Ok I was too pissed to gather many facts but here's what I emailed CBS:
I’ve never seen a more irresponsible piece of journalism or response than the one’s seen on CBS this week. You bring on Mr. Barnes that’s the Co-chairman of the elect Kerry campaign with a forever changing story as people die and bring on forged documents a kid could decipher with an author that is also deceased to make brash claims when all you have to do is follow the sequence of events in the released valid documents to show they don’t add up.
It seems the Lt. Col. Jerry Killian family doesn’t believe it either. What about Mr. Barnes daughter Amy is she lying too. 250 men with signed affidavits weren’t enough creditability for you when the swift boat vets had something to say but these documents were? You best name your sources or I don’t think any of us will trust or watch CBS much in the future. If these documents were obtain by the “Freedom of Information Act” then their nothing to hide is there. Your creditability is on the line and were waiting to see who runs this station a democratic hack like Rather or honest news folks. It seems like forging documents should be a crime and I hope the justice department looks into this stations ethics and motives.
I've sent three emails to CBS, want to see them? OK. :)
# 1 - (angry email sent just after CBS broadcast tonight)
Guess what guys - we're onto you. Everyone knows the docs are forgeries. Interesting too, that Dan seemed nervous. Oh I can't imagine why. CBS has lost whatever little tiny bit of credibility they had left, and Dan drove the cart over the cliff. Rest in peace, CBS.
#2 - (after I calmed down a bit)
We're not buying the rebuttal,and here are a few of the reasons why.
1. Your expert was an expert in handwriting, not documents. You ignored everything about the document itself - facets of the accuracy of military style using contemporary examples, whether or not certain abbreviations were used such as the date, the written rank of the signing officer, how things were signed, etc.
2. You focused on the superscript as if the additional example you cited was the same when it was not. And besides, it was typed in Courier.
3. You twisted the truth in that Times New Roman may have been available since 1931 but not on personal typewriters.
4. You completely ignored every single reason why the typeset is suspect, and there are many.
5. Your people contacted Killian's family, but dismissed their opinions because they didn't further your agenda. You also ignored the fact that Killian filed glowing reports of Bush that ARE authentic.
6. You made the ridiculous claim that the copies you provided on your website would be somehow degenerated by the time internet "partisans" perused them, as if due to the magic of computers, the "partisans'" copies wouldn't be identical to yours.
7. You simply rehashed the same things, using the same witnesses, as in the original broadcast without once bringing on anyone new or independent of your investigation, which is VERY telling.
If we were wrong, you'd have this independently investigated. The thing is, we know. And you know that we know. And the best part is, no more biased media using stories to achieve a political end. You call the internet bloggers partisan, when in fact it is you who has brought American media to this point by reporting the news how you think we should see it rather than how it should be told. I could care less whether the fact that you bought a forged set of goods affects this election one way or the other. Much more important is that you're finally being forced to face the very populace you try to affect every night.
Change or die, liberal media. This won't be the last story you're called on, unless you choose to be honest and fair.
XXXXXXXXX XXXX
Ohio
3. - to my local affiliate
He's full of it, and we all know it. There are countless things he did not address in his "rebuttal" tonight. The docs are forged, no doubt. Affiliates should be making loud complains as to his "journalistic" methods. He's done, and he knows it. You know it too.