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Harry Smith Angry over Dan Rather's Job
NewsMax ^ | 2/4/05 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 02/04/2005 7:55:30 PM PST by wagglebee

More ugly details are trickling out from behind the scenes at CBS's Rathergate fiasco, with one of the network's top on-air personalities reportedly telling a senior executive that Dan Rather should have been fired.

CBS "Early Show" host Harry Smith is said to have "pointedly confronted" news division chief Andrew Heyward during a staff meeting after three producers were asked to take the fall for Rather's blunder last month.

According to the Web site NewsBlues.com, Smith wanted to know why and how Dan Rather was still able to keep his position on "60 Minutes Wednesday."

Ratherbiased.com, which picked up the story, said Smith was unavailable for comment on his alleged showdown with Heyward.

As NewsMax reported earlier this week, tension at CBS was running high over the decision to let both Rather and Heyward keep their jobs, while producers Josh Howard, Mary Murphy and Betsy West were given a few hours to clean out their desks and vacate their offices.

The decision to paint Rather as out of the loop on the disastrous National Guard report also irked staffers who knew that "he’d read multiple drafts of the script for the story [written by producer Mapes], done most of the interviews, and had a thorough knowledge of the story’s content and point of view," according to New York Magazine.

Earlier this week CBS announced that veteran newsman and "Face the Nation" host Bob Schieffer would replace Rather until CBS chairman Les Moonves settles on a permanent replacement.

Last month, Moonves said he was leaning toward a multi-anchor format for the "CBS Evening News" - and even floated the possibility that "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart might be tapped.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 60minutes; andrewheyward; bush; cbs; danrather; harrysmith; memogate; ratherbiased; rathergate
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The meltdown continues!
1 posted on 02/04/2005 7:55:30 PM PST by wagglebee
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To: wagglebee

Harry Smith: dead man walking. One would have to think his days at the Black Rock are numbered.


2 posted on 02/04/2005 7:58:13 PM PST by southernnorthcarolina (Warning: The chlamydia you got in Vegas will not actually "stay in Vegas.")
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To: wagglebee

Heyward and Moonves need to be fired even more than Rather. They are the people who have presided over this corrupt empire.


3 posted on 02/04/2005 7:58:20 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: wagglebee

John Stewart as anchor. That's a scary thought!


4 posted on 02/04/2005 8:00:20 PM PST by RetroWarrior ("We count it death to falter, not to die")
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To: wagglebee

Watch for "The Harry Smith Show"- coming soon to CNBC.


5 posted on 02/04/2005 8:01:13 PM PST by fat city (Julius Rosenberg's soviet code name was "Liberal")
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To: RetroWarrior
John Stewart as anchor. That's a scary thought!

He appears to be a stupid, stupid man.

6 posted on 02/04/2005 8:02:12 PM PST by Stentor
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To: fat city

Either that or he'll be the forth guy on Fox & Friends.


7 posted on 02/04/2005 8:04:03 PM PST by wolfpat (Dum vivimus, vivamus)
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To: Stentor
In this case, appearences are not deceiving.
8 posted on 02/04/2005 8:05:19 PM PST by RetroWarrior ("We count it death to falter, not to die")
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To: wagglebee
The Communist Broadcasting System has carried on a family tradition for the last twenty years. The talking heads will perhaps change but the entrenched leftist bias will endure. Nothing will change.

Slouching to obscurity.

Take note of the sponsors (if you can endure watching long enough to take notes), and hit them where it hurts. In the wallet. The only thing the media slimes understand.

9 posted on 02/04/2005 8:09:05 PM PST by TUX (Domino effect)
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To: RetroWarrior
John Stewart as anchor. That's a scary thought!

I would love to see that--Stewart hosted SNL once and it was one of the painful things I've ever seen :)

10 posted on 02/04/2005 8:12:46 PM PST by silent_jonny
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To: southernnorthcarolina

He is probably old enough and has enough money to not care. If I had spent 20+ years whoring myself for CBS, I think I'd be ready for a mental breakdown.


11 posted on 02/04/2005 8:14:01 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Please leave a message after the burp....)
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To: wagglebee
I heard Chris Wallace today on a talk show. He does a segment each Friday to promote the Sunday show.

FWIW, this Sunday's show is pushed back two hours on broadcast to make room for the pre-pre-pre-game
Superbowl show.

Anyway, the White House had the anchors over for lunch this week with Bush and Cheney.

So, the thing's wrapping up, and Bush finally talks to Rather: "So Dan, are you retiring to Austin?"

Dan says he'll be spending some time there.

Bush says "I'll be retiring in about four years. Maybe I'll see you around." and turns away from him. Zing!

12 posted on 02/04/2005 8:14:37 PM PST by Calvin Locke
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To: RetroWarrior

I'm surprised they didn't get Bill Maher to do it. He's as stiff as Kerry, chuckles at his own stupid sarcasm that masquerades poorly as humor, and is about as interesting as a 10-lb. bag of fertilizer.


13 posted on 02/04/2005 8:16:35 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Please leave a message after the burp....)
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To: wagglebee

Next thing you know, CBS will have a show called Crossfire and have Tucker Carlson and Jon Stewart face off on political news of the day, and have guests, and...

Oh, that's right been done, and failed at CNN...

Would have been more entertaining than Dan Rather or Bob Schieffer.


14 posted on 02/04/2005 8:16:39 PM PST by Txsleuth (Proud to be a Texan)
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To: wagglebee
"One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."

 


15 posted on 02/04/2005 8:17:06 PM PST by StoneGiant
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To: wagglebee
The decision to paint Rather as out of the loop on the disastrous National Guard report also irked staffers who knew that "he’d read multiple drafts of the script for the story [written by producer Mapes], done most of the interviews, and had a thorough knowledge of the story’s content and point of view," according to New York Magazine.

What a CBS coverup, the ghosts of Watergate must be laughing....

The report painted Rather as an innocent overworked doofus just reading what Mary Mapes & crew had handed him right before air time. But it's coming out very differently now, and it's the CBS people turning on their own.

16 posted on 02/04/2005 8:18:31 PM PST by xJones
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

And Maher is OBNOXIOUS. I don't know how he stands himself.


17 posted on 02/04/2005 8:19:13 PM PST by silent_jonny
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To: Calvin Locke

Danny Boy is going to be the new night manager at the Kinko's in Abilene, Texas.


18 posted on 02/04/2005 8:19:15 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: Calvin Locke

Dang---Fox News show is on at 9:00 A.M. here in Texas, how early does the Super Bowl people think they have to start?

I guess about 8 hours, huh?

The only way I would EVER watch CBS for anything would be if they hired Ann Coulter to do the Evening News---


19 posted on 02/04/2005 8:19:37 PM PST by Txsleuth (Proud to be a Texan)
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To: wagglebee

there's something odd that some people like dan rather never get booted.

i was telling a friend, if rush limbaugh had presented phony documents to out a sitting president, say clinton, he'd be off the air.

my friend said, oh, you're wrong!

yeah, right, i said. remember rush got booted from espn for making a comment about mcnabb?

my friend shut up.


20 posted on 02/04/2005 8:20:00 PM PST by ken21 (most news today is either stupid or evil.)
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