Posted on 09/21/2004 12:21:26 AM PDT by kattracks
WASHINGTON -Anchor Dan Rather admitted he was duped on documents used to assail President Bush's military service - shattering CBS' credibility and sparking White House charges John Kerry's campaign may be behind the hoax.``It was a mistake. I want to say personally and directly, `I'm sorry,' '' Rather said on last night's CBS newscast.
The network's esteemed public face who reported the story as a blockbuster on ``60 Minutes'' nearly two weeks ago, was contrite - insisting the mistakes were in ``good faith.''
``I didn't dig hard enough, long enough,'' Rather, who turns 73 next month, told a reporter. ``I trusted someone who changed his story.''
Bill Burkett, a retired Texas National Guard official, was CBS' source for the bogus documents containing claims the officials gave Bush preferential treatment even as he refused to take a required physical.
Burkett, in an interview aired last night with Rather, admitted misleading a producer about the origin of the documents, and said he told the network it needed to authenticate the memos. CBS now admits it rushed the story.
Burkett, who previously claimed he got the memos from a former National Guardsman, has changed his story.
``Now he says he got them from a different source,'' CBS said in a statement, noting Burkett refused to divulge the new source.
Bush's spokesman, meanwhile, bluntly hinted that Democratic challenger Kerry's campaign may have played a role in the forged document scandal - a charge Kerry officials adamantly denied.
``This raises a lot of questions,'' White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. ``There were media reports about Mr. Burkett speaking with senior - or having senior-level contacts with the Kerry campaign.
``What were those contacts and what was discussed with Bill Burkett? Who was the original source of these documents and who was responsible for forging these documents?'' he asked.
The Bush camp offered no proof to bolster its claim, but in an e-mail last month to some Texas Democrats, Burkett, a Democrat, reportedly claimed he had passed along information to ex-Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.), who is a key Kerry supporter, to blunt attacks on Kerry's Vietnam military record.
Cleland said he lacks ``any knowledge'' about the CBS documents.
Kerry adviser Joe Lockhart confirmed he had a phone conversation with Burkett at the urging of a CBS producer, but that the conversation involved advice over the swiftboat flap and did not involve the National Guard documents.
``It's baseless to say the Kerry campaign had anything to do with this,'' Lockhart said.
CBS cited four memos by the late Air National Guard Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, Bush's former commanding officer, saying he ``sugarcoated'' Bush's performance ratings after pressure from his commanders. Bush's father was a congressman at the time. The memos also purported to show that Bush refused orders to take a flight physical.
On Fox n Friends this morning, ED said that on Sept 9, CBS said that they had a source who had seen the actual documents being written.
That would now appear to be a big lie. ED would like that question answered. Me too.
...seen the documents written?
In 1972 or 2004?
Repeat after me.....
What did Kerry Know???.....When did He Know IT???
What did Kerry Know???.....When did He Know IT???
What did Kerry Know???.....When did He Know IT???
What did Kerry Know???.....When did He Know IT???
What did Kerry Know???.....When did He Know IT???
Yup! Rather & Kerry hope this is going to blow over and we'll forget about this. NEVER! This is huge!
I remember that Dan Rather originally said the memos were real because his unimpeachable source saw the memos being written.
Must find link.
"There were media reports about Mr. Burkett speaking with senior - or having senior-level contacts with the Kerry campaign."
If this proves to be true, after the election the perpetrators of this fraud should be prosecuted mercilessly. Very long sentences and super-heavy fines assessed.
No Mercy!
"Yep, that's exactly how NYC handled 9-11, just like that. If we didn't have you brave southern souls to come to our rescue the rubble would still be there smoldering."
Sorry if I stepped on your toes. I thought It was obvious that I was referencing the behavior of politicians.
I would not impugn the character of real men. I do not think there is any question the the Police and Firefighters of NY are Real Men.
The Rats have been throwing that canard out for so long, that it's pretty much impossible to undo that in the minds of people even if the so-called "proof" is discredited. The "big lie" theory works, and the Rats know it.
I read something that said they were working on this story for WEEKS.
No problema.
They got it from an unimpeachable source. CBS. The White House claim is that there are media reports of contact between the Kerry campaign and Burkett.
In all fairness, the Kerry campaign shouldn't be in the position of having to prove a negative, but if the shoe were on the other foot, the story in the LSM would be about Republican dirty tricks.
They were working on this story for YEARS.
I heard they were working on it for YEARS!!! see BS was obsessed with bringing down W. (OK, I just heard a whole lot of "no s$%t"s....)
This is the most explosive detail to come out of this story, if you ask me. Why is a CBS producer "urging" a Democrat operative to talk to a source with damaging information about Bush? It stinks. She either was collaborating with the DNC or she was calling for a comment because the documents are linked to the DNC. Either way, the DNC is involved.
It isn't a hoax - it's a felony.
Who is Khan/Cahn, the guy Burkett originally said gave him the documents, then lied and named Lucy Ramirez?
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