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Live Thread: CBS Evening News (Dan tells us why we're all wrong)
www.freerepublic.com | September 10, 2004

Posted on 09/10/2004 3:18:38 PM PDT by Howlin

Edited on 09/10/2004 4:53:58 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]

Have at it.

******Transcript************



'KEY CHALLENGES TO NATIONAL GUARD DOCUMENTS ANSWERED'
Fri Sep 10 2004 19:03:11 ET

The biggest challenges to the authenticity of the documents featured in the 60 MINUTES segment on President Bush's Texas National Guard service are answered in a report to be broadcast on the CBS EVENING NEWS tonight (6:30-7:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The report states that the type style, typewriter and the superscript function critics claim did not exist at the time the memos from President Bush's former Texas National Guard commander were typed were indeed all available. In fact, similar raised "th" superscripts have been found on other National Guard documents the White House has released from the president's file.

Furthermore, Marcel Mately, the document and handwriting expert used to authenticate the documents for CBS News and 60 MINUTES, asserts that copies of the memos critics are examining have been degraded by reproduction though photocopying, computer scanning and faxing and are not reliable representations of the memos.

A transcript is attached:

BUSH DOCUMENTS

EVENING NEWS WITH DAN RATHER

9-10-04

Rather Lead In: There were attacks today on the CBS News "60 Minutes" report this week raising new questions about President Bush's Vietnam-era time in the Texas Air National Guard. The questions raised by our report include:

--Did a wealthy Texas oilman-friend of the Bush family use his influence with the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives .. to get George W. Bush a coveted slot in the National Guard .. keeping him out of the draft and any probable service IN Vietnam?

--Did Lieutenant Bush refuse a direct order from his commanding officer?

--Was Lieutenant. Bush suspended for failure to perform up to standards?

--Did Lieutenant Bush ever take a physical he was required and ordered to take? If not, why not?

--And did Lieutenant Bush, in fact, complete his commitment to the Guard?

These questions grew out of new witnesses and new evidence -- including documents written by Lieutenant Bush's squadron commander.

Today, on the internet and elsewhere, some people -- including many who are partisan political operatives -- concentrated not on the key questions the overall story raised but on the documents that were part of the support of the story.

They alleged the documents are FAKE.

Rather: MANY OF THOSE RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CBS DOCUMENTS HAVE FOCUSED ON SOMETHING CALLED SUPERSCRIPT... A KEY THAT AUTOMATICALLY TYPES A RAISED "TH". CRITICS CLAIM TYPEWRITERS DIDN'T HAVE THAT ABILITY IN THE 70S. BUT SOME MODELS DID....IN FACT, OTHER BUSH MILITARY RECORDS ALREADY OFFICIALLY RELEASED BY THE WHITE HOUSE ITSELF SHOW THE SAME SUPERSCRIPT.

HERE'S ONE..... FROM 1968.

SOME ANALYSTS OUTSIDE CBS SAY THEY BELIEVE THE TYPEFACE ON THESE MEMOS IS NEW TIMES ROMAN.... WHICH THEY CLAIM WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE 1970S.

BUT THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY THAT DISTRIBUTES THIS TYPING STYLE.... SAYS IT HAS BEEN AVAILABE SINCE 1931. DOCUMENT AND HANDWRITING EXAMINER MARCEL MATLEY ANALYZED THE DOCUMENTS FOR CBS NEWS.

HE SAYS HE BELIEVES THEY ARE REAL...BUT IS CONCERNED ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING EXAMINED BY SOME OF THE PEOPLE QUESTIONING THE DOCUMENTS....BECAUSE DETIORATION OCCURS EACH TIME A DOCUMENT IS REPRODUCED.....AND THE DOCUMENTS BEING ANALYZED OUTSIDE OF CBS HAVEBEEN PHOTOCOPIED, FAXED, SCANNED AND DOWNLOADED.... AND ARE FAR REMOVED FROM THE DOCUMENTS CBS STARTED WITH WHICH WERE ALSO PHOTOCOPIES.

DOCUMENT AND HANDWRITING EXAMINER MARCEL MATLEY DID THIS INTERVIEW WITH US PRIOR TO THE 60 MINUTES BROADCAST.

HE LOOKED AT THE DOCUMENTS AND THE SIGNATURES OF COLONEL JERRY KILLIAN.... COMPARING KNOWN DOCUMENTS WITH THE COLONEL'S SIGNATURE ON THE NEWSLY DISCOVERED ONES.

Matley: "WE LOOK BASICALLY AT WHAT'S CALLED SIGNIFICANT OR INSIGNIFICANT FEATURES TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S THE SAME PERSON OR NOT. I HAVE NO PROBLEM IDENTIFYING THEM.

I WOULD SAY BASED ON OUR AVAILABLE HANDWRITING EVIDENCE, YES. THIS IS THE SAME PERSON."

Rather: MATLEY FINDS THE SIGNAT'URES TO BE SOME OF THE MOST COMPELLING EVIDENCE...WE TALKED TO HIM AGAIN TODAY BY SATELLITE.

Matley "SINCE IT IS REPRESENTED THAT SOME OF THEM ARE DEFINITELY HIS... THEN WE CAN CONCLUDE THEY ARE HIS SIGNATURES."

Rather: "ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT QUESTIONS COME ABOUT THESE. WE'RE NOT, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU'RE SURPRISED."

Matley: "I KNEW GOING IN THAT THIS WAS DYNAMITE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND I KNEW THAT POTENTIALLY IT WAS FAR MORE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO ME PROFESSIONALLY THAN BENEFIT ME. AND I KNEW THAT. BUT WE SEEK THE TRUTH. THAT'S WHAT WE DO. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PUT YOURSELF OUT. TO SEEK THE TRUTH AND TAKE WHAT COMES FROM IT."

Rather: ROBERT STRONG WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE TEXAS AIR NATIONAL GUARD DURING THE VIETNAM YEARS. HE KNEW COL. JERRY KILLIAN, THE MAN CREDITED WITH WRITING THE DOCUMENTS.... AND PAPER WORK... LIKE THESE DOCUMENTS...WAS HIS SPECIALTY. HE IS STANDING BY HIS JUDGEMENT THAT THE DOCUMENTS ARE REAL.

Rather: "WHEN YOU READ THROUGH THESE DOCUMENTS, IS THERE ANY DOUBT IN YOUR MIND THAT THESE ARE GENUINE?"

Strong: "WELL,, THEY ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE WAY BUSINESS WAS DONE AT THAT TIME. THEY ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE MAN THAT I REMEMBER JERRY KILLIAN BEING. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT'S DISCORDANT WITH WHAT WERE THE TIMES, WHAT WERE THE SITUATION OR WHAT WERE THE PEOPLE INVOLVED."

Rather: STRONG SAYS THE HIGHLY CHARGED POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE OF THE GUARD AT THE TIME... WAS PERFECTLY REPRESENTED IN THE NEW DOCUMENTS

Strong: "IT VERGED ON OUTRIGHT CORRUPTION IN TERMS OF THE FAVORS THAT WERE DONE, THE POWER THAT WAS TRADED. AND IT WAS UNCONSCIONABLE. FROM A MORAL AND ETHICAL STANDPOINT. IT WAS UNCONSCIONABLE."

Rather: IT IS THE INFORMATION IN THE NEW DOCUMENTS THAT IS MOST COMPELLING FOR PEOPLE FAMILIAR WITH PRESIDENT BUSH'S RECORD IN THE NATIONAL GUARD. AUTHOR JIM MORE HAS WRITTEN TWO BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT.

Rather: "YOU'VE STUDIED PRESIDENT BUSH'S RECORDS FOR 10 YEARS.. ARE THESE DOCUMENTS CONSISTENT WITH THE RECORD AS YOU KNOW IT?"

Moore: "THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY CONSISTENT WITH THE RECORDS AS I KNOW IT."

Rather: "PUT IT IN CONTEXT AND PERSPECTIVE FOR US ... THE STORY AND WHAT WE CALL THE COUNTERATTACK ON THE STORY. WHERE ARE WE RIGHT NOW?

Moore "I THINK WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS SOME INCRIMINATING DOCUMENTS HAVE COME OUT. THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU SHOULD REMEMBER, HAS NOT DISCREDITED THE DOCUMENTS. THEY'RE RELYING ON THE BLOGOSPHERE AND OTHER PEOPLE TO DO THAT. BECAUSE THE WHITE HOUSE PROBABLY KNOWS THESE DOCUMENTS ARE IN FACT REAL."

Rather Tag: The "60 Minutes" report was based NOT solely on the recovered documents .. but on a preponderance of evidence .. including documents that were provided by un-impeachable sources .. and interviews with former officials of the Texas National Guard. If any definitive evidence to the contrary of our story is found, we will report it.

So far, there is none.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections; US: Alabama; US: District of Columbia; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2004electionbias; brithume; bush; cbs; cbslies; dannyrather; danratherbiased; disgraceful; dnctalkingpoints; downwiththeship; foxnews; fredbarnes; frequency; juanwilliams; jumpedtheshark; killian; lyingliar; mediabias; memos; outofworkhack; ratherbiased; resignnow; tang
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To: Basilides
Excellent letter. Wish I'd said that.

Congressman Billybob / John Armor, Esq.

1,141 posted on 09/10/2004 6:10:27 PM PDT by Congressman Billybob (Visit: www.ArmorforCongress.com please.)
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To: bvw
Got ya.

What I'm likeing best about this story is that it should take shape tomorrow and maybe, just maybe, be a headline in the Sunday Newspapers. Nahhhh, I'm dreaming.

"DAN RATHER LIES, CBS GETS NEW ANCHOR"

1,142 posted on 09/10/2004 6:10:58 PM PDT by AGreatPer (Go Swifties)
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To: MEG33
Yes. And I replied to that! How short my memory is.

It's these pajamas. They are too tight.

1,143 posted on 09/10/2004 6:11:33 PM PDT by bvw
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To: Mo1
of all experts to call in .. they pick this guy??

Maybe Hillary had him call in to offer his assistance!

1,144 posted on 09/10/2004 6:11:48 PM PDT by knak
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To: xzins; Congressman Billybob

I sent it off the Hugh Hewitt and Powerline.
I will adjust the order.


1,145 posted on 09/10/2004 6:13:20 PM PDT by mabelkitty (Watch for a CBS employee in a trench coat going by DeepWord.....)
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To: FredZarguna
They [CBS/Rather] suggested that because the typeface existed, those who claimed the typeface was of a certain kind were mistaken.

Times Roman has been available since 1931, but only in linotype printshops...until released with Apple MacIntosh in 1984 and Windows 3.1 in 1991.

(See Times (New) Roman and its part in the Development of Scalable Font Technology By Charles Bigelow)
1,146 posted on 09/10/2004 6:13:32 PM PDT by TomGuy (His VN crumbling, he says 'move on'. So now, John Kerry is running on Bob KerrEy's Senate record.)
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To: MEG33
Me too,but I am NOT in the living room,but in my own study/mini library/T.V. room. :-)
1,147 posted on 09/10/2004 6:13:32 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: AGreatPer; MEG33

Will the new anchor be in pajamas? I bet she will! What ratings!


1,148 posted on 09/10/2004 6:13:49 PM PDT by bvw
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To: Petronski; Mitchell; Airborne Longhorn; brityank

Interesting list. The original bitmapped Mac fonts (on the very first 1984 Mac) were Athens, Chicago, Geneva, London, New York, San Francisco and Venice.

1,149 posted on 09/10/2004 6:14:06 PM PDT by Dont Mention the War (we use the ¡°ml maximize¡± command in Stata to obtain estimates of each aj , bj, and cm.)
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To: Howlin

Oh no! Hope the wee one isn't badly burned.


1,150 posted on 09/10/2004 6:15:00 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: TomGuy

bttt


1,151 posted on 09/10/2004 6:16:14 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: bvw

LOL!


1,152 posted on 09/10/2004 6:17:04 PM PDT by MEG33 (John Kerry has been AWOL for two decades on issues of National Security)
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To: nopardons

You could replace Dan Rather! Unless ... he come on air wearing pajamas. Let's hope not.


1,153 posted on 09/10/2004 6:17:07 PM PDT by bvw
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To: bvw

In my robe and slippers?


1,154 posted on 09/10/2004 6:18:14 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: zlala

Marcel? That sounds French!!!
I know...you just couldn't script this stuff any better, huh?!


And I would sooner take the word of Marcel Ledbetter!


1,155 posted on 09/10/2004 6:18:36 PM PDT by RipSawyer ("Embed" Michael Moore with the 82nd airborne.)
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To: AGreatPer

"I sold over a million typewriters and word processors for IBM, A. B. Dick and Lanier in the 70's and early 80's."

Then you (and everyone) should be interested in this link I posted yesterday:

http://www.etypewriters.com/history.htm

The typewriter likely used by the TANG in 1972 was not the IBM Selectric, but the IBM Executive (Model A, B, or C) as discussed by Mineralman and others.


1,156 posted on 09/10/2004 6:18:47 PM PDT by CedarDave (USCG Vietnam vet to DC from NM on 9/12 for the "Kerry Lied...While Good Men Died" rally. Join us!)
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To: Howlin

Drudge now also headlining a link to a previously written Wolf Blitzer slam of Rather. The fact that this and the NBC piece are topping the "headlines" suggests to me that the MSM intends to hold onto this issue, most likely bring in reliable forensic document evaluators, in the hopes of hitting CBS hard. Looks like the good ol' network-to-network competition trumps their need for solidarity against Bush.

Goes to show: you can unite all the outlets of the MSM in co-ordinated attacks against the Pres... but when it becomes an issue of money and competition they'll eat each other alive. Ya gotta love it. :P


1,157 posted on 09/10/2004 6:18:48 PM PDT by Matt32
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To: Styria

Don't miss this one. ;-)


1,158 posted on 09/10/2004 6:19:40 PM PDT by tioga
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To: Howlin

1,159 posted on 09/10/2004 6:20:36 PM PDT by Boazo
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To: Matt32
You've nailed it and this SCANDAL is NOT going to go away anytime soon.
1,160 posted on 09/10/2004 6:20:53 PM PDT by nopardons
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