Posted on 09/23/2004 8:46:45 PM PDT by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton
Edited on 09/24/2004 2:23:34 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Burkett: Lockhart Asked Me for Rathergate Documents
Former National Guard commander Bill Burkett has become the first player in the CBS forged document scandal to implicate John Kerry's presidential campaign, telling the Fort Worth Star Telegram that top Kerry aide Joe Lockhart pressed him to turn over damaging evidence on George Bush.
During a single phone conversation with Lockhart, Burkett told the Telegram that he suggested a "couple of concepts on what I thought (Kerry) had to do" to beat Bush.
Story Continues Below
In return, he said, Lockhart tried to "convince me as to why I should give them the documents." Lockhart has staunchly denied that he ever discussed the forged documents with Burkett, though he confirmed that a conversation had indeed taken place in a call arranged by "60 Minutes" producer Mary Mapes.
But with Burkett now claiming otherwise, Republicans have their first evidence of Rathergate wrongdoing that directly implicates the Kerry campaign.
Burkett also complained that "60 Minutes" anchorman Dan Rather tried to set him up as a "fall guy" in the forged document scandal during his mea culpa broadcast on Monday.
"He snipped [my interview] apart to cover them," he told the Telegram. "That's all that that evening news was - to find a fall guy. And it was me."
"Dan Rather ruined my reputation in front of 70 million people," he added.
Burkett's former lawyer said Tuesday that the controversial Guardsman was preparing a lawsuit against CBS.
*********Additional Information**************
**Original Newspaper Account Corrected*******
CBS source denies plotting with Kerry
By Jack Douglas Jr.
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
This article has been corrected from the version published in the newspaper and online Friday morning to reflect that Bill Burkett was referring to conversations with CBS when he said, "They tried to convince me as to why I should give them the documents." The earlier version incorrectly reported that he had discussed the documents with Joe Lockhart of the Kerry campaign.
Given the recent ratings, more like 70,000 but whose counting?
Naw I think Robin Rather is Lucy, Burkett is Linus.
How could Bush verify the documents? These were allegedly from Killian's "personal file", remember. How would Bush know what Killian had put in his alleged CYA file?
CBS has been stubbornly obtuse about the White House's refusal to "challenge the authenticity" of these documents. The fact is, how could they (or anybody) know what Killian wrote for his own personal file?
Thus, one can't effectively challenge and deny the content. Instead, the only basis for challenging the authenticity of these documents is their production process -- and 'tweren't no typewriter.
Well--a lot of them are Italian, and Machiavelli is worth talking about and LEARNING.
Maybe not, but at least he wouldn't have had to keep the documents in his pants and sox if he does have a purse.
Laughed out loud--sorry, it deserves full credit.
> This time I don't doubt Burkett.
Caution is advised. I don't see any immediate reason
for him to lie about this. He's definitely speaking
like he thinks CBS is out to get him.
Possibly he took exception to the DNC denials on the
topics of discussion.
In any case, the real questions are whether or not
the general public will hear of this, and grasp what
means (DNC-CBS collusion), and if so, how they'll
react.
Ah yes, now who believes THAT scenario?
ring
Burkett: Hello?
Lockhart: Hello, is this Mr. Burkie?
B: BurKETT. The name is BurKETT.
L: Oh, Mr. Burkett. Mary Mapes of CBS News asked me to call you.
B: Yeah, yeah. Say I got some really good ideas about the Swift Boats Vets.
L: Yeah ...
B: I mean, I think that Kerry ought to really go AFTER them. Y'know?
L: Uh huh ...
B: Call 'em liars and uh, stuff like that ...
L: Yes ...
B: Cause, um, y'know ... that would be a really good idea ... just come out and say they're liars, um, and ... um, ... they're not telling the truth ...
L: I see ... Well, thank you very much.
B: Liars ... bam ... hold nothing back! ...
L: And Mary Mapes wanted me to call you for this?
B: You bet!
L: And she thought I would be .... interested ... to hear this?
B: Yeah. Well, she owes me a favor y'know?
L: Oh sure sure, I know how that goes.
B: Well ... I guess that's it.
L: Okay ...
B: Liars. Just have John call 'em liars.
L: Yeah. Good work Burkie. We'll get on that right away...
B: BurKETT. The name is BurKETT.
L: Yeah, Burkett. Well goodbye.
B: Bye.
Click
Lockhart: Now what the hell was that about?
Hmmm... Interesting take... I believe that Lockhart has said that "the phone call" lasted for only two or three minutes. So, there might be evidence in the form of phone records, which could validate or disprove at least that piece of Lockhart's story (of course, that evidence would be in Lockhart's possession, not in Burkett's hands).
Mapes, also, could add pieces to the puzzle by coming clean on exactly what she told Lockhart and/or other Kerry campaign insiders, but that is not very likely.
Inquiring minds might want to know not only the duration of that call, but whether or not there were other calls between Lockhart and Burkett, and/or between Lockhart and CBS, as well as who Lockhart may have called immediately after talking with Burkett. Sometimes, in the absence of an actual intercept (as an aside, I wonder whether such a thing exists), the traffic analysis can fill in some of the blanks...
TAP TAP TAPPITY TAPPITY TAP TAP TAPPITYTAP TAP TAPPITY TAPPITY TAP TAP TAPPITYTAP TAP TAPPITY TAPPITY TAP TAP TAPPITYTAP TAP TAPPITY TAPPITY TAP TAP TAPPITYTAP TAP TAPPITY TAPPITY TAP TAP TAP!
Foucault?
This just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter. It's all the talk at work and social situations. This is getting to be the self destruct Hari Kerry campaign.
What a cast of characters. Burkett is a mental patient. Mapes is a whackjob feminist b*itch criticized by her dad. Lockhart is a lying, spinning paid whore. Burkett's scumsucking attorney is going to shakedown CBS (although we like that part of the story). Buckhead is an Atlanta attorney who brilliantly recognized the forgery but was somehow too brilliant so it is a conspiracy by the President's political strategist. There are a group of rodents somewhere underground who are crapping their pants and watching their guy go down in flames. And, finally, there is a TANG pilot who received an honorable discharge and now leads the Free World in the War on Terror.
Last night at work (I work part time at a local retailer) some one tried to pass fake ID and fake checks for a purchase. The police were call. One of my fellow employees asked why the police were in the parking lot ....I told them "we'd been CBSed!"
Forbes.
Fu--eD Alex?
> ... traffic analysis can fill in some of the blanks...
Things we aren't likely to get.
We are going to get massive entertainment value, it
appears. Burkett's statement is now in enough places
(and just being on Drudge would suffice) that the
DNC will probably have to respond to it, and further
impeach the CBS source.
That may get Burkett thinking that both CBS and the
DNC are out to get him (and they may be), and who
knows what his next step will be.
Dispassionate consideration of detailed scientific
evidence does not seem to be on the program for some
time to come. In the meantime, grab a beer.
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