[Common Tator]

Dan Rather has always wanted to be the only mare in heat on the stud farm.

I could not resist writing a column about Dan Rather and Richard Nixon at the NAB convention in 1972.

Click here for the 'tator take on Nixon Vs Rather (round one in Houston)

[beyond the sea]

In case someone didn't read your words...these are excellent!

****

What the media chose to ignore, was that Nixon was nicely pointing out that Rather was perceived by his fellow broadcasters as an advocate.. not a reporter. It was the boos and cheers of the broadcasters in the audience that gave proof to that view that Rather was and is not a journalist. He is a political partisan advocating a failed political philosophy. The NAB audience response to Rather standing up to ask a question, spoke volumes about how his fellow broadcasters saw Dan Rather.

The lesson that many in the press have to learn is that the days of Cronkite and Rather are gone. The days when the media could lie and the public believed the lie are gone. The internet is great for checking facts. It is a million eyes finding a thousand lies.

Remember what George W. Bush asked Dan the afternoon of this year's State of the Union speech? 'W' asked Dan, "Are you going to retire to Texas?" When Dan replied, " Yes." The president remarked, "So am I, Dan .... In four more years!"