[vbmoneyspender]

Half an hour later, Roberts called "60 Minutes" producer Mary Mapes with word that Bartlett was not challenging the authenticity of the documents. Mapes told her bosses, who were so relieved that they cut from Rather's story an interview with a handwriting expert who had examined the memos.

If anything, this indicates that CBS knew there were problems with the memos and then acted like plaintiffs' trial lawyers when the White House did not object to the memos.

[Cboldt]

If anything, this indicates that CBS knew there were problems with the memos and then acted like plaintiffs' trial lawyers when the White House did not object to the memos.

Yes, exactly. And, absence of comment from the WH is what they rely on to persist with the story that the documents are "Forgeries, but accurate."

The original plan anticipated an objection from the WH, based on the substance (not on the forensics), but once there was no substantive complaint from the WH, there was no need to air the part of the story that supported the documents' authenticity.