Posted on 09/25/2004 8:48:15 AM PDT by GeneD
Filed at 11:17 a.m. ET
NEW YORK (AP) -- CBS News has shelved a ``60 Minutes'' report on the rationale for war in Iraq because it would be ``inappropriate'' to air it so close to the presidential election, the network said on Saturday.
The report on weapons of mass destruction was set to air on Sept. 8 but was put off in favor of a story on President Bush's National Guard service. The Guard story was discredited because it relied on documents impugning Bush's service that were apparently fake.
CBS News spokeswoman Kelli Edwards would not elaborate on why the timing of the Iraq report was considered inappropriate.
The report, with Ed Bradley as the correspondent, has long been in the works. Originally scheduled for June, it was first put off because of new developments, Edwards said.
CBS said no other reports on the presidential election have been affected.
The network last week appointed former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and retired Associated Press chief executive Louis Boccardi to investigate what went wrong with the National Guard report and recommend changes.
The controversy has put CBS News officials squarely on the fire line, particularly anchor Dan Rather, who narrated the National Guard report.
Meanwhile, the network announced that Rather would anchor the network's coverage of all three presidential debates, starting Sept. 30.
"Meanwhile, the network announced that Rather would anchor the network's coverage of all three presidential debates, starting Sept. 30."
Will this REALLY sell?
We all helped to spike another hit piece that was already loaded to fire.
CBS News has shelved a ``60 Minutes'' report on the rationale for war in Iraq because it would be ``inappropriate'' to air it so close to the presidential election, the network said on Saturday. Actually it would seem to be more "appropriate" than a certain story that ran a few weeks ago, but you have to forgive CBS-- they're still distracted by the pinch of their teat caught in that wringer....
Well, CBS's marketshare ought to match Kerry's polling numbers.
No surprise out of this right? Sort of like when Matthews on Hardball beat up Kitty Litter Kelly... he had to show he was not "biased" with his token slapping of her book.
What is also not surprising is that Rather is still going to cover the elections... that guy still has too much clout at CBS. However this could hurt him if no one tunes in and would be a great sign that Big Dan needs to be trashed...
Wow! Power to the people. I sent my email yesterday. Very cool.
LOL!!! Oh, NOW cbs discovers some scruples ... i wonder how crooked this report was going to be!!!
Yeah, I think if we keep up the pressure, boycott the sponsors... We Win!
We can do it, I think we already are!
Surely, it will - he is going to have three talking heads with him: James Carville, Michael Moore and, for balance, David Gergen.
What a coincidence! Right before the DNC's "Fortunate Son" ad campaign was set to run. Too bad it blew up in their face. Too bad that strategically it would have made more sense to attack GWB on Iraq.
This is an example of what blind hatred will do to you and your cronies. It causes you to throw rational thinking out the window. Too bad, so sad. You lose.
Put on ANYTHING YOU WANT...SEE B S There isn't a living being on earth watching.
It probably will, because he will use this time to show how UNBIAS he is, and get a pass on the forged documents.
Earlier reports on this pending story sounded like their documents were again in question....enough so that it would have taken monumental hubris to air this hit piece. One of the docs referenced yellowcake, which the 9/11 commission asked and answered. CBS would again be seen to be using "fake" docs to hurt the Pres.
Congrats to all, but it's still sad we had to force CBS to be truthful.
Don't the campaigns have a say in who moderates the debates?
Yeah well, this close to the election and all. They'll probably have to cancel that in-depth investigation of the Swiftboat Vets accusations against John F'n Kerry too.
Ya think?
This just in.... CBS has been placed on a suicide watch.
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