Posted on 10/06/2004 6:01:04 AM PDT by OESY
CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves said the independent panel investigating the network's report on President Bush's National Guard service probably wouldn't complete its work before the presidential election.
The Sept. 8 report on CBS's "60 Minutes" news magazine relied on now-discredited documents. While the scrutiny of Viacom Inc.'s CBS has faded somewhat, some media pundits warn that the longer the panel's inquiry takes, the more unsettled it leaves CBS. And against the argument that the report should come after the election to avoid any unintended influence or distraction, some counter that a delay makes the network seem to be dragging its feet.
Speaking yesterday at an investment conference held by Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Mr. Moonves seemed to indicate that a post-election report probably would be better, so it "doesn't affect what is going on."
Mr. Moonves also described as "inappropriate" the contact between the producer of the report, Mary Mapes, and Joe Lockhart, a member of Sen. John Kerry's presidential-campaign staff. Ms. Mapes had acted as an intermediary between Bill Burkett, from whom CBS says it received the documents, and Mr. Lockhart.
...Initially, there was talk inside CBS News of wanting to get the inquiry over with so the network could begin steps to restore its credibility.
"From what I can tell, they're hoping this will die down, and the way to make it die down is to drag it out as long as possible," said Jay Rosen, chairman of New York University's journalism department.
The two-member panel, comprised of veteran Republican politician Dick Thornburgh and former Associated Press Chief Executive Louis Boccardi, was commissioned by CBS two weeks ago to analyze how the network came to air the report and its reaction to questions challenging the documents on which the report was based....
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
how convenient.
Boy! Now there is a big surprise.
Yeah, it takes an exhaustive investigation by a blue-ribbon commission to figure out that CBS lied and used forged documents to do it. They not only lied outright, they committed crimes in the process.
It takes an exhaustive cover-up to make sure this doesn't see the inside of a courtroom.
SO YOU CAN RUN A STORY W/ THE INTENT OF SCREWING UP THE ELECTIONS BUT CAN'T SHOW THE PEOPLE HOW & WHY IT WAS DONE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO "affect what is going on.[the election]".
What a pile of tripe!!!
Thorndyke is a moron.
I hope the Texas investigators come through and put these clowns in jail.
They have an obligation to complete this before the election because presenting it before the election was a clear attempt to "affect what is going on". This is simply presenting a false story on the front page and publishing the retraction in miniscule font on page 34. Disgusting.
Stonewall
Will conclude shortly after Dan retires.
They don't want to affect the outcome of the election ....
so this means that it all leads back to Kerry?
Anybody know what or if Dan had anything to say after the Rats voted down their own DRAFT BILL?
You are on to something there. The Friday after Thanksgiving would be a great time to release the results. With shopping, football and naps after turkey sandwiches it would get the attention CBS would like to see it get.
What is there to investigate? Most of the details are known. Just need to interview the couple of people responsible for putting out the bogus story to see what the heck they were thinking. If they can't adequately explain themselves, fire them and be done with it.
Okay....I'll even save a verse or two of "Ode to Joy" --typically saved for only right after W is sworn in, and add it to the after-moment of Dan's demise!
...still thinking...(FOX Report)....YES!
A great new hour show of "not really the news," put out by FOX
... Maybe it could even be a new weekend show (not really the time news is on TV either--we're workin' a great theme here, people!).
How good of the liberal whores at CBS not to want revelations of their political crackup to disturb the election. How truly generous, indeed.
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