Moving Ahead, Rather Throws Sad Look Back

NY Times ^ | June 17, 2006 | JACQUES STEINBERG

[Pharmboy]

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times, 2004
Dan Rather might work for the
high-definition channel HDNet.

The 74-year-old man with the Mets cap pulled far down on his forehead slid into a booth at a diner on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and ordered a glass of milk without so much as turning a head — so quietly, in fact, that it was hard to believe it was Dan Rather.

In place of the swagger that had served him so well throughout his 44-year career at CBS News was an obvious sadness that his tenure at the network was ticking down to an inglorious end. Mr. Rather complained that since stepping down as anchor of the " CBS Evening News" last year, in the aftermath of a reporting scandal, he had been ill used as a correspondent on "60 Minutes" and had been given virtually nothing at all to do for the previous six weeks.

Among the places he had sought solace, he said on a recent afternoon, was in "Good Night, and Good Luck," George Clooney's homage to Edward R. Murrow and the CBS News of old, a film that Mr. Rather said he had seen five times in theaters, most recently alone.

Mr. Rather's contract with CBS, and "60 Minutes," is not scheduled to expire until late November. But he said yesterday that he and the network were close to an agreement that would end his tenure early, and that he was seriously mulling a new venture that, at least initially, relatively few viewers would be able to see: he would develop and be the host of a weekly interview program on a high-definition television channel known as HDNet.

The offer, he said, had come directly from Mark Cuban, the unbridled owner of the NBA's

[Pharmboy]

Still crazy after all these years...(and not in a good Paul Simon way, either).

By the end of the article I have expected old Jacques to tell us Dan's fly was open and he had snot on his jacket.

[Pharmboy]

have = half

Duh.

[jebeier]

And here I thought there was nothing on this Earth that could get me to root for the Miami Heat...

[bcsco]

"Moving Ahead, Rather Throws Sad Look Back"

Doesn't seem that leaving CBS and going to some unwatched HD show is 'moving ahead'. But that's just me, I guess.

[pissant]

Go Miami!

[andyandval]

Such a sad article.

Why am I smiling ear to ear?

You've done your damage, Dan. Now slink back in to the shadows and STFU.

[johnny7]

Dan's fly was open and he had snot on his jacket...

about him... clung the putrid stench of a recent, self-fouling.

[Leisler]

[xcamel]

Must be really sad to realize after a whole life's work trying to "change the world", that he had the words "Kick Me" taped to his back.

[maggief]

Kinda says it all ...

Among the places he had sought solace, he said on a recent afternoon, was in "Good Night, and Good Luck," George Clooney's homage to Edward R. Murrow and the CBS News of old, a film that Mr. Rather said he had seen five times in theaters, most recently alone.

Courage, Dan. Courage. LOL

[Pharmboy]

Anything beyond shuffling into the OTB parlor on Second Ave. is "moving ahead" for Cap'n Dan the Newsman.

[Neoliberalnot]

Problem is he did his damage but not the time he deserved for fraud.

[maggief]

[Pharmboy]

Yes yes...that struck me too. It almost made me feel a bit sorry for him (I did say "almost"). I bet his eyes welled up during parts of that hagiographic swill...

[bcsco]

"Anything beyond shuffling into the OTB parlor on Second Ave. is "moving ahead" for Cap'n Dan the Newsman."

Well, that's probably true. And who am I to question his goals. After all, not having HDTV, nor wanting it, I'm certain I'll not cross his path again. But, that's not something I'll dwell on.

[Pharmboy]

I just wanted to make sure you folks could enjoy a bit of Schadenfreude with your Saturday morning cup o' Joe.

[MinuteGal]

Why, after all these decades, is the aging Rather still clinging to the drapes?.

Is he broke? Has he no family? I never hear about a wife or children or any family life surrounding him. Has he no life other than sitting in TV news studios?

What a single-faceted humanoid. He's beginning to creep me out.

Leni

[AmericanMade1776]

I just have one word for Dan Rather as he looks back....BUCKHEAD!

[speedy]

I used to joke about Rather winding up on Community Access Television, doing local restaurant reviews and interviewing the head of the Garden Club. I didn't think it would actually happen!!

[norwaypinesavage]

I understand that it's not polite to laugh at the senile, like Rather and Steinberg, so I'll try to hold it baccccck....hhmf.............hhhmmmmmmmm................ha......................haha..................HA............HAHA....HA HA...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA