(Bernard) Goldberg: 'They Wanted the Story to Be True.'

RatherBiased.com ^ | September 10, 2004, 13:18:49 EDT

[Jean S]

(Exclusive Must Credit RatherBiased.com) Bernard Goldberg, the former CBS correspondent who in many ways ignited the current debate over bias in the media has now weighed in on the 60 Minutes document controversy, calling it the "almost inevitable" product of liberal media groupthink.

"Assuming that at least some of the documents are indeed forgeries as they now seem," Goldberg says in an email to RatherBiased.com, "This is what happens when a news organziation operates in a bubble--a comfy liberal elite bubble. They WANTED the story to be true, so they apparently minimized or ignored any information that contradicted their pre-conceived notions.

"This is the nature of bias in the news. no conspiracies. Rather never said, 'I know these documents are phoney, but I'll go with them anyway.' He would never do that. The problem is too much like-mindedness, too much groupthink. What happened was almost invevitable. Sooner or later, when you live in the bubble, something bad will happen.

"Let me add that Dan Rather was my friend yesterday, he's my friend today, and he'll be my friend tomorrow."

[battlegearboat]

Dan Rather is my friend too.

I so much look foward to our next visit.

[MaryFromMichigan]

"Let me add that Dan Rather was my friend yesterday, he's my friend today, and he'll be my friend tomorrow."

He should check with Dan on that one.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Out of friendship, he gives Dan Rather too much credit.

[Free ThinkerNY]

With friends like Rat-her, who needs enemas?

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

BG is a classy guy.

[Snardius]

"Let me add that Dan Rather was my friend yesterday, he's my friend today, and he'll be my friend tomorrow."

With friends like this, who needs sleazeballs...
Someone should tell Bernie that a man is known by the company he keeps.

[NavySEAL F-16]

At this rate, with Rather's declaration this morning, he's going to need all the friends he can get.

[BFM]

"This is the nature of bias in the news. no conspiracies. Rather never said, 'I know these documents are phoney, but I'll go with them anyway.' He would never do that... "

And the reason he (and the other MSM) ignored the Swift Boat Vets is because down deep he's an honest guy... (Insert help here)

If he is that honest then one is left to believe he is totally incompetent and/or subconciously biased.

Therefore Rather is an honest idiot... ?!?

... who should be retired for his own good and the good of us all.

[Paradox]

Sooner or later, when you live in the bubble, something bad will happen.

Yup, and the sound you are hearing now is a loud "POP"!

[vrwinger]

"Let me add that Dan Rather was my friend yesterday, he's my friend today, and he'll be my friend tomorrow."

This is a jab at Dan based on a quote from Goldberg's "Bias"... BG called DR to give him a heads up about an OpEd he wrote about media bias (pre-"Bias", the book)... BG warned DR that they may not be friends after DR found out what BG had to say. DR responded "he was my friend yesterday, he's my friend today, and he'll be my friend tomorrow." DR and BG haven't really spoken since... LOL!

[Question_Assumptions]

The comment about Dan Rather being his friend sound like a play on Bob Dole's statements about Kerry.

[OldFriend]

They didn't care if the story was a lie. A bit different than wanting it to be true.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Well, that's just peachy. What else do they report that they "want to be true"?

[17th Miss Regt]

This whole thing reminds me of the opening of the X-Files. Among the various strange things they put on the screen, there was the quote,

"I want to believe."

This appears to be the case here.

[Terpfen]

Please see #11 for an explanation of the "Dan Rather is my friend" line. Better yet, go out and read Bias to fully understand it.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Oh that's right. I have read the book, but it has been awhile. Thanks for the reminder.

[Bonaparte]

Rather said the documents had been "thoroughly investigated." That's a lie on its face. We here at FR realized they were forged after just minimal investigation -- and we have nowhere near the investigative resources that CBS has. BG is trying to be charitable, but I have no use for "charity" at this point.