RATHERS DENY SPLIT (Thank God)

NY Post ^ | June 1, 2006 | Liz Smith

[presidio9]

THE DAN Rathers of New York and Austin, Texas, signal me that the rumor of their impending divorce is as highly exaggerated as the story of Mark Twain's death while he was still alive and kicking.

I saw the Rathers in the capital city of Texas, where they have a condo overlooking the Colorado River. They buzz into town from their nearby ranch for games of bridge and barbecue. They always act like teenagers who just met. In fact, the artist Jean says to me that the only "D" word around their house is "date night." The couple just celebrated their 49th anniversary in Las Vegas, where Dan received the NAB Distinguished Service Award for lifetime achievement. They are planning their 50th some place equally exotic.

While I'm on the subject, the great reporter Mr. Rather recently interviewed me for an extensive piece on "CBS Sunday Morning." It turned out to be quite a story, and so Dan has not disappeared from television as many feared. I don't know what the ratings are for this popular show, but I heard from just about everybody in Western civilization after it aired. And this means that all those people saw Dan Rather at his best. He asked me some tough questions.

[Richard Kimball]

Liz Smith is an 83 year old bisexual. She's always been a Dem hack, but her age is dramatically showing, re: I don't know what the ratings are for this popular show, WTF? She's lost it. She gets printed for the same reason Ann Landers and Dear Abby keep getting printed. Newspapers are about as forward looking as drunk Russians (or am I repeating myself?), and they continue to run the same tired cr@p because they aren't getting new readers, and they don't want to hack off the old ones.

[travlnmn41]

Tell me that's not an actual photo, but a Photoshop 101 project gone terribly wrong. There's NO WAY anyone could be that ugly.

[rod1]

Wait a minute. Liz (apparently unknowling) basically admits she is biased and not just Rather-biased. Rather threw her a hugh bone. Dano is putting her on TV! The MSM no longer even pretends their puff pieces to salvage reputations don't produce quid pro quos.

Wonder what some recent writers got out of their glorifying the Dixie chicks puff works.

[txhurl]

I had one that size roll over right in front of me in Lake Travis, neck-deep bass casting. OMG.

[TexanByBirth]

Yeah but our "cricks" have some big ponds on them.

I think yall call them lakes!

[Xenalyte]

You're in East Texas, yes? I will allow as how people east of Houston do talk differently (and more colorfully) than we do.

[presidio9]

Put it another way: Everythings bigger in Texas except the rivers.

[BJClinton]

That would have made the story worth reading.

[AmericaUnited]

That looks like a man...

[TexanByBirth]

Actually, I am just up the road from you in Huntsville.

[mombonn]

I don't believe in divorce either, but I really don't believe in divorce after 49 years. How in God's name do you spend 49 years with a person, and then suddenly decide you can't stand being around them?

LOL, he probably started hanging around in the kitchen after he retired, trying to tell her a better way to organize it.

Definition of retirement: Twice the husband on half the income.

[mombonn]

What a hilarious tagline!

[BJClinton]

Thanks

[atomicpossum]

I have faxed documents that prove its true!

[TXnMA]

Las Vegas is totally artificial -- not "exotic"

[Dick Vomer]

[altura]

Jean Rather deserves a special award for putting up with this pompous lying buffoon for so long.

---

Well, yeah, when he was working. But now that he's home all day gettin' in her hair....

[Al Simmons]

Maybe you just put up with their sh*t for 49 years because your generation expected you to....and then one day you look in the mirror, realize how little time is left, and decide you want to be free (I do not mean that in the sexual sense at that age)....maybe his amorous side-dishes finally made her pot boil over?

[higgmeister]

She gets printed for the same reason Ann Landers and Dear Abby keep getting printed.

Ann Landers died. Dear Abby has had Alzheimer's since the 1990's.

Maybe they still would have readers if Al Capp and Ann Landers were still alive.