings of the fax transmission, so CBS used the 4 in between. Don't know if this is actually the fact.
What is that all about?!
My guess is that the networks will complete their investigation perhaps around.... oh, let's say... a week before the election... (like the drunk driving thing)
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