Key To Downing Street Fakes? (Can I Be Famous Like Buckhead?)

20 JUNE 05 | Doctor Raoul

[TomasUSMC]

Why isn't Mr. Smith in jail. It is classified material.


Who wrote the supposed memo?

Also I think the memo is losing credibility. What do the minutes of the meeting say?

And, I'm waiting for the Clinton rape/adultery/is/lied memo.

[lowbridge]

Can I Be Famous Like Buckhead?

I thought you already were.

Ah, well. You do know the Famous FReepers secret handshake, dont you?

[SkyPilot]

Good seal!

[GraceCoolidge]

When I first heard that this reporter scrounged up an "old-fashioned typewriter" to "copy" the memos, I figured he was a forger. It's 2005 - - if he was openly making copies, why wouldn't he just do it on his computer?

Especially since doing it on your computer is a lot more discreet. I would think in a newsroom today, a reporter typing on his keyboard wouldn't draw a second glance. But a reporter dragging out the trusty IBM Selectric from the basement closet, blowing off the dust, going around asking if anyone saved any extra typewriter ribbon from 1987, and then typing away is going to cause people to stop and ask, what's he doing? Especially since the Dan Rather scam.

[advance_copy]

British reporter Michael Smith, who broke the memo story in the London Times on May 1, revealed to the Associated Press over the weekend that he "he protected the identity of the source he had obtained the documents from by typing copies of them on plain paper and destroying the originals."

Wow Doc! Excellent catch. The photo is obviously NOT "plain paper". Only the originals would have the Downing Street seal on them. And AP says "he protected the identity of the source he had obtained the documents from by typing copies of them on plain paper and destroying the originals".

[USF]

Thanks Fred...

[tiredoflaundry]

Laundry seal Bump!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

You are correct, I don't know what to make of the "copy", they didn't say facsimile or photocopy. On this score the Reuters story is unclear. Reuters at least owes their readers an explanation.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. If you take it for granted that Bush lied, then even the most flimsy evidence is compelling. If you are deluded into thinking that W is the font of all good and wisdom no amount of evidence will dissuade you. OTOH, if you approach life with healthy skepticism, you will be constantly amused by the show.

Burning originals and retyping them is now taught in journalism schools these days. It's called the Buckhead protocol.

[Diddle E. Squat]

bttt

[ravingnutter]

Yup...Smith was involved with the TANG forgery. These people are idiots if they think they can get by with this again.

Ultimately, Burkett decided to turn over the documents to one of the most persistent journalists, CBS producer Mary Mapes, sometime in August. He and his wife met Mapes and CBS reporter Mike Smith at a pizza restaurant a few miles from their ranch. At first he gave them only two of the six documents, which Mapes said she planned to have analyzed for authenticity, according to Burkett. Burkett said he passed the rest of the documents to Smith around Sept. 5, at a drive-in restaurant near Baird.

Source

So now we have established that Michael Smith actually worked for CBS.

[ravingnutter]

According to some sources, he was no freelance journalist...he was an Associate Producer at CBS

The first is the “smoking gun” email from associate producer Michael Smith to Mapes. It details his efforts to find some bribe money for Burkett, for a “book deal.” OK, payoffs disguised as book advances are a common problem the past few years. But, this is bribery; call it what it is.

Stated Intent to Affect Election. But the Smith email to Mapes is worse. In trying to procure bribe money for Burkett, Smith reveals to us his exact state of mind: “What if there was a person who might have some information that could possibly change the momentum of an election….?” This CBS News Associate Producer’s intentions are clear: He wants the documents to “change the momentum of the election.”

Remember that Burkett told the tale about how he made photocopies of the documents he obtained after a phone call from the mythical Lucy Ramirez, and then burned the originals. Then there is the "old typewriter" angle. The MO is exactly the same.

[cvq3842]

Right.

[CyberAnt]

This is great info .. thanks!! I'm sure Rush will talk about it this morning.

[randog]

Yeah how could he have typed the seal? makes less sense everyday.

He used Dan Rather's typewriter:

[GeorgeW23225]

ROTFLMAO!!!

[GeorgeW23225]

You "ARE" the new Buckhead!!

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !!!

[Holicheese]

In the USAF, we did not type secret on documents. You used a rubber stamp so you could put the classification bottom, top and sides.
Brits probably do the same thing.

[Holicheese]

He also is a sports writer for the Boston Globe and is on ESPN all the time.

[Kay]

bump