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Rather to resign 'CBS News' post.
The Yuma Sun ^ | 11/23/04 | DAVID BAUDER

Posted on 11/23/2004 2:04:57 PM PST by kas2591

Nov 23, 4:23 PM EST

Rather to Resign 'CBS Evening News' Post

By DAVID BAUDER AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Dan Rather, whose nearly 24-year tenure as anchor of the "CBS Evening News" was clouded by a recent questionable report on President Bush's National Guard service, said Tuesday he will step down in March.

Rather said his last broadcast as anchor would be March 9, the 24th anniversary of when he assumed the position from Walter Cronkite.

The 73-year-old newsman said he will continue to work for CBS, as a correspondent for both editions of "60 Minutes."

"I have always been and remain a `hard news' investigative reporter at heart," he said in a statement. "I now look forward to pouring my heart into that kind of reporting full time."

He made no mention of the National Guard story in announcing the change, saying he had agreed with CBS executives last summer to leave sometime after the Nov. 2 election. But he was forced to fight for his professional life after anchoring a September "60 Minutes Wednesday" story about Bush's service that turned out to be based on allegedly forged documents.

A report on what went wrong with the National Guard story, from a two-man independent investigative panel, is due imminently.

CBS didn't talk about potential successors. Newsmen John Roberts and Scott Pelley have long been considered in-house candidates, but the network will also probably look outside.

Rather has been with CBS News for more than four decades and made his name as a reporter covering the Nixon White House.

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Summary Box: Rather to Leave As CBS Anchor

"He has been an eyewitness to the most important events for more than 40 years and played a crucial role in keeping the American public informed about those events and their larger significance," CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves said.

Rather's announcement comes eight days before his NBC rival, Tom Brokaw, steps down as "Nightly News" anchor and is replaced by Brian Williams.

The triumvirate of Rather, Brokaw and ABC's Peter Jennings has ruled network news for more than two decades. Rather dominated ratings after taking over for Cronkite during the 1980s, but he was eclipsed first by Jennings and then by Brokaw. His evening news broadcast generally runs a distant third in the ratings each week.

His hard news style was mixed with a folksy Texan style that led him to rattle off homespun phrases on Election Night. But odd incidents dogged him: In 1987 he walked off the set, leaving CBS with dead air, to protest a decision to let a tennis match delay the news. And his claim that he was accosted on the street by a strange man saying, "What's the frequency, Kenneth?" led rock band R.E.M. to write a song with the same name.

Brokaw said Monday that he was "pleased for Dan that he's come to a conclusion about his own life, as I have in my case."

"Dan and I have known each other competitively and personally for a long, long time," Brokaw said. "Occasionally on the competitive side, it would be tiny bumps in the road, but when you think of all that we've been through, we have a pretty strong relationship. So I wish him well."

ABC News said Jennings was traveling and could not immediately be reached for comment.

CBS thought it had an important scoop with the National Guard story this past September, reporting that President Bush had received preferential treatment to get into the guard and stay in the United States during the Vietnam War, and had failed to satisfy the requirements of his service.

But critics immediately questioned the story, saying a document purportedly written by Bush's late squadron leader appeared to be a fake. Rather apologized before CBS appointed the investigative panel.

"We made a mistake in judgment," Rather said, "and for that I am sorry."

© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cbsnews; rather; resignation
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From AP, breaks my heart (sniff).
1 posted on 11/23/2004 2:04:57 PM PST by kas2591
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To: kas2591

Bye.


2 posted on 11/23/2004 2:06:11 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws help fund terrorism.)
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To: kas2591
Dan Rather....Dan Rather?....Hmmm...that name rings a bell. He used to be a reporter or something, right? :-)
3 posted on 11/23/2004 2:07:05 PM PST by hiredhand ( "Pudge the Indestructible Kitty" lives at - http://www.justonemorefarm.com)
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To: hiredhand

And November just keeps on bringing in GOOD NEWS! Does this count as an election consequence?


4 posted on 11/23/2004 2:08:15 PM PST by princess leah (\)
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To: kas2591

Christmas is coming in November this year!!!


5 posted on 11/23/2004 2:08:52 PM PST by weenie ("A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants." -- Churchill)
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To: princess leah

The left just can't get any traction! This is like one l-o-n-g continuous GLOAT that just won't stop! ;-)


6 posted on 11/23/2004 2:10:05 PM PST by hiredhand ( "Pudge the Indestructible Kitty" lives at - http://www.justonemorefarm.com)
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To: kas2591

He is resigning but he will still be with 60 Minutes, then he isnt resigning, he is just becoming the power behind the throne.. Well he is old maybe he will die from old age next year. He certainly wont be removed by CBS Lies or no lies, fraud or no fraud. Investigation or no investigation.


7 posted on 11/23/2004 2:11:11 PM PST by sgtbono2002
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To: weenie

Haa, haa, Christmas. Not for me, March 9th is my birthday. Wow, got a great present and no-one had to buy it!


8 posted on 11/23/2004 2:11:17 PM PST by BushCountry (They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong.)
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To: kas2591

Free Republic had a hand in Rather's "retirement" by exposing the fake National Guard documents.

Viva the new media!


9 posted on 11/23/2004 2:11:26 PM PST by Ticonderoga34
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To: kas2591
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
10 posted on 11/23/2004 2:12:03 PM PST by IncPen (There is nothing that government can give a man that wasn't taken under threat of force from another)
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To: BushCountry

Well, Happy Birthday!


11 posted on 11/23/2004 2:13:20 PM PST by weenie ("A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants." -- Churchill)
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To: hiredhand
Dan Rather....Dan Rather?....Hmmm...that name rings a bell. He used to be a reporter or something, right?

Yeah, the name rings a bell, or sumthin'. But I'm pretty sure he was never a reporter.

Maybe a rattlesnake in boot country?

12 posted on 11/23/2004 2:17:16 PM PST by EternalHope (Boycott everything French forever. Including their vassal nations.)
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To: weenie
John Gibson just coined the phrase "Anchors Aweigh" for Dan Rather
13 posted on 11/23/2004 2:17:24 PM PST by Dalite (If PRO is the opposite of CON, What is the opposite of PROgress? Go Figure....)
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To: zert_28
These three "honorable" news reader--Dan. Tom, and Petah, have been shaping the news to fit their agendas for over 40 years. Too bad the internet had to come along and rain on their parade! They would still be hammering their views for years to come, if folks like freepers and talk radio hosts weren't around to expose them at every turn.

Now--let's concentrate on that bunch at CNN............

14 posted on 11/23/2004 2:18:08 PM PST by basil (Exercise your Second Amendment--buy another gun today!)
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To: EternalHope
Hey! You're a "Zoomie"! :-) I checked your profile!

Yeah....a snake maybe, but not a reporter! :-)
15 posted on 11/23/2004 2:19:13 PM PST by hiredhand ( "Pudge the Indestructible Kitty" lives at - http://www.justonemorefarm.com)
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To: zert_28

Viva Buckhead


16 posted on 11/23/2004 2:22:40 PM PST by ProudVet77 (Just say NO to blue states.)
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To: IncPen
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
17 posted on 11/23/2004 2:23:28 PM PST by IncPen (There is nothing that government can give a man that wasn't taken under threat of force from another)
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To: kas2591

Twenty four years too late.


18 posted on 11/23/2004 2:24:58 PM PST by SpaceBar
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To: kas2591

Everybody at Democratic Underground is deeply saddened.


19 posted on 11/23/2004 2:27:47 PM PST by shiva
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To: kas2591

Oh Danny Boy..!

The Whiskey she is calling...

To wash away...the shame of what you done.

BUT FREEPERS...Farrrr! and wide will expose you.

so go away..to never returnnn, againn.


20 posted on 11/23/2004 2:31:51 PM PST by LtKerst (Lt Kerst)
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