Posted on 05/17/2005 7:52:00 PM PDT by bitt
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - With thanks to two former colleagues who left CBS in the wake of a scandal, CBS News' Dan Rather accepted broadcast journalism's most prestigious honor on Monday for the "60 Minutes Wednesday" story that exposed the shocking conditions inside Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison.
In one of his first public appearances since leaving the network's anchor chair in March, Rather and Mary Mapes received the Peabody Award at a luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria in Midtown Manhattan.
Rather took pains to acknowledge Mapes and former CBS News senior vp Betsy West (who also attended the ceremony), among others. Mapes was fired by CBS News, and West was forced to resign in the wake of another "60 Minutes Wednesday" report, which aired in September and used questionable documents as part of the sourcing for a highly critical report on President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard.
"They did most of the work, bore the heaviest burdens and took most of the criticism," Rather said of Mapes and the other producers who did the front-line reporting on the Abu Ghraib story. "It took guts, and they had them."
Rather received extended applause after telling the crowd, "Never give up, never back up, never give in while pursuing the dream of integrity filled journalism that matters."
Mapes, who is understood to be writing a book about her experience with the report and the network-commissioned investigation that led to her dismissal, went onstage with Rather to accept the award but did not speak. She did not go backstage with Rather for photographs and interviews.
In his post-presentation remarks, Rather said that he would not address the firestorm of criticism that attended the Bush story and its aftermath. He said he didn't feel that the Peabody for the Abu Ghraib story was any different than the other awards he had won in the past. He also brushed off any mention of his legacy.
"I don't have a legacy. I'm not going to have a legacy, and I shouldn't have a legacy. I work in news," Rather said.
Rather also said that he wasn't sure about the fate of "60 Minutes Wednesday," saying he was a reporter on the show and wasn't privy to the high-level deliberations about its fate. "Wednesday" has been plagued by low ratings in the 8 p.m. time period opposite one of the season's runaway hits, ABC's "Lost."
Two months after he left "CBS Evening News," Rather says he doesn't miss the work as much as he thought he might.
"I don't think about it very much. I'm working full-time," Rather said, referring to his job as a correspondent for "60 Minutes."
He did acknowledge that he felt a few pangs of wanting to be in the thick of the action after Pope John Paul II died last month.
"Oftentimes, your bones don't ache until it rains," Rather said.
Meanwhile, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" was honored with its second Peabody for its "Indecision 2004" presidential campaign coverage. Stewart thanked Comedy Central for its support and joked: "Apparently, Comedy Central also allows its stars to have a semester abroad," referring to the surprise trip that Dave Chappelle, star of the network's "Chappelle's Show," has taken to South Africa, forcing the network to postpone the show's May 31 season premiere.
"The Daily Show" will be joined next year by a half-hour weekday show starring "Daily Show" correspondent Stephen Colbert.
"Colbert is irreplaceable, but we're happy to save on the salary," Stewart said.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Meaning the shocking conditions under Saddham right?
Lkie a Bund meeting in Madison Square Garden.
Uh, no.
After his blatant unprofessionalism with the forged memos, it is just disgusting that this man is given an award.
Yeah I know. Just wishful thinking.
Demonstrating once again how hollow these awards really are.
...and isn't it ironic...don't you think?
""Never give up, never back up, never give in while pursuing the dream of integrity filled journalism that matters." -- Dan Rather
Ya know, I've become bored with drinking of late. I think I wanna switch to whatever Dan uses.
Rather's allies?
You mean he finally got around to thanking Iraq, Clinton, Carter, Iran, Syria, Osama, Saddam and his other pals?
He didn't make it as far as he did without help and it's about time he thanked them.
Long overdue acknowledgement, I'd say.
Will tar and feathers stick to this POS?
There have been a number of good Tag Lines in the last few days out here. Yours is one of them. LoL!
I mean after all people rather took a story the military had reveal months before and put it on air so the DNC talking points could be echoed back and forth curing the election cycle. These people live in a alternate universe where they think they are important and they give each other awards to confirm their importance.
Yawn! and what did the American people think about rather's REVELATION about the terrible Republican President Bush?
They promptly re-elected him. I'm sure they just missed how important rather is!!!!!!!!!!!!
Y'know, all these "prestigious" awards, be they in media or print, Pulitzer right over to Nobel, are nothing but liberal circle-jerks. Conservatives need not ever apply.
Remember boys & girls, Abu Ghraib is shocking. Saddam's 300,000 to a million dead and buried in mass graves, rape rooms, and torture are questionable reasons to go to war.
I know you knew---I just couldn't think of anything else to say at that point...loved the sarcasm....
BTW, I was just wondering if the group that gave Rather the award couldn't have scrounged around at the last second to give old Michael Isikoff an award for the Koran story at the same time?
Why, thanks! Not too hard when the RAT's just keeping writing the jokes.
Translation: Those damned Freepers caught me and spoiled my legacy! WHAAAAAAAAAH!
If I were ever to die of a stroke, it will be after reading crap like this.
The guy gets an award? For what? This has to rank up there with Jimmy Carter receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for a treaty Kim Il-Jong promptly broke. How do you get these awards for failure?
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