Posted on 09/20/2004 8:54:24 AM PDT by TheGeezer
Edited on 09/20/2004 9:07:32 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Update by moderator:
EXCLUSIVE
STATEMENT FROM DAN RATHER:
Last week, amid increasing questions about the authenticity of documents used in support of a 60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY story about President Bush's time in the Texas Air National Guard, CBS News vowed to re-examine the documents in question—and their source—vigorously. And we promised that we would let the American public know what this examination turned up, whatever the outcome.
Now, after extensive additional interviews, I no longer have the confidence in these documents that would allow us to continue vouching for them journalistically. I find we have been misled on the key question of how our source for the documents came into possession of these papers. That, combined with some of the questions that have been raised in public and in the press, leads me to a point where—if I knew then what I know now—I would not have gone ahead with the story as it was aired, and I certainly would not have used the documents in question.
But we did use the documents. We made a mistake in judgment, and for that I am sorry. It was an error that was made, however, in good faith and in the spirit of trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism.
Please know that nothing is more important to us than people's trust in our ability and our commitment to report fairly and truthfully.
Yabutt, in his mind he's breaking this story.
Why should that be good enough for us, huh Dan?
It wasn't good enough for you and your butt boys when The Bush Administration as much admitted the same thing with regards to intelligence gathered on Iraq's WMD capabilities.
Can you say 'Yellow cake'...? I knew ya could.
Apology not accepted you jaded, blind old fool. Give up the source of the forged docs, then resign and go away and then maybe we'll think about it.
So would I. Except I don't believe a crime has been committed. Yes, I am serious.
"an error that was made, however, in good faith and in the spirit of trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism."
Da*n Rather, lying suckwad pussbag sack of crap. WITHOUT "fear or FAVORITISM"? He still thinks we're all imbeciles. This puking little statement will take care of it all. What a slug. I wish CBS would kick this moron out on his his lying *SS.
Wrong, I think. If Cleland is in this, his blood would have run cold when Buckhead broke this and it exploded. Then he would do just what he did - a preemptive admission that Burkett communicated with him, but nothing came of it.
Cleland is as dirty a DemOp as any of them.
Jammie people deserve an apology too, cuz CBS made a demeaning remark about their fine work.
Exactly.
CBS News Desk number is out there - Someone please post it...
Done LONG time ago.
Really? How much of the SBVfT documentation has been proven to be forged?
"favoritism" is your only motivation, Scam Rather.
Congressman Billybob
Well said!!
Buckhead mention on MSNBC!!!
Here's a news release from LaptopLobbyist.com that pretty well sums up what most would consider a proper response to Rather's self-serving statement:
“Rather’s duplicitous we-a culpa is
too little, too late, too lame”
LaptopLobbyist.com Calls Upon CBS to Fire
Dan Rather, Hire Brit Hume
Terming Dan Rather’s staged “apology” for his pivotal role in the Rathergate scandal, “too little, too late, too lame,” LaptopLobbyist.com today called upon CBS to fire the disgraced anchorman if he fails to resign with 24 hours.
“Dan Rather helped drive Richard Nixon from office, so he should know the proper procedure for falling on one’s sword,” said LaptopLobbyist.com executive director Christopher Carmouche. “At least in the end Mr. Nixon had the integrity to accept the blame for his own mistakes and the courage to pay the price. Not so Dan Rather.
“And who is this ‘we’ Mr. Rather keeps referencing in his duplicitous we-a culpa?” Carmouche added. “Is Mr. Rather now royalty? Is he schizoid? Does he have a tapeworm?
“The fact is, ‘we’ didn’t do anything. Mr. Rather initiated the witch hunt, intentionally ignored any and all who dared dissent, orchestrated the cover up – and now is blaming his whole grand deception on some illusionary legion that apparently crept into his office in the dark of night and stole off with his judgment, integrity, and basic sense of common decency.”
Carmuche also took issue with Mr. Rather slipping into the passive voice when describing his attempt to influence the upcoming presidential election through the purveyance of forged documents. In his exculpatory statement, Mr. Rather said, “It was an error that was made.”
“Mr. Rather’s superiors need to explain to the fallen news reader that actions do not occur independently of a cause. ‘Was made’ by whom? is the question that should now be put to the man who has long prided himself on being a master of the English language. Terminological exactitude doesn’t allow apologists to say “The invasion of Poland was launched,” or “The Saint Valentine’s Day massacre was conducted.” Somebody did these things – just as Dan Rather made the error that should now end his ignoble career.”
Finally, Carmouche called upon CBS – a “bastion of the Old Media” -- to give proper credit to New Media mavens like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Free Republic’s Jim Robinson, and LaptopLobbyist.com members nationwide who blew the whistle on the Rathergate conspiracy. Mr. Rather in his statement said, “We promised that we would let the American public know what this examination turned up, whatever the outcome,” giving himself and his cohorts credit for exposing the fraud they now admit having perpetrated.
“Now, let’s get this straight: Mr. Rather and his fellow muckrakers, having ‘examined’ their own malfeasance would now have us believe that they – and they alone -- are the ones who exposed their own duplicity. It’s kind of a ‘We have found the crooks, and they are us’ scenario.
“Well, if their ‘examination’ was all that thorough, wouldn’t one think they would have noticed that they’re the ones who committed the fraud and conducted the cover up? And wouldn’t they have stumbled across the fact that it was actually everyone else but them who exposed their ill-starred attempt to deceive the American people and corrupt the electoral process?
“If CBS wants to come out of this whole sordid affair with one ounce of credibility left, they need to put Dan Rather on the next plane out – and get Brit Hume on the first plane in.”
Hardly. I could buy the "good faith" line if he came out on the very next broadcast and announced that they were going to re-visit the documents and get further expert analysis. He didn't. He stomped his feet, stared into the camera and blamed "partisan figures" and "others" for raising a stink. It didn't even occur to him to re-visit the documents. Why? Because of where it leads.
That is incorrect. Cleland referred Burkett to the Kerry campaign.
That is a far cry from "wouldn't do anything". Just the opposite.
Hi Woodb01 - I just heard Rush run thru your list!
--aragona
Translation: I'm dumber than a small pile of rocks for actually not looking at theses memos before I made a fool of myself.
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