Posted on 09/10/2004 10:11:53 AM PDT by Pfesser
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX FRI SEPT 10, 2004 12:01:25 ET XXXXX
RATHER DIGS IN: THE DOCUMENTS ARE AUTHENTIC
CBSNEWS anchor and 60 MINUTES correspondent Dan Rather publicly defended his reporting Friday morning after questions were raised about the authenticity of newly unearthed memos aired on CBS which asserted that George W. Bush ignored a direct order from a superior officer in the Texas Air National Guard.
CNN TRANSCRIPT:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN RATHER, CBS NEWS ANCHOR: I know that this story is true. I believe that the witnesses and the documents are authentic. We wouldn't have gone to air if they would not have been. There isn't going to be -- there's no -- what you're saying apology?
QUESTION: Apology or any kind of retraction or...
RATHER: Not even discussed, nor should it be. I want to make clear to you, I want to make clear to you if I have not made clear to you, that this story is true, and that more important questions than how we got the story, which is where those who don't like the story like to put the emphasis, the more important question is what are the answers to the questions raised in the story, which I just gave you earlier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CBS NEWS executives on Thursday launched an internal investigation into whether its premiere news program 60 MINUTES aired fabricated documents relating to Bush's National Guard service, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. "The reputation and integrity of the entire news division is at stake, if we are in error, it will be corrected," a top CBS source explained late Thursday.
Developing...
Keep digging that grave, Blather.
Apparently CBS has concluded that if they don't contend the documents are real, then they would have to give up the source.
I guess ol' Danny Boy likes the taste of shoe leather! TASTY!
Should be, Rather digs grave.
Look for the ON Air correction Between Midnight Saturday, and 4 Am Sunday. Probably the latter.
Drudge headline looks cool with superscript "th". check it out. :o)
Someone please give Dan the number to the NY State Department of Labor, Unemployment Services. He is going to need it very soon.
Prove it, Dan. Where are the originals? Who gave them to you? What did you do to confirm their authenticity?
One wonders how Rather can be so sure... unless of course he's lost his objectivity. hahahahhahaha
Rush said that McAwful is saying this whole thing is Rove set-up, basically admitting the docs are fake, even as Rather vouches for the authenticity. The Dem/Media Apparatus is in panic mode. Anybody got a source for the McAwful quote.
What's the provenance, Kenneth?
Did anyone see the press release? CBS is saying that the report was based on "a preponderance of evidence"! YIKES!!! Since when is factual reporting supposed to be a PREPONDERANCE of EVIDENCE!
I would give CBS executives anywhere from 24 to 72 hours before they issue the retraction. If they don't they will lose a huge share of their remaining TV News audience (as small as it is ...)
So, what happens now?
Who has the originals?
I could be wrong but I suspect that the age of the paper could easily be determined. Having worked in Printing shops, I know that most (or all) paper stock becomes much more brittle after just one year on the shelf.
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