Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

How Four Blogs Dealt a Blow to CBS’s Credibility
The New York Sun ^ | September 13, 2004 | Roderick Boyd

Posted on 09/13/2004 8:08:26 PM PDT by quidnunc

Four little-known online commentators — known as Web-loggers, or bloggers for short— were instrumental in landing a blow to CBS News with their reports that documents involving President Bush’s Air National Guard service may have been faked.

The four — John Hinderaker, William Ardolino, Charles Johnson and the pseudonymous “Allah” — led an interconnected real-time investigation into the authenticity of four documents that CBS, in its “60 Minutes II” broadcast last Wednesday, said proved that Mr. Bush applied pressure to get out of his Air National Guard service in August 1973.

Starting Thursday morning, the four bloggers — simultaneously doing original reporting and investigative work — created enough skepticism over CBS’s reporting that the network was forced to dedicate the opening segment of last Friday’s “CBS Evening News with Dan Rather” to defending itself.

The allegation leveled by the four bloggers is that the documents CBS used are sloppy and politically motivated forgeries. They base their claims on assertions that the documents contain spacing and typographical constructions that were impossible to make using electric typewriters available in 1973.

CBS News, which did not return a telephone call from the Sun, has said it stands by its report. During last Friday’s “CBS Evening News with Dan Rather” broadcast, Mr. Rather defended CBS News’ use of the documents, asserting “Definitive proof has not come out to refute them.”

The New York Sun interviewed three of the four bloggers — Charles Johnson did not return repeated e-mailed requests seeking comment — and was able to create a timeline of how these four nonjournalists created an ongoing dilemma for one of the largest and most established journalistic organizations in America.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at daily.nysun.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Extended News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cbsnews; forgery; killian; memogate; rather; rathergate; seebsnews
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-51 next last
To: quidnunc

The New York Sun is on its way to becoming a great newspaper in the tradition of its ancestor.


21 posted on 09/13/2004 8:46:43 PM PDT by xkaydet65 (" You have never tasted freedom my friend, else you would know, it is purchased not with gold, but w)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rocko

I thought Al Gore was the fifth Beatle.


22 posted on 09/13/2004 8:47:05 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: weegee

I bet we have some "big time" CYA going on right now in the Kerry camp.


23 posted on 09/13/2004 8:52:42 PM PDT by TruthWillWin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: writer33
BTTT

Great read, excellent short history of growing and successful opposition to liberal / socialist/ corrupted establishment which kept America in their red claws for too long.

WE ARE WINNING Yeaaaaaaaaaaa

24 posted on 09/13/2004 8:53:16 PM PDT by Anticommie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Verginius Rufus

Dung beetle?


25 posted on 09/13/2004 8:54:57 PM PDT by Rocko ( Dan Rather: "I'm GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: NewLand

The question is, what do they think they're gonna do if they are able to id Buckhead?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x806133


26 posted on 09/13/2004 8:56:11 PM PDT by notforhire (It riles them to believe that we perceive the web they weave.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: NewLand; TankerKC; Howlin; Buckhead
That was TankerKC who thought the docs looked a little weird, nothing like he'd seen when he was in the service. This was about 1/2 hour before Buckhead's post heard round the world. Following TankerKC's post, Howlin found the docs and posted them online. Buckhead then reviewed the docs and put 2 and 2 together.
27 posted on 09/13/2004 9:13:13 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Bahbah
She sent me a FR mail and I got right back to her.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I once got an IM from my husband that said "Phone for you."

28 posted on 09/13/2004 9:17:15 PM PDT by Howlin (What's the Font Spacing, Kenneth?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

LOL, I really have to go to sleep. Easier with a smile.


29 posted on 09/13/2004 9:30:12 PM PDT by Bahbah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: NewLand; TankerKC

It was TankerKC


30 posted on 09/13/2004 9:30:21 PM PDT by tertiary01 (Even the Lilliputians could tie up the big guy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: writer33

We're everywhere and we care...thanks for the writing


31 posted on 09/13/2004 9:34:33 PM PDT by maranatha
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: notforhire

DU are Idiots!!!

obsessing over one individual, when the power of FR and the blogs is that any one of us thousands could have been the first to notice.

They think there is some great enemy out there ... it's not us, it is the TRUTH!


32 posted on 09/13/2004 9:35:34 PM PDT by WOSG (George W Bush / Dick Cheney - Right for our Times!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: quidnunc

Sounds like Drudge is old news. There is some New Sheriffs in Town.


33 posted on 09/13/2004 9:39:18 PM PDT by Brimack34
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bahbah
My oldest daughter will do the same. She will do it if she gets mad because I don't call her back right away.
34 posted on 09/13/2004 9:40:28 PM PDT by codyjacksmom (A hugh series Stuned beeber user since 08/04.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: garyhope
Oh that would be awesome!!!
35 posted on 09/13/2004 9:41:23 PM PDT by codyjacksmom (A hugh series Stuned beeber user since 08/04.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: maranatha

Thank you for reading and the nice sentiments.


36 posted on 09/13/2004 9:43:31 PM PDT by writer33 (Try this link: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/books/electivedecisions.shtml)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: TruthWillWin
Isn't forgery against the law? Should someone be in jail because of this?

Nah! after all it was pretty inconsequential.

They were only trying to undermine our democracy and throw a Presidential Election !

37 posted on 09/13/2004 9:59:00 PM PDT by Wil H
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: quidnunc

Allah is a pseudonym?

Crap. I'm going to stop praying to his blog 5 times a day.


38 posted on 09/13/2004 10:17:22 PM PDT by VisualizeSmallerGovernment (Question Liberal Authority)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: quidnunc

Too bad one of the bloggers didn't use the pseudonym DeepT...


39 posted on 09/13/2004 10:32:16 PM PDT by Ben Chad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bahbah

Yes he does know how to use Freepmail. I thought I had written him back and said no, but I may have forgotten.


40 posted on 09/13/2004 10:59:36 PM PDT by Buckhead
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-51 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson