Posted on 02/17/2005 5:15:41 AM PST by Anti-Bubba182
Writing in the Washington Post, Tina Brown said that Dan Rather came across in the CBS panel report on the "Rathergate" scandal as "an empty trench coat" because he had very little to do with the actual report that went on the air. It seems clear she didn't read it. In a bombshell ignored by most media, the report reveals that Dan Rather personally assured CBS News President Andrew Heyward that the discredited Bush National Guard story was not only true but "very big."
The report, prepared by former Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and Louis D. Boccardi, former president of The Associated Press, says that Rather assured Heyward that he, Rather, had not "been involved in this much checking on a story since Watergate." The report says that Rather assured Heyward that the bogus story was "thoroughly vetted," or documented and verified.
In another bombshell, the report reveals on page 130 that CBS News producer Mary Mapes, one of four fired because of the scandal, had documented information in her possession before the controversial September 8 broadcast that George W. Bush, while in the Texas Air National Guard, "did volunteer for service in Vietnam but was turned down in favor of more experienced pilots." This information is critical because Rather, in the broadcast, insinuated that Bush was among the "many well-connected young men [who tried to] pull strings and avoid service in Vietnam."...[snip]
[snip] What's more, it turns out that David Hackworth, a controversial retired colonel who has emerged as a strident opponent of how the Iraq war is being conducted, was a key source for canned CBS producer Mapes in both stories............."
(Excerpt) Read more at aim.org ...
I doubt that Hackworth has too man fans these days. Other than America haters, that is.
That would be great, but I can't believe this will ever come to trial. CBS will buy them off to avoid the publicity; no matter what it costs, it would be better for them than having this dirty laundry aired.
Might I suggest that Freepers out there who own CBS stock ask about such hush money payments at the next stockholders meeting? Or even purchase a share of stock so they can do so?
Hackworth, the report says, concluded the phony documents were "genuine," and Rather thought Hackworth was a "strong and valuable expert witness." Mapes also thought Hackworth "was important for the segment" that aired on September 8, the report says, but the Hackworth excerpts were "ultimately cut from the final script" for reasons that aren't explained.
I wonder why the Hack excerpts were cut? Very fortunate for him.
Hackworth's troubles are confined to the contents of this press release UNTIL and IF the lawsuits bring out anything that goes public as far as this issue is concerned. There
are those who have come to the conclusion, apart from this case, that Hackworth is full of crap.
They may buy them off, frankly that would be the smart move.
CBS knew what they were doing. Hackworth would never stand up as an expert on Air Force documents.
The FCC should suspend the license CBS has to operate.
Hackworth has lost his mind, if in fact he ever had one.
He operates a site that operates as a clearinghouse for service gripes. While some of what he receives are valid grievances, he has to be getting complaints from people trying simply to cover their butts. Added to this is his ego and longstanding grudge against the higher ups in the DOD who aren't always wrong.
A case in point is Sgt Fredericks of the Abu Garib affair who while under investigation went far and wide with the story that the higher ups ordered the torture before Hackworth connected him to CBS and Mapes, et al. The investigation did not back Fredericks's story, he plead guilty and the Army threw the book at him. I have to believe Fredericks would have been better off if he had not run to Hack and the media and so would the Soldiers wounded and killed as a result of the fallout from increasing violence in Iraq after Abu Garib.
In the case of him saying the Documents were genuine in the later story, this amounts to fraud as Hackworth had no expertise to allow him to conclude any such thing.
You have just explained why the lawsuits will never make it into court.
Hack went after Admiral Boorda with a hateful vengeance and then it was determined that Hack himself had an unearned medal on his own website, which he subsequently removed.
ping
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