STATEMENT FROM DAN RATHER (UPDATE: Statement released)

http://www.drudgereport.com ^ | Drudge

[cyncooper]

If the memos are forged (which is now stipulated), then there is no reason to protect the source.

Perhaps CBS will air that interview with Burkett, have him admit he provided, them, and have him offer some gobbledy gook about "reconstructing" or some such garbage and that will a lame prong in trying to cover themselves.

It won't work.

[I'm ALL Right!]

Now that they have admitted the documents were forgeries they are no longer under any ethical obligation to conceal their source.

WHO WAS THE SOURCE, DAN?

[afz400]

What Rather really means to say is "we don't need the documents anymore because the pathetic old hag secretary with her unsubstantiated gossip did more damage than the forged documents did, therefore we accomplished what we set out to do in the first place. Mission of trashing the president - accomplished!

[Salvation]

Wow! An apology!

[VRWC_minion]

I find we have been misled on the key question of how our source for the documents came into possession of these papers.

Interesting. After reading this a bit I see he hasn't backtracked fully. According to this, the documents source is in question not the documents themselves. They apparently are still valid docs', just the source is in question.

[mewzilla]

Heck, I'd like to see subpoenae all around. But I won't hold my breath.

[plushaye]

"trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism."

That really bothered me too. Speaking of DNC shills and blatant coverups.

[ClancyJ]

Wow, Rush always hits the meat of the matter.

I had not even noticed the lack of anger. Did notice the lack of apology to the President of the United States for trying to affect a presidential election with false documents.

[YaYa123]

Dan The Cowardly Man, released a statement so he didn't have to take questions. Oh, and by the way, no mention of those "unimpeachable sources".

[af_vet_1981]

HEY DAN .. Where did the documents come from?????

The Kerry campaign must be involved. If it were only Burkett or even Cleland they could give up the source.

[Colofornian]

CBS is now STARTING an "independent" review of what happened

Wow! Warp speed for an independent review. CBS' news department heads are really movers and shakers.

[mewzilla]

Gee, I'd like to see Burkett say that under oath. And what does send mean, I wonder? Did Burkett type them up or not? And if not, who did?

[NonLinear]

Two words sum up the cBS statement. The first is BULL. The second should readily come to mind. If not, simply re-read the statement.

[Salvation]

**CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism.**

OK, CBS, let's call for ALL of Kerry's military records and do a thorough job there too! LOL! (I know -- I am dreaming.)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

From tonight's CBS News with DR:
"...the controversy bring into question President Bush's military record, precisely because we can find no evidence that he didn't serve. This lack of evidence must mean Bush's records have been professionally sanitized. For more on this story, here's a hard-nosed DNC flack, Bob Schieffer.

[bandleader]

yeah,I'll bet she enjoyed being Limo'd,the first-class(or private jet)seats,not to mention the suite at The Plaza!!!She'd say just about ANYTHING after that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Citizen Soldier]

I bet they would scrutinize memos given to them by Republicans much more rigorously.

Yea, for about 10 seconds before they went into the "round file" (trash can).

[tdadams]

You got it exactly. Considering that they willfully disregarded anyone who might have raised a red flag on their story, this was not (and was never intended to be) a real news story.

It was a calculated character assassination, timed to do maximum damage with just days before a presidential election with the intention of bringing down the President.

It's an all new low for newtwork news and could very well be the end of CBS news.

[Rich_E]

"I knew then what I know now (that I would get caught) —I would not have gone ahead with the story as it was aired, and I certainly would not have used the documents in question"

There I fixed it

[ClancyJ]

..fear or favoritism...

What a lie. Haven't seen any reports on the Swiftees from Mr. Dan Rather. Seems that all we see from Dan is anti-Bush. Wonder why.