CBS: THE BLEEDING CONTINUES

NY POST ^ | February 21, 2005 | EDITORIAL

[Liz]

The corporate suits over at CBS thought they were free and clear. Uh-uh.

Following last month's release of a scathing report by a blue-ribbon panel on their self-inflicted "60 Minutes" Memogate mess, the CBS execs hoped to get away without truly cleaning house.

True, the one-time Tiffany Network had to accept a public rebuke for the way its journalists had handled the phony document scam relating to President Bush's Vietnam-era military service.

But its two stars, news chief Andrew Heyward and anchorman Dan Rather, were spared the ax — unlike producer Mary Mapes, who was fired, and three others, who were asked to resign.

Those actions, CBS President Les Moonves said at the time, would allow the network "to put this crisis behind us."

Not so fast.

Those three other producers — including "60 Minutes" Executive Producer Josh Howard — aren't going quietly. They've refused to quit and are readying lawsuits — not only to defend their actions, but to charge that the network's report deliberately ignored evidence that implicates top CBS brass in the ongoing fiasco.

To which we say to the CBS Three: Go to it.

We think the public is entitled to know whether Heyward played a key role in CBS' obstinate public defense of the segment — long after it became clear the documents were deeply flawed and probably blatant forgeries.

We'd also like to know just how "overworked" poor Dan Rather was that both the report and the network held him blameless in the whole farce, reducing him to nothing more than a talking prop.

This was a watershed moment for the mainstream media in general, and for CBS in particular.

To be sure, any lawsuit will stay far away from any suggestion the network was motivated by political bias.

[IamConservative]

""A Democrat Congressman (Hinchey - D, NY) just made the claim that Rove was behind planting the memos."

So what if he did? It only proves to what extent the left will go to beat a Republican.

Love to get these people at a poker table.

[mewzilla]

They'd only play if they could use other people's money.

[beyond the sea]

The eeeeeeevil Bush-Rove-Scaife Vast Right Wing Conspiracy Fund pays us, we're PROFESSIONALS. And paying us WELL. Just how well? Let's put it this way: I have platinum pajamas. LOL!

Platinum highlighted slippers here. ;-)

[Liz]

...........we're PROFESSIONALS. And (paid) WELL. Just how well? Let's put it this way: I have platinum pajamas.

And I will soon be breakfastng on chilled Cristal Morning Glories, Beluga caviar on toast points covered with imported Danish butter and creme fraiche, and steaming cups of hazlenut truffle lattes, served by my maid and butler on Limoges china and Baccarat crystal.

[beyond the sea]

Perhaps that would finally shut them up, since it would likely send them into catatonic shock.

Yeh, to quote Hunter S. Thompson, who is in the news this day: "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."

[Liz]

Wise guy.

[beyond the sea]

What the heck does independent mean?

LOL. I guess he means "independent" from each other......... but for sure, they are all against Bush.

Damn, they'll probably be out there today proclaiming that it was Bush's fault that Hunter S. Thompson shot himself.

[mewzilla]

Do you recall where that quote came from? It surely speaks volumes about its author.

[dennisw]

[FreedomPoster]

Gunga Dan's lack of common sense was apparent long before 1999/2000. I remember his lips firmly planted to this backside, long before then:

[papertyger]

So how could FReepers have been that clever, duplicitous, not to mention cunning...to have planted the documents story, etc. way back when?

Some FReepers are gay? [/sarcasm]

[beyond the sea]

He had the perscapacity

A little early in the morning for that word. ;-)

[papertyger]

You've had time to think about this breakfast thing...

[Cloverfarm]

Buckhead is my hero. I want to be like that when I grow up.

Ann

[beyond the sea]

If you meant this quote: "It was amazing Thursday to watch the documents story go from FreeRepublic.com, a bastion of right-wing lunacy, to Drudge to the mainstream media in less than 12 hours," said Jim Jordan, a strategist for independent Democratic groups opposed to Bush.

"That's not to say the documents didn't deserve examination. But apparently the entire thing was cooked up by a couple of amateurs on Free Republic. The speed with which it moved was breathtaking." ----- I think I found the source:

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/007808.php -- it is located about 40% down through the article.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

chilled Cristal Morning Glories, Beluga caviar on toast points covered with imported Danish butter and creme fraiche, and steaming cups of hazlenut truffle lattes, served by my maid and butler on Limoges china and Baccarat crystal.

You poor dear. Surely you can afford to balance your diet with some poached white owl tartare, tiger salamander tacos and filet of baby seal with the recent FReep-for-Funds pay increases. I really don't think you are getting enough fish. Do have a double helping of that caviar at least, and send the empty jar to PETA for recycling.

[OldFriend]

Rather pushed the agenda and that's all that mattered.

If he had run that 60 min. without the documents he'd still be there.

[Loyal Buckeye]

So, why are the three shysters still working at CBS? Why weren't they fired?

[Anti-Bubba182]

Google News search on Hinchey - D, NY Rove

This is far left tinfoil Hinchey made the mistake of repeating.

[Diogenesis]

"Buckhead is my hero."

Roger that.