My decoder ring told me that Rove fired Rather. He was no longer a "useful idiot".
Ulness a pefect Rovian Storm caused Rathers fall ;-)(/DU ,Tinfoil time.)
The Russians used Rathers retirement and the firing of some execs at CBS, as a defense against American criticism over Russian media controls and government ownership.
It was hilarious!
That Putin is a Stalinist genius. He obviously understands the difference between government censorship and public outrage over a lying "journalist."
I doubt the veracity of this, but if true then I'd say it's a peek into how Putin really thinks, KGB style, and he's merely displaying 'transference' on how he would handle the press in the USSR, err... I mean Russia.
Putin, "How dare you to cause CBS to force one of our agents off the air".
note: some words are lost in the translation, but this is pretty close.
The tables have now turned with coming of the new media, the blogosphere and the new government control of the Russian media, so now the west has regained te #1 position where the truth can be learned from the news.
"The administration's view was reinforced when Putin asked 'if you have such an advanced country, why is the NYC sewer system filled with alligators? And you say we have an alcoholism problem here, but at least we don't have all these people waking up in bathtubs filled with ice, minus a kidney."
Rating the Roadshow
By Richard Wolffe
Newsweek
March 7 issue - It was meant to be a heart-to-heart: just the two presidents and their translators, sitting alone inside the historic castle that overlooks the Slovak capital of Bratislava. Four years earlier, in another castle in Central Europe, George W. Bush looked Vladimir Putin in the eye and saw his trustworthy soul. But what he saw inside Putin last week was far less comforting. When Bush confronted his Russian counterpart about the freedom of the press in Russia, Putin shot back with an attack of his own: "We didn't criticize you when you fired those reporters at CBS."
Press Release Source: Newsweek NEWSWEEK: Putin to Bush: 'We Didn't Criticize You When You Fired Those Reporters at CBS'
Sunday February 27, 12:34 pm ET
NEW YORK, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- When George W. Bush confronted Vladimir Putin last week about the freedom of the press in Russia, Senior White House Correspondent Richard Wolffe reports, Putin shot back with an attack of his own: "We didn't criticize you when you fired those reporters at CBS." Details of the meeting, which included just the two presidents and their translators inside the historic castle that overlooks the Slovak capital of Bratislava, are reported in the March 7 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands Monday, February 28).
Putin better watch it, or we'll fire him too!
Mr. Putin may never realize the dynamics and checks on abuse of power that occur in a free society.
Just as he'll likely never learn that power derived from the grass roots support of 51% of a free and informed people is much greater than the power extorted from 100% of a fearful population.
Putin knows it isn't true. He's just another jackbooted KGB goon.
The fake CBS stories are achieving their desired result. The only wanted the ability to make the acusation regardless of facts.
Goebles would be proud of CBS.
The left is proven yet again to be the true Nazi party.
fyi
Dick Thornburgh served three years as Attorney General of the United States (1988-1991) in the cabinets of Presidents Reagan and Bush.
Some of the left see a White House connection.
Almost everyday I hear a caller to a radio talk show say that Rove created the CBS phony documents.
The Russians are tuned into our enemies within. Why wouldn't they prefer moveon and Err America to get off on.
Not to worry, Michael "fatboy" Moore is already at work on a new documentary to get to the bottom of this cover-up, Bowling for Mary Mapes.