Rather Uses Casket Video to Denounce Policy Barring Such Viewing

MRC ^ | 6:10am EST, Thursday January 13, 2005 | BrentBaker

[fight_truth_decay]

Dan Rather decided on Wednesday night to turn, the return of the bodies of Louisiana National Guardsmen killed in Iraq, into an opportunity to take a shot at the Bush administration for not allowing pictures of caskets arriving at military bases, a policy, he did not note, which matches that of the Clinton administration.

Rather led the CBS Evening News with how "by Pentagon design, the American people have rarely been allowed to see what was seen today -- a homecoming. Flag-draped caskets of six American soldiers were flown to Louisiana where the National Guard chose to ignore Pentagon policy and salute their sacrifice in a public ceremony."

Rather teased the January 12 CBS Evening News: "Tonight, as U.S. casualties in Iraq mount, a rare sight today: Cameras capture the homecoming of some of America's fallen heroes."

Rather opened his broadcast, over video of flag-draped caskets: "Good evening. In nearly two years of war in Iraq, 1,353 U.S. servicemen and women have given their lives. In all that time, by Pentagon design, the American people have rarely been allowed to see what was seen today -- a homecoming. Flag-draped caskets of six American soldiers were flown to Louisiana where the National Guard chose to ignore Pentagon policy and salute their sacrifice in a public ceremony."

Viewers then saw a full story from CBS's Jim Acosta.

[fight_truth_decay]

Rather to the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz for a September 16 article:
"I don't back up.
I don't back down.
I don't cave when the pressure gets too great
from these partisan political
ideological forces."

(does have a beat!)

Rather continues "rapping", but does his music cut it anymore? {crickets}

[narby]

David Horrowitz is right. These people like Rather are no longer the "loyal opposition". They want the US to surrender to Saddam and Osama, merely because they desire to defeat Republicans above all else.

[silverleaf]

Rather is a vile man with a tiny little ............


intellect.

[highflight]

love your moniker!

Dan Rather is consumed with hatred - time to take him off the air.

Not quite employed - not quite fired - not quite right.

[nikos1121]

Anyone who has read or heard parts of the Thornburgh report will see that basically Rather tried to cover his @ss and let the others below him take the fall.

I therefore am suggesting that we coin a few new phrases in the aftermath of Rathergate.

1. The Dan Rather Syndrome

The Dan Rather Syndrome. A pervasive attitude in one's work environment where the boss often has his subordinates take the blame for any of his (or her) wrong doing so as to cover his own @ss.

For example:

"My boss has Dan Rather Syndrome. He let two of us take the hit for his screw up on those mutual funds."

2. Dan Rathered.

Dan Rathered. When a subordinate is fired for the mistake of his boss or when a boss fails to cover his subordinate and leaves he or she out to dry.

Example:

"My boss Dan Rathered me. He let me take the fall for his blunder that cost us the Anderson account."

Let this be Dan Rather's legacy.

nikos

[oldironsides]

The more I see of Rather the more I think someone ought to take a real good look at the Watergate work he did. He is the type to make up things and lie. Now we know. What did he "make up' all the years ago. Did he just happen on some documents or paperwork?

[Calpernia]

ping

[Calpernia]

ping

[zygoat]

Keep it up Rather- Your biased reporting helped put the rat party in it's own casket in the '04 election, and now you're shoveling the dirt in. One "newscast" at a time.

[speed_addiction]

David Horrowitz is right. These people like Rather are no longer the "loyal opposition". They want the US to surrender to Saddam and Osama, merely because they desire to defeat Republicans above all else.

There are people on DU who make posts hoping against hope, praying even, that someone, ANYONE, would invade us and remove Bush from office since it couldn't be done by the ballot box. They don't care if it was the Taliban who took over and imposed Islamic Law. They would gladfully submit to it just so George Bush was no longer President. That who ever conquered would promptly shut DU down escapes them. The wailing and gnashing of teeth on Jan. 20th is going to be almost overwhelming. I fear for our President because when hate for him is wound up this tight, something has to give.

[Popman]

I watched Dan Rather for the first time last night in many, many years.

He didn't disappoint me. I was appalled at the way the first segment went.

He's a stubborn old fool.

[OldFriend]

I heard a lib talk show host one day saying that she would rather have the crack dealers in front of her building than have Rudy as Mayor.

There's a sick mentality to the left that just keeps getting worse and worse.

I've long since given up on understanding them but am beginning to worry about what their endless rants might cause to happen.

[rockrr]

"I fear for our President because when hate for him is wound up this tight, something has to give."

I heard a little blurb on the radio last night during the commute. It was from Tom Ridge (I believe), and he was saying (in effect): We're going to have a nice ceremony as is the custom here....

AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE ANY INTERRUPTIONS, OK?

(Did my heart good ;'}

[speed_addiction]

I watched Dan Rather for the first time last night in many, many years. He didn't disappoint me. I was appalled at the way the first segment went. He's a stubborn old fool

He is getting further and further out there. Sometimes I watch him but only in the same spirit that I lurk on DU. For laughs because there is no way he can be taken seriously. He has refused to call Ohio for two months!

[LADY J]

Despicable little man with a black heart.

Willing to sell his country out by giving aid and comfort to the enemy because of his hatred for President Bush and our country.

[Gefreiter]

Anyone can go to their nearest cemetery and find fallen veterans. The implication by Rather that Americans can't mourn them unless they're on TV is stupid.

They don't need to be on the tarmac when the caskets come off the aircraft to pay their respects.

[boxerblues]

Rather is an idiot, this was filmed at the request of the families according to a local report but given a different spin altogether

US guard unit defies rule on filming of soldiers' coffins

Despite the Pentagon request, Lieutenant Colonel Pete Schneider, a spokesman for the Louisiana National Guard told CBS: "What we thought was, we're going to do what the family asked us to do."

[capt. norm]

How many viewers do they have to lose before they start catching on?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Correct. Local TV has covered the funerals of our returned war dead in a more personal and loving manner than CBS ever could.

[Breyean]

Rush had an interesting take on your point yesterday.

He said since the advertisers buy blocks on all 3 of the MSM news shows to ensure they reach all viewers watching any of them, CBS has not seen any decline in REVENUE as the RATINGS of their news show decline.

If true, revenue trumps ratings.