[John Valentine]

It would have taken a lot of foresight to have planted those documents there, what, seven or eight years ago, as bait in a scheme to come to fruition only now. I'm not biting.

Let's apply Occam's Razor- the simplest explanation is probably right. Burkett was bitter and vindictive, and he made the documents up to help Kerry, maybe even basing them on scuttlebut and rumor he heard floating aroung the TANG back in 1973. This seems the simplest explanation, and it's all I need.

[RichardW]

Hasn't Burkett long been a thorn in Bush's side? I'm still trying to understand why he was left alone with those documents. I've never understood that.

[ClancyJ]

Possibly Burkett shopped his information to all and was rebutted because there was no proof. He then, after discussing with Mapes, finds "proof". He then faxes or presents to Mapes who faxes to CBS, the DNC or Max and they run with the "proof".

Coming from Mapes, CBS ignores the skeptics and goes with it. Yet - I still think Rather is involved in the whole thing and that it is tied in as part of a planned onslaught with the DNC "Fortunate Son".

How long does it take to make an ad like "Fortunate Son"?
They tie in to each other too conveniently not to have been coordinated. So, if it took them 3 wks., we then know that 3 wks. ago these plans were in the works.

[AaronInCarolina]

It would have taken a lot of foresight to have planted those documents there, what, seven or eight years ago, as bait in a scheme to come to fruition only now. I'm not biting.

Believe it or not, I didn't read this post before writing my previous post.

[libstripper]

I agree that Burkett was probably the person who either made up the documents or provided their content, especially because they contain a number of pieces of Army jargon instead of Air Force jargon and Burkett was Army National Guard, not AF National Guard. The problem, however, remains of who convinced CBS that Burkett was a good enough source for it to rely on. Burkett is a loon who couldn't carry that burden of persuasion by himself. On his own he probably wouldn't even be able to find people to do it. That leaves Cleland, the DNC, and the Kerry campaign as the persons and entities who, if no more, vouched for Burkett to CBS. That also leaves them as the ones who created the forgeries.